by Mike Dorning
Former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris and Senate Democratic leaders determined to block his seating in the U.S. Senate plan to sit down Wednesday in the U.S. Capitol for a face-to-face meeting.
Aides to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Saturday that the meeting was arranged at the request of Burris, who spoke Friday with Durbin by telephone. A Durbin spokesman said only that the conversation was amicable.
Aides to Burris confirmed he requested the meeting and said he plans to try Tuesday to claim the Senate seat to which he was appointed.
After Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested last month on charges of trying to sell the appointment to the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, Democratic Senate leaders vowed not to seat Blagojevich's choice.
But Burris says he will press his case.
That has set up the possibility of a showdown when the new Congress convenes Tuesday. Senate leaders have contingency plans to block Burris' entrance to the floor with armed guards, if necessary.
See the rest of the report on Burris and Reid and the Senate appointment standoff in the Tribune and here in the Swamp:
Late Saturday, Reid issued a statement accusing Blagojevich of "leaking and distorting conversations," an apparent reference to a report Saturday that Reid and Blagojevich talked by phone six days before the governor was arrested Dec. 9.
The conversation, disclosed by the Sun-Times based on anonymous sources, added to the potential racial dimension in the struggle over seating Burris, who is black.
A Democratic official familiar with the conversation told the Tribune that Reid expressed "some concern" about whether three potential candidates--U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) and Illinois Senate President Emil Jones--could win a statewide election to keep the seat in 2010. All three are black.
The official said Reid expressed greater confidence in the prospects of Illinois Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth, who is Asian-American, and state Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, who is white.
The conversation may shed light on a reference in Blagojevich's criminal complaint in which the governor cites pressure not to appoint "Senate Candidate 5," now known to be Jackson.
Blagojevich spokesman Luis Guerrero confirmed the Dec. 3 call, but declined to say which candidates Reid backed or opposed. Burris' name was never mentioned, Guerrero said.
"The governor thinks there is a conflict of interest," Guerrero said. "It seems to the governor that Sen. Reid has a horse in the race and Roland Burris isn't one of them."
In his statement late Saturday, Reid denounced the governor's tactics.
"Gov. Blagojevich's efforts to try to tarnish others while the cloud of suspicion continues to grow over him are shameful, as are his efforts to further betray the public trust and sow seeds of division," he said.
Tribune reporter Stacy St. Clair contributed to this report.
Comments
What a drama. Blago is really going to get sympathy for standing up to the pressure from Obama and Reid. The Dems are truly the Party of Slander and Libel. Where is Al Franken's caustic humor-- maybe he can tell jokes on CBS when Reid tackles the only African American Senator trying to take his seat. Fitzgerald's request for a three month delay makes this all look even more unseemly. No wonder Fitzgerald loves to try his cases in the press because anyone who gets a chance to defend themselves in court might have some facts. I really wonder if Obamaland and their fawning Press knew Blago was being pressured to keep African Americans out of the Senate. Blago is looking like a hero only because the Dems and the Press are such sleezes. Palin is also starting to look like a saint when you think of the half baked criticism thrown at her.
Posted by: Don | January 4, 2009 9:02 AM
"Potential racial dimension" is really reaching. Obama was voted in here, he is black too.
This is more related to politics and Blago appointed him. Burris was the first African-American to win a state wide election in Illinois.
The Democrats in this state are not earning themselves a great name, they have refused to do anything about Blago's antics. Its all about the politics and not about getting a good job done with the Democrats here.
Posted by: Wm Brown | January 4, 2009 9:43 AM
Question-
Has any one got any idea who the Democrats really want for Illinois Senator?
Be interesting to see them pick one thats has full creditability..
Posted by: Inky | January 4, 2009 10:22 AM
Blagojevich is really acting irresponsibly here, and cynically. Reid is quite correct in his assessment.
Posted by: Edward Renehan | January 4, 2009 10:41 AM
I love the smell of venom in the morning.............it reminds me of victory.
Posted by: bill r. | January 4, 2009 11:16 AM
I'd like to remind everyone who is not an Illinois resident, and never heard of Blago before Dec. 9, that the alleged attempted sale of the Senate seat is only a part, perhaps only a SMALL part, of the criminal case Fitz has been building against Blago for more than 3 years now.
This was NOT an isolated incident that suddenly came out of left field. He's been under investigation for "endemic hiring fraud" and pay-to-play fundraising/extortion from state contractors since 2005, at least.
