1. - scoot - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:42 am:

   Not to get off subject here, but when Pat Quinn becomes Governor who replaces Quinn as Lt. Guv? Is there a line of succession or is there just an appointee?




2. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:45 am:

   There is no successor. The LG slot will stay open until the next election.




3. - Bill - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:45 am:

   The office remains vacant. The Attorney is next up.




4. - Bill - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:46 am:

   Attorney General, that is.




5. - Six Degrees of Separation - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:47 am:

   Illinois State Constitution, Article V, Section 7. “If the Lieutenant Governor fails to qualify or if his office becomes vacant, it shall remain vacant until the end of the term.”




6. - scoot - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:48 am:

   Thanks guys!




7. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:48 am:

   Let’s move along.




8. - Joe Schmoe - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:51 am:

   Do we welcome Rich back to the land of ice and snow?




9. - wordslinger - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:51 am:

   Look like the House is ready to roll.




10. - ivoted4judy - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:51 am:

    This schedule is tentative based on the results of Monday’s hearing. I believe that if the Government wins, then Genson will appeal, and those tapes could be held up for a few weeks.




11. - You Go Boy - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:55 am:

    = Lets move along = I picture Rich the beat cop
    twirling his nightstick as he encourages the street bloggers to get on to more important things, i.e. how can we ditch Blago in the alley legally.
    As for Burris: how about asking the question of your bloggers, since Roland has his headstone marked with his career positions, what should his last one be?




12. - Six Degrees of Separation - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:58 am:

    I know of no credible argument against the expectation that the governor will be impeached in the Madigan House, and convicted in the Cullerton Senate, although nothing in life is cetrain except death and taxes.

    The main effort here is to set the bar as high as possible to not affect the ability of future governors to act with reasonable executive autonomy. The temptation to make the office pay for the sins of its current occupant, and for the machine to muzzle the next occupant, must be great.

    As far as the next US Senator, the $64k question is whether PQ and Burris will cut a deal - to put the current matter to rest with the least mess possible - with the glare of the national spotlight and perception having ramifications beyond the state. Not an easy task.




13. - MikeintheSuburbs - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:58 am:

    Moving along, Daily Kos has a post today on a Depression Era governor from North Dakota, who, after he was removed from office by his state’s Supreme Court following his conviction on felony charges related to official corruption, barricaded himself in his office, declared martial law, and tried to cause his state to seceed from the Union.

    After serving his jail term he followed this up by being elected to the U.S. Senate. Not only was he seated, but he eventually became Chair of the Judiciary Committee and, after being re-elected a couple of times, finally ended his career by dying in office.

    What did Burris do to compare with that?

    Given Blago’s “fight, fight, fight until my dying breath” speach, maybe we are in store for some of that here.




14. - One of the 35 - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 11:59 am:

    The Saturday session noted in the memo could imply that they are serious about moving things along. Maybe the Speaker is tiring of the national ridicule Illinois is receiving.




15. - Bill - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:06 pm:

    ==barricaded himself in his office, declared martial law, and tried to cause his state to seceed from the Union.==
    Mike,
    Don’t give Rod any ideas!




16. - Secret Square - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:11 pm:

    If the full House had an impeachment vote this week, could it, realistically, get to the Senate before the 95th GA adjourns? Could it be that the Senate may actually want to vote Blago out BEFORE the 14th, so they don’t have to endure the embarrassment of being sworn in by him?




17. - ivoted4judy - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:12 pm:

    Burris will be a non factor by Thursdsay next week. Harry Reid and the Seante will have referred his credentials to the Rules Committee. They will investigate Roland’s contributions to Rod, and his state contracts. In his usual fumbling manner Roland will not be able to explain anything, and the committee will take months to file a report.




18. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:13 pm:

    ===Could it be that the Senate may actually want to vote Blago out BEFORE the 14th===

    Highly doubtful. Remember who runs the Senate until the 14th.




19. - MikeintheSuburbs - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:14 pm:

    The aforedescribed governor, who was known as William “Wild Bill” Langer, had his wife run for governor after he was removed, but she lost. Maybe Patti will go for it in 2010.




