by Mike Dorning
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid opened a potential path to seating Roland Burris in the Senate after a 45-minute meeting with the former Illinois attorney general at the Capitol this morning.
After days in which Senate leaders had demonstrated determined resistance to Burris's appointment to the Senate by scandal-tainted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Reid praised Burris as "candid and forthright." And he suggested that testimony which Burris is to give before the state legislature's impeachment committee on Thursday could be crucial to his prospects of gaining the seat.
"He's going to go answer any other questions they might have. He's not trying to avoid any responsibility and trying to hide anything," said Reid (D-Nev.) "Once that's done, we'll be in a different position and see what we are going to do."
One Democratic aide said the Senate leadership's attitude toward the appointment had now "thawed."
Still, citing a Senate rule, Reid said the Senate would not seat Burris until his certificate of appointment is signed by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. White has declined to sign the certificate but Burris has gone to court to seek an order requiring White to certify the governor's appointment.
Reid said he still would ask a Senate committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the appointment before Burris is seated but said he hoped the process would move swiftly.
"There's going to come a time when the entire Senate is going to have to act on this, and that day I hope would come sooner rather than later," Reid said.
Burris's appearance at the opening of the Senate session and the refusal to seat him stirred saturation media coverage, eclipsing efforts by Democrats to promote their economic stimulus plans.
On Tuesday, an influential Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) broke with the Senate leadership and urged them to seat Burris.
Comments
Burris absolutely should be seated. The Secretary of State is not the Governor and his role in affixing the State seal is a purely ministerial act which he has no discretion to refuse to perform. The Secretary of State is not the co-governor.
Reid is a joke. He talks tough and does nothing, whether dealing with Republicants or with an issue like this. Reid couldn't shine the shoes of true Senate Leaders such as Lyndon Johnson, much less stand in those shoes. This episode is so pathetic as to be embarrassing.
Posted by: a blinkin | January 7, 2009 1:19 PM
Incredible the speed of this thawing! Further evidence of man made global warming.
Posted by: obamabotsACTIVATE | January 7, 2009 3:31 PM
In other words, Blago won that round and I'll bet he's rolling on the floor laughing. Blago is like a cat batting his toys around and his toys right now are his party, guess he figures he might as well have some fun before they boot him out.
Posted by: vla | January 7, 2009 3:46 PM
Burris should be seated. Even though I don't like Blagojevich, he has not been convicted. White should sign the form and Burris should be seated. Our conservative website was the first (at least on our side of the aisle) to call for him to be seated:
http://ConservativeAmerican.org
Posted by: Peter Andrew | January 7, 2009 4:20 PM
Reid has finished doing his "tough-guy" pose, which nobody believed anyway. Now the glad-handing and good 'ol boying (of which Burris is already a part of) takes over, and we're back to politics as usual. Burris will be taking up space in DC by the end of the week. Too bad we still won't have a senator.
Posted by: SadTaxPayer | January 7, 2009 4:42 PM
There should be no deals or conditions about seating Burris. Nor should there be a full Senate vote. The only power the Senate has is to inquire whether Burris meets the age, residence and citizenship requirements and, perhaps, to confirm that the State’s executive actually exercised his power under the Seventeenth Amendment to appoint him. Their power to inquire goes no further. No one doubts that Burris meets the age, citizenship and residence requirements imposed by the Constitution. Since Blagojevich has not been removed from office, he is still the Governor of Illinois. Thus, under the U.S. and Illinois Constitution and laws, he had both the duty and power to appoint a replacement for Obama. Since he exercised that power by appointing Burris, Burris is entitled to his Senate seat. If the full Senate votes to block him from taking his seat, Burris could sue and force his way in.
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I’m moderately surprised that only a few Democrat Senators, like Diane Feinstein, have chosen to recognize that Burris is entitled to his Senate seat. I thought the Senate Democratic Caucus wanted a filibuster proof majority? In light of the fact the Minnesota Senate contest is still tied up in court, it seems the Democrats are shooting themselves in the foot in this regard by keeping Burris out. It seems a little late in the day to be so squeamish about appearances.
