Marathon Pundit

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Morning Blago bits

Due to yesterday's shocking news that our crazy governor, Rod Blagojevich, appointed a successor to Barack Obama's Senate seat, I didn't do a Blago evening reader.

But this morning I'm going to utilize a similar format.

Democratic Senate leaders, backed by Barack Obama, vow they will not seat Burris.

As Obama said in a statement, "Roland Burris is a good man and a fine public servant, but the Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat."

Lynn Sweet, the Chicago Sun-Times' Washington correspondent, interviewed Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Chicago), who says he was offered the job by Blago. He still wants to move up to the Senate, but not under these conditions. He turned Blagojevich down.

This adds more credibility that Blago is using the race card to make some sort of brain-addled statement only he can understand. Davis is an African-American.

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Chicago), a former Black Panther who has been experiencing health problems of late, took the race card much further yesterday. He declared, "I would ask you to not hang or lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointer."

Now that Blagojevich has made the appointment, it's up to Illinois' secretary of state, Jesse White, to certify it. But White told CBS 2 Chicago that he will not, backing up a promise he made earlier this month. Like Obama, Burris had nice things to say about his fellow Chicago Democrat.

White is also an African-American.

Illinois' next governor, Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn, said the appointment was "an insult to the people of Illinois." He's right, but the Oak Park Democrat ran twice as Blagojevich's running mate, something Quinn forgets to mention when taking the high road in denouncing Blago.

In an editorial, the State Journal-Register compares Blagojevich to Heath Ledger's Joker character in The Dark Knight"

They have one thing in common: A desire to shock people and sow discord.

"You know what I am?" The Joker says in the film. "I'm a dog chasing cars. You know, I just do things. ... Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I'm an agent of chaos."

And this chaos could end up in the US Supreme Court.

For the most part, members of the Illinois General Assembly, Democrats and Republicans, are appalled by the appoinment.

Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) exclaimed, "We hate to be the ones who told you so, but we told you so."

But Rep. Mike Jacobs (D-East Moline) will regret making this statement:

I think it's pretty wise politics. I just think the governor was wise to do something. It shows he can still act.

Please, stop Blago from acting.

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democrats

Politics

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Fox Chicago: Burris a frequent Blago contributor, evidence of ghost payrolling while AG

Fox 32 Chicago's Larry Yellen add more fuel to the Roland Burris fire tonight. Click here for the video. In short, Burris, who is now a lobbyist, was a frequent contributor to Governor Rod Blagojevich's campaign fund.

And while serving as Illinois' attorney general, Burris' nephew Stephen had a full-time state job, but Fox 32 found that he was working 20 hours a week for Federal Express.

Roland Burris--another political hack.

We want a special election!

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Ill. Dems could have avoided Blago-Burris mess by authorizing a special election

Almost immediately after it was revealed the Governor Rod Blagojevich tried to sell Barack Obama's senate seat, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) called for a special election to name Illinois' next senator. But fearing a Republican pick-up of the seat, Durbin, almost certainly egged on by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) backed off that declaration.

Look at the mess the Democratic Party has created.

The Washington Post has more:

Blagojevich's choice of Democrat Roland Burris "is emblematic of the old-school, pay-to-play culture that has plagued Illinois for generations and this appointment is another embarrassment for the people of Illinois ," said Illinois GOP Chairman Andy McKenna.

National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (Texas) laid the blame for the current problems in Illinois at Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid'ss (Nev.) feet.

"Senator Reid and the Democratic leadership in Washington and Springfield decided to play politics with this Senate seat and unfortunately, the people of Illinois are now paying the price," said Cornyn.

While it's almost certain that Burris won't ever be seated in the Senate, Blagojevich's attempt to do that makes for yet more problems for Democrats in Illinois and Washington -- turning a bad situation into a political nightmare.

We want a special election!

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Blago buddy Burris

Rod Blagojevich defecated on the people of Illinois today. After his attorney said he wouldn't appoint someone to the US Senate seat being vacated by Barack Obama, the one he tried to sell, Blago appointed Roland Burris.

Okay, Burris almost certainly didn't buy the seat. And is it wrong for the 71 year-old South Side Chicago Democrat to be tarred with guilt by association?