20. - Secret Square - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:18 pm:

    Then I guess the idea is simply for the House to stand ready to accept the impeachment committee report as soon as possible after they finish their work.

    Seems to me, though, that an actual House impeachment vote would have to wait until the 14th or later because the action can’t cross over to the Senate after both houses adjourn sine die.




21. - One of the 35 - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:19 pm:

    Rich: Your point about Burris stating that the Governor could no longer do his job but then supporting his right to make the appointment is right on target. Burris’ own statement should be put to him by every press inteviewer from this point forward. I don’t want a man representing me in the Senate who rationalizes in this manner!




22. - RMW Stanfford - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:22 pm:

    ==barricaded himself in his office, declared martial law, and tried to cause his state to seceed from the Union.==

    Well declaring the Republic Of Illinois is the only way that Blago is ever going to get to be President of something, unless it president of the moonbats.




23. - dupage progressive - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:24 pm:

    Anyone hear word on whether the churches are rallying around Burris?
    It would be interesting to hear if any of the big churches/ active pastors are talking up action on helping Burris.

    Just wondering…




24. - ivoted4judy - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:27 pm:

    Me thinks Quinn, that is Governor Quinn, will pick Danny Davis as the next U S Senator from Illinois.




25. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:29 pm:

    “John from Chatham,” you’re being deleted because you are using so many caps. Take the caps lock off. Makes you look like a raving lunatic.




26. - ivoted4judy - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:32 pm:

    uh oh! Looks like Rich is a little cranky from all the interuptions on his vacation. We all better toe the line or the boss will delete all of us.




27. - Skeeter - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:32 pm:

    This might not be relevant to the post, but in any case:
    Favorite Roland Burris moment:
    In a Senate primary debate, he claimed that “nuclear fusion” would solve our energy problems. It was clear that he had absolutely no idea what “nuclear fusion” is. It was one of those debate moments where you look at somebody and say “OK, we can rule out this guy for the office.”




28. - phocion - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:37 pm:

    There is something to the argument that the U.S. Senate is an all white bastion now that Obama has resigned his seat with his historic victory as POTUS. While the Framers intended that the U.S. House be more “representative,” (and, indeed, it is), the Senate perhaps should reflect more of the diversity of this nation. To that end, Rep. Rush and Mr. Burris should refer to our nation’s actual demographic breakdown:

    Population projections 2008 2050
    Non-Hispanic whites 68% 46%
    Hispanic 15% 30%
    African Americans 12% 15%
    Asian American 5% 9%

    In addition, women make up more than 50% of the population, but only 16 current Senators are women.

    To that end, if Rush and Burris are truly interested in real diversity in the U.S. Senate, the call should go out to the Governors of New York and Colorado to appoint under-represented groups to fill their respective vacant Senate Seats. Oddly, I have heard nothing of the sort from either of these distinguished champions of diversity.




29. - Downstate weed chewing hick - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:39 pm:

    I am registered to vote in Champaign County. RB can use me! Of course I will want something in return,like Sec. of Pencil Sharpening or a Board Seat at Enron.




30. - ivoted4judy - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:40 pm:

    I think Cong. Rush and others would be upset if someone said that when Durbin goes “it is a white seat”!!!
    I had hoped that the election of Obama would have finally put all of this to rest.




31. - This is tooooo good - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:46 pm:

    Ummmm - “We’re still a nation of laws—-” is this Bobby Rush the same Bobby Rush from the Chicago unrest of the Black Panthers and others of the 60’s?




32. - wordslinger - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 12:49 pm:

    Poor Obama.

    He’s like the local kid who made good, made it to the top, in fact. Everyone back home’s proud of him and his new, successful friends are about to throw him a swell, swinging party.

    But all the resentful cousins from the shallow end of the gene pool show up wearing lampshades, stinking of corn liquor, and bound and determined to ruin everything.

    It just goes to show, you can make it out of the barnyard, but you can never get it all off your shoes.




33. - Ivote - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:02 pm:

    Wordslinger, you’ve provided the best laugh of the day. . . of the whole sad, crazy spectacle! Thanks!