Posted by: John W. | January 7, 2009 4:44 PM
Limbaugh brands Harry "the war is lost" Reid a segregationist and he folds. Blago still on the loose. More to come. Free Roland! Free "the tapes"! Cover up! Cover up!
Posted by: Bubba Porter | January 7, 2009 5:09 PM
Could the Dem Leadership have handled this matter any worse than they did? NO.
It was very questionable whether the Senate had the leagal authority to deny Burris. Blago is the governor. He has the legal authority to appoint Burris. The Senate can really do nothing about it. They Dem leadership decided not to chance their hold on the seat with a special election, and Blago isn't going anywhere for months - if at all. Burris has to be seated. The mindless hand-ringing only fed the media. What bumblers.
ANd don't even get me started on Bobby Rush. This was never about the color of Burris's skin. It was about the content of Blago's character. Bobby Rush's comments then (and the continuation nof them this afternoon) are disgusting and shameful.
Posted by: Phil | January 7, 2009 5:29 PM
Ah, maybe ole Roland is not so clean after all. Reports have it he raised 22K for Blago and got 700K in Il. gov't. contracts. Roland, Roland, tell me it's not true. You also a "pay to play" guy. Geez, and here I supported you in principle.
Posted by: Bubba Porter | January 7, 2009 6:06 PM
We already have to have a special election to seat someone for Rahm's seat...why not let us vote for senator the same day?
Posted by: lochnessmonster | January 7, 2009 7:47 PM
Dear Editor,
Roland Burris' acceptance of the offer of a US Senate seat was an act of consumate political corruption.
The People who think that this appointment was bribe free are missing the obvious. Of course there was a bribe. The bribe was the Senate appointment itself.
Burris took the Senate seat as a bribe to buy his allegiance to Governor Rod Blogojevich and his commitment to make as much trouble as possible for the people who dared to hold this governor accountable before the law. For the price of a Senate seat Burris has allowed himself to become the instrument of revenge for a corrupt, narcissistic, political egomaniac.
That’s not integrity. That’s the worst kind of corruption: putting your hunger for power and your personal ambition ahead of the best interests of your state, your party and your people.
Every member of the US Senate should vote against this seating. If they don’t, they are just as guilty as Burris is for participating in this outrage.
Posted by: Mike Wyman | January 7, 2009 8:48 PM
Roland Burris* IL Senator - a constant laughingstock reminder of our great State.
This is step 1 in the Rod - I'm driving this car through the shopping mall Blagojevich meltdown. When it's all said and done, I expect Daley and Stroger to be out of office and hopefully every single son/brother/daughter of a politician will have to go get a real job.
IL needs this colon cleanse, and Patrick Fitzgerald is the man to see it through.
Burris is a sideshow, an appetizer of things to come. Does anyone really care if he sits at a desk in DC for 2 years collecting a check and passing out business cards that say Senator? He's a joke, and will be out of office before you know it.
Posted by: karl | January 7, 2009 10:46 PM
lochnessmonster, I couldn't agree with you more.. Durbin first called for a special election than changed his mind, Obama said not to set Burris now says he don't care..go ahead and seat him Obama feels big enough to work with him if he has to.. I am noticing a theme here with the Democrats and their mind changing.. or should I say flip flopping.. they are really good at it,
As far as I am concerned Obama's seat should have been replaced with someone THE PEOPLE choose..at this point I am more than fed up with the Democratic's in IL and fed up Politicians who wait to see what way the wind is blowing before making a stand... unless of course there's money involved then they make a decision real fast regardless of what the people want.. We haven't but one senator (well if thats what you call him) for the last 2 years anyway what's the difference that all of a sudden we HAVE to have one now.
Posted by: Independent Voter Joliet | January 7, 2009 11:42 PM