So why hasn't he been indicted before now? Well, the feds take their time building cases and making sure they are airtight. It took them, what, 3 or 4 years or longer to get around to charging George Ryan. Add to that the fact that new allegations are likely pouring into the USAtty's office even as we speak, er, blog... and the 3-month extension makes more sense.
Nearly all Illinois residents fully expect Blago to be indicted, convicted and end up in prison someday, the only question is when.
Fitz said something at the Dec. 9 press conference about not wanting to wait "until spring" to act. That seems to indicate to me that even without the Senate seat allegations, he was preparing to indict Blago for other stuff in about 3-4 months anyway. So even with the extension he's still on his original timetable.
I predict that when the indictment does come down it will be big -- probably including dozens of counts carrying (theoretically) hundreds of years in potential prison time.
As for the Senate seat kerfluffle, I would suggest that the Senate do investigate, as thoroughly as reasonably possible, whether Burris himself engaged in any funny business to obtain the appointment. If they find he did not, they should then seat him. If Pat Quinn is governor by that time, he should simply reappoint Burris and let him finish the term. The 2010 primary is only about a year away anyhow, and everyone says it's not about Burris anyway, so why prolong the fight.
Posted by: Elaine | January 4, 2009 11:35 AM
Turns out that Reid and Emanuel pressured Blago about the senate seat, telling him NOT to appoint Jesse Jackson or Emiil Jones. See http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/1360191,harry-reid-blagojevich-jesse-jackson-010209.article (as usual with stories that reflect badly on The Messiah, the story was not broken by or reported in the Tribune)
Posted by: Release the tapes! | January 4, 2009 11:40 AM
I am a proud Il. citizen. It warms the heart to witness the utter hypocrisy of the Dems...faced with the national limelight over their corruption, their political circus denying Il. voters the right to a free and honest election, their exposure of the use of racial politics to advance their agenda (yea right, we're inclusive only when we need the votes), the shambles they have made of our economic future and our state's gov't. ability to function, the "dumbing down" of education to levels a 6th grader achieves to graduate from a Chicago H.S. (welcome your new sec. of education)...and now, here they come to Washington...got ole Harry caught in the headlights...notice how Durbin and the omniscient mayor D have been quite...or Rahm and the Chicago gang?...poor ole "tombstone" Burris too stupid to know better...yes sir, ya get what ya vote for, Obama coming to town...bringing the whole sordid mess to the U.S.A....gotta love it...I'm proud to be an Il. citizen.
Posted by: Bubba Porter | January 4, 2009 11:49 AM
I don't know which state to kick out of the union first.... should it be Alaska or Illinois? Now that Obama's in DC, I think we can do that. And we get rid of boring Bubba too.
Posted by: Flo from the other 48 | January 4, 2009 5:26 PM
Inauguration Day Rally for Burris:
If Reid wants to play games, so be it
There will be thousands of African-Americans in Washington that day to celebrate the swearing in of President-Elect Barack Obama.
This would be a "radioactive" situation...
And, if I were Barack Obama, I would ever so quietly pass the word to those white Democratic Party U.S. Senators to make sure than Burris was sworn in before my day in the international sun.
The alternative would be the danger of Burris being a big story on January 20, 2009.
If they want to play games.. bring it on, he was appointed legally, and is a good man. The Jerk that appointed him will be gone soon... we can not wait... SEAT THE MAN !
Posted by: Paul Johnson | January 5, 2009 1:27 PM
Mr Reid you need to go back to where you came from. You are doing a very lousy job. It's not about the people with you and that ding bat Mrs pelois. The two of use are the worry we have ever had. Quit grandstanding on do the job we elected you to do, you are not the judge and jury of the governor of ill. He is innocent to proven guilty or did the big trail lawyer forget? The governor did his job, now do ypours and sit him.
Posted by: rich | January 6, 2009 11:59 AM
Senator Harry Reid has chosen to be remembered as a bad guy who beat up on a qualified, competent and experienced old black man, forcing him to stand outside in the rain instead of properly seating him in the senate.
Congratulations, Senator Reid for sealing and stamping your place in the history books and archives. You will stand next to former Alabama Governor, George Wallace for trying to prevent black high school students from entering a school to desegregate it.
Ronald B. Keys, JD, PhD, Attorney, New York & Michigan
Former Felony & Homocide Trial Prosecutor
Posted by: Ronald B. Keys, JD, PhD | January 8, 2009 11:31 AM