34. - Smitty Irving - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:02 pm:

    The US Senate’s only hope to bar Burris is the procedural rope a dope. For two reasons. One, the previously cited Adam Clayton Powell case from the US Supreme Court. Second, if they claim he is “tainted” they will look like the US Senate did in the early 20th Century

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot_Hearings

    They would appear to be treating Burris, an African American, in a manner similar to the late 19th / early 20th Century treatment of Mormons. Not a good PR position.




35. - Al Shepard - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:03 pm:

    Looks like everybody’s waiting in both chambers for the 15th to launch, so Emil can slink out. Let’s light this candle! If the committee wraps up before the 14th, does that complicate matters? Are they stalling so all aspects of the process happen after the new leg. is seated?




36. - Emily Booth - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:12 pm:

    Wordslinger, I was going to say Bobby Rush and Roland Burris really like to roll around in it.




37. - wordslinger - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:20 pm:

    TITG, no defense of Bobby Rush’s hypocrisy in this matter, but I don’t think you can lay any of the “unrest” in Chicago of the 60s on the Black Panthers.

    About all they were able to accomplish in their very short time here was to start a free breakfast program. They were squeezed on one side by the FBI and CPD and on the other by Jeff Fort and the Blackstone Rangers.

    Some CPD members thought they were responsible for the shootings of a couple police officers, but others blamed the Rangers. Anyway, after Fred Hampton and Mark Clark were killed by the police, they were done in Chicago.




38. - Gabriel - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:24 pm:

    Suppose Burris declines the appointment for a moment.

    What are we talking about today? Slow news nationally, but still the ILGA goodies locally.

    Danny Davis takes 48 hours to turn down Governor Blagojevich’s offer to appoint him. But he turned it down thankfully. Burris, as far as we know, accepted on the spot.

    There had to be another emissary from the Governor besides Sam Adam Jr. Would a fellow bar member really accept the Governor’s legal defense counsel as an emissary on his behalf to offer the open Senate seat?

    This is madness.




39. - Gabriel - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:27 pm:

    FYI: Colorado Governor Bill Ritter is reportedly going to name Denver Public Schools Superintendent Michael Bennett to the US Senate seat vacated by Ken Salazar.

    Bennett is white if you’re race scoring the US Senate.




40. - John Bambenek - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:27 pm:

    Where does this idea that Quinn becoming governor moots out the Burris issue? If the appointment is legal (and I contend it is) then it doesn’t go away because the governor changes. The Senate is only stonewalling the inevitable. Quinn could try to appoint someone while the Senate sandbags and the Senate could seat that person but clearly it would lead to a lawsuit and question the legitimacy of ever vote the pseudo-senator takes.

    …

    On another note, I’m starting to be against this releasing of tapes by Fitz… If this is criminal evidence, what precedent is there for the prosecution to leak evidence before even the indictment? This is a circus… The ILGA should just do a “no confidence” impeachment vote and move on. Ÿeah, votes of no confidence are European, but not everything out of Europe is trash… ;)




41. - Pot calling kettle - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:28 pm:

    Madigan might enjoy putting the impeachment ball into the Jones court, just for a last bit of fun. They can always rerun it when the new term starts.

    The whole Burris kerfuffle just shows why it’s best to comment as little as possible in the days immediately after something like Rod’s arrest. I think Speaker Madigan probably did the best in that area.

    I just wonder what Rod will do next. His next act/press conference should be Monday or Tuesday.




42. - Gabriel - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:36 pm:

    The USA shouldn’t release any evidence to the public unless it is absolutely necessary to coerce public citizens with knowledge of the information to step forward. I doubt Fitzgerald does this at all. All he ever shows you is what’s in the criminal complaint and the indictment.

    Burris can be seated. Blagojevich is then impeached. Then he’s removed from office. Quinn ascends. Special Election is called. Voters choose the more permanent temporary substitute Senator Burris.

    The Illinois Democratic Party has put the national Democratic Party in the position to defend the insanity of Governor Blagojevich. Quinn cannot appoint another replacement. The only out is the special election.




43. - Pot calling kettle - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:37 pm:

    The Defense will eventually get the tapes as part of discovery. The main argument against releasing the tapes would be that they would bias the jury pool.