Well, as the Illinois Republican Party tells us, the two have been associating for years.

Blagojevich Ally

"I think he's doing a helluva job"– Roland Burris responding to questions about Rod Blagojevich's performance as governor – Is gov a team player? Critics insist he's not: He admits to being combative but cites 1st-term achievements, Chicago Sun Times, March 5, 2006

Blagojevich's administration has been beset by investigations and the conviction of Rezko, a onetime top adviser and fund-raiser. But a crowd still turned out, including former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, lobbyist Al Ronan and ex-Blagojevich staffer-turned-lobbyist John Wyma. Backers turn out for gov's fund-raiser, Chicago Sun Times, June 27, 2008

Those listed on the invitation as hosts of the fundraiser include…former Attorney General ROLAND BURRIS, now a lobbyist. - Blagojevich money machine rolls on, conflict or not, State Journal-Register, April 6, 2006

Among the notable figures who attended the Blagojevich campaign event was the governor's "kitchen cabinet" adviser Antoin Rezko, a wealthy businessman who has raised political funds for him. Also present were Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, who introduced the governor before his speech, and former attorney general Roland Burris. - Governor raises $4 million, Copley News Service, June 17, 2005

Burris was the Chairman of the Governor's Commission on State Pensions as recently as 2005. Illinois State Pensions were then, and are now, the most underfunded in the country. - State pension panel nears vote on proposed cuts, Copley News Service, January 7, 2005

Pay To Play

A company headed by former state comptroller and attorney general Roland Burris has been awarded a $150,000 state contract to advise disadvantaged businesses on how to improve their operations and ultimately win state contracts. – Consulting firm awarded $150,000 contract by IDOT, State Journal-Register, June 16, 2004

The Ho-Chunk Nation has tapped former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris and his law firm to lobby for state approval of its proposed casino complex in Hoffman Estates. - Ex-attorney general to lobby for casino, Chicago Daily Herald, June 5, 2003

A wide-ranging hospital fraud investigation in Nevada has Cook County Board President Todd Stroger reconsidering his plans to help balance the county's budget on a private firm's promise to bring up to $125 million a year to the county's ailing health system...A contract has not yet been signed here, but negotiations have been going on since the County Board gave approval last year. That approval came after former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris lobbied the board on ACS' behalf. - Vegas probe casts doubt on county deal, Chicago Sun Times, January 18, 2007

A State Journal-Register investigation in 1993 found that half the outside legal contracts awarded by then-Attorney General Roland Burris went to campaign contributors. - Attorney general closing 12 outposts, hiring staff, State Journal-Register, July 27, 1995

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Blago bizarreness

If you're wondering why I've been quiet this afternoon, well, I never dreamed that our bufoonish governor, Rod Blagojevich, would appoint anyone to serve in the US Senate after his December 9 arrest.

And I haven't really been silent, I appeared on Stephanie Davis' Patriot Games Radio this evening.

Time for dinner, then time to blog.

Blago to appoint Roland Burris to US Senate

Just one week after Rod Blagojevich's blowhard attorney, Ed Genson, said that the disgraced governor would not appoint a successor to Barack Obama in the US Senate, the Chicago Democrat picks Roland Burris, a former state attorney general and comptroller, to take Obama's seat.

Didn't Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) say the upper chamber would not seat anyone Blago appointed? He all but did that three weeks ago.

It's possible that we could have a constitutional confrontation on our hands, but my guess is that Reid won't risk the ire of blacks, and will allow Burris to be seated.

Burris was Illinois' first African American to hold statewide office. However, Burris, a Chicago Democrat who is a native of downstate Centralia, has lost four straight primary elections, most recently in 2002, when Blagojevich topped him to got the Democratic nod for governor that year.

Surely Burris hasn't been tainted by Blago sleaze, right?

I'm still doing some research, but since leaving public life, reluctantly, Burris became a lobbyist and "retained a friendship" with Blago.

More to come, that's to be sure.

Meanwhile, Obama's seat looks like a juicy pick-up target for the Republicans. Remember, Burris has lost four straight Democratic primaries. If he runs for the seat on his own, he'll have Blagojevich as a running mate.

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