    In court, Gensen will first say they cannot be released because they are illegal (as he has said in the hearings). They second argument he has used with the House Committee is that Rod wasn’t doing anything illegal. In court, if he argues that the release will bias the jury pool, that won’t play well in the media and might look contradictory to the “nothing wrong” argument he is making in the press and the House.




44. - OneMan - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:38 pm:

    ==This is madness.==

    No this is Springfield (well actually it isn’t but it makes the reference work)




45. - Oakparker - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:41 pm:

    Has anyone been following the WVON on-line poll? As of this posting, with 718 respondents, there is a 77% approval of Blago’s appointment of Roland Burris. Can we surmise that there will be a lot of pressure on black legislators to support the appointment, and to lobby their white colleagues?




46. - Capitol View - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:42 pm:

    A request for Emil Jones: how about resigning as of today, so that you get full credit for 2008 service in pernsion credits, and your son named to your seat to get a foot up on seniority.

    Then the House could act on the impeachment now, and so could the Senate, before the new session begins? Let Pat Quinn preside over the Senate opening on the 14th, instead of You Know Who…




47. - ivoted4judy - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:43 pm:

    Oakparker:
    President Obama’s rejection of the Burris appointment will give every legislator all the cover they need.




48. - stones - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:43 pm:

    Have there been other instances in history where the US Senate has refused to seat a designate?

    My head is just spinning!!!!




49. - Phineas J. Whoopee - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 1:56 pm:

    Blago appoints Burris-then gets impeached. Quinn appoints Davis-then a special election is called. Niether Davis or Burris run and someone else wins. Burris and Davis contest the Special Election in court and then we have 3 non-seated Senators from the great state of Illinois. That’s the movie I am working on.




50. - ivoted4judy - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:01 pm:

    I say the House does not vote for impeachment until afternoon of the 14th. This way Blago’s sister in law is forced to make a vote. It could be 116-0-2 with the sis in law and Hoffman voting present.




51. - Phineas J. Whoopee - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:02 pm:

    Oakparker, who are the black reps going to lobby. It is the national US Senators who are going to say no and they’re not too fond of Illinois politicians right about now-black or white.




52. - anon - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:02 pm:

    Phineas,

    Under the 17th Amendment, appointments are only temporary until an election is held. This usually means until the next election cycle, but a special election would end the appointed term just the same.




53. - Toast Man - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:03 pm:

    OK, the racial make-up of the US Senate seems to be rather homogeneous, but the last time I checked those senators were elected by the people. Maybe if better candidates were presented there would be a more diverse racial make-up. JMHO.




54. - more popcorn - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:06 pm:

    So, the House votes to impeach and all hell breaks loose among the Senate. Emil tries to hold it up and his caucus goes nuts because, yet again, they’re stuck holding the bag for Rod. Can Cullerton convince Emil to get out of the way?




55. - Concerned Observer - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:08 pm:

    Phineas — they’re pretty hot on that Obama fellow from Illinois :)

    Capitol View, that’s a good idea about Emil. I wonder if it’s been discussed? It’s probably unlikely, but heck, I’d give him a new building at Chicago State for it :)




56. - ivoted4judy - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:12 pm:

    I doubt even Emil is talking to Rod these days, he is just too toxic!! In the old days, Emil had the backing of his full leadership team, from Hendon to the ineffective Halvorson. Today, Ricky is still mad at him over the President’s race, so there is not ONE Senator who would support any attempt to derail this impeachment train.




57. - Phineas J. Whoopee - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:12 pm:

    C’mon anon, don’t wreck my movie, besides, I’m sure something will be done wrong to bring it all to court.

    By the way, in Chicago, having a gravestone didn’t necessarily mean you couldn’t vote but they usually didn’t appoint you to be Senator. Having a gravestone should be the new litmus test for has been status.




58. - Phineas J. Whoopee - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:17 pm:

    Concerned Observer,

    I believe he is claiming Hawaiin political roots right about now, lol




59. - Rubbernecker - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:17 pm:

    Can someone explain how Jesse White gets around this?:
    (15 ILCS 305/5) (from Ch. 124, par. 5)
    Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State:
    1. To countersign and affix the seal of state to all commissions required by law to be issued by the Governor.

    Nothing in that little morsel (or the rest of the statute) gives JW any discretion in the matter. “Shall” and “duty” are pretty clear.

    If this little Blago/Burris/White love triangle storyline of Illinois’ daytime drama “One Term to Fill” isn’t legally put to bed according to the S.O.S. statute, what other kind of hijinks could a future S.O.S. play? Could s/he refuse to accept/stamp Executive Orders, agency appointments, vetoes or other gubernatorial actions s/he disagrees with? One might argue that an S.O.S. (ironic acromnyn given the status of Illinois’ ship of state) could legally do so based on this precedent, no?




60. - Phineas J. Whoopee - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:22 pm:

    Sorry to hog the blog and I’ll shut up after this post, but Rubbernecker, does it say how long the SOS has to sign the document? If their is not a time limit given then he could legally hold the document indefinitely or until a court orders him to sign, right?




61. - Dan S, a Voter, Taxpayer & Cubs Fan - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:43 pm:

    I’m sorry, bottom line is Burris declines appointment and Blagoof resigns. That is the only way that the State of Illinois (madness) can get back to functioning semi properly.




62. - jesse's girl - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:44 pm:

    why can’t jesse go on three week vacation and send his lawyer in to say he’ll do it when he gets back




63. - Toni H. - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:49 pm:

    Let’s just act like Burris gets seated out of some miracle….he would then be eligible for a Senator’s pension benefit correct??? That’s a nice way to “reward” somebody for sure!




64. - Oakparker - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 2:56 pm:

    Phineas, the WVON poll is now 740 respondents, with 77.4% approving Blagos’ appointment of Burris. When Bobby Rush and Roland Burris lobby the black caucus in Washington to pressure Harry Reid and the Democratic leadership in the Senate, they are going to be able to show a lot of support.

    I don’t like what is going on but I think that the Governor and his people are pretty politically savvy. (I am not convinced that the State Senate will vote to impeach. And the Federal court case may be going on long after the Democratic primary in 2010).




65. - plutocrat03 - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:01 pm:

    I am agog at the ineptitude displayed by not only Roland Burris, but his entire law firm.

    Based on the public information, it is questionable whether he can be relied on to breath reliably.

    Using a non registered voter(or existant?) person in a lawsuit should be enough to disqualify him from pursit of any public office.

    Unbelievable!




66. - Juice - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:02 pm:

    Concerned Observer, what do you mean give a building to him? I would be willing to rename Chicago State after him if he were to take this opportunity to step aside.

    (Heck, once the the Speaker is out of office, you know, 30 years from now, the GA will probably name CSU after him anyways.)




67. - sal-says - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:11 pm:

    Ahhhh, Illinois. NOBODY could dream up this crap as fiction. But, we got it all ! How sad.




68. - Black Ivy - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:11 pm:

    Ummm…I still see very little refuting the appalling fact that there are presently no African-American U.S. Senators in Congress. Whether you favor impeachment of Governor Blagojevich or not, it was certainly brave of him to appoint Roland Burris to the seat. The seat most certainly would have been hijacked by “well-meaning” Democrats and a vital minority groups would have been left leaderless.

    Continue to hate the messenger, not the message.

    And, Rich, it would be great if you refrained from making a caricature of former Attorney General Roland Burris.




69. - el Conquistador - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:12 pm:

    The entire GA impeachment freak show is important only in that the proceedings will force the Gov to resign just prior to an actual senate impeachment vote.

    The Gov (and his lawyers) will never allow an impeachment conviction before going to a criminal trial on many of the same charges. The quicker the GA ends their little freak show and grandstanding the faster the Gov will resign.




70. - Rubbernecker - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:15 pm:

    Oakparker — I’m not familiar with WVON, but is it possible the Gov/Burris folks are gaming this on-line poll? They’ve been known to do that. I just voted twice in 30 seconds myself — 1 yay, 1 nay to keep it “scientific”




71. - Skirmisher - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:31 pm:

    Hey, Ivy, from where I sit, the once respectable Burris is making a caricature of himself with little or no no help from Rich or anyone else except perhaps those two great Chicago statesmen Blago and Rush.




72. - Cheswick - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:39 pm:

    Apparently the wheels of justice don’t move fast enough for Roland Burris. He filed a Motion to Accelerate.




73. - Six Degrees of Separation - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:43 pm:

    Toni H:

    According to the below-linked federal document, it takes 5 years to be vested in the Congressional pension system. So Burris doesn’t collect unless he were to serve the remaining 2 years of Obama’s vacated term and was re-elected and served for at least another 3 of the next 6 year US Senate term.

    http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30631.pdf




74. - more popcorn - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:49 pm:

    There’s no doubt Burris is drumming up supporters for the online poll.
    Oakparker, how could any Senator vote against impeachment and have any chance at getting reelected? You’re not thinking politically.




75. - Concerned Observer - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:49 pm:

    Black Ivy — No one is decrying the fact that the Senate is completely made up of white people. I’ve not heard anyone say it should be that way, or that they want it that way.

    You’re correct. The fact that the Senate is made up of white people, predominantly white males, is a serious problem, one that can only be addressed with the fullness of time. You can’t go to half the Senate, say “you’re white”, and kick them out. But if you’re going to be happy because there is ONE black person in the Senate, then your goals aren’t set high enough. And if you believe that a black person is entitled to the Senate seat because of their skin color, how does that make you any different from the Bull Connors that Rep. Rush discussed on TV the other morning?

    Illinois has elected — without real controversy — two black people to the United States Senate. The rest of the 49 states have elected one, in the modern era. I feel very confident that Illinois will elect another black person soon, based on their merits, not on the color of their skin. I would hope you feel the same.

    But I wonder how you feel about the other 49 states? It occurs to me that those states are the true battlegrounds, not Illinois. Illinois has no shortage of qualified African-Americans who would make fine Senators (and yes, a case can be made that Roland Burris is one of those candidates). But what about New York, which has a Senate opening and more African-Americans than any other state in the country? What about Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, South Carolina, and Alabama, all of which have African-American populations of more than 25% (Illinois, by the way, does not).

    And what are you, or your friends in those states, doing to help change the “appalling” lack of diversity among their candidates?

    You and I would certainly agree that the lack of minorities in the Senate is an issue. Absolutely. But it will not change overnight, and right now we need to deal with the immediate problem — Rod Blagojevich. That’s the focus here, and it pains me to watch people try and paint this as a racial issue. There are way too many legitimate racial issues in the US. A corrupt governor is not one.

    We must deal with the immediate before we can deal with the sweeping. When your house is burning down, you don’t worry about global warming. Illinois’ house is burning. We must put out the fire.




76. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:51 pm:

    ===And, Rich, it would be great if you refrained from making a caricature of former Attorney General Roland Burris.
    ===

    Please show me where I’ve done that.

    And then bite me.




77. - Interested Observer - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:52 pm:

    Apparently Burris didn’t get one of those “pre-signed certificates” from Blago to take with him to the US Senate like the Times article suggests: http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2009/01/02/blagojevich-v-the-senate-going-to-the-mat/




78. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 3:55 pm:

    Also, please refrain from commenting on online polls. They’re worthless, so your comments are just taking up space here.




79. - Chief Illiniwek - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 4:00 pm:

    Why did Burris even need to include registered voters in his petition? Was it a political/publicity thing, or is there some legal requirement?




80. - Pomerium Ultra - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 4:01 pm:

    “…he would then be eligible for a Senator’s pension benefit correct???:

    Toni H.: I wondered the same thing. It looks like he’d have to serve 5 years to be eligible. Here’s the link:

    www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30631.pdf




81. - Concerned Observer - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 4:03 pm:

    FYI, I meant to say something like “triumphing”, not “decrying”, in my opening sentence. “No one is triumphing the fact that the Senate is completely made up of white people.”

    Yeah, that’s more what I was trying to say. I need an editor.




82. - phocion - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 4:05 pm:

    Blago can’t count (he did join Dunkin in the century club not too long ago, right?). Even in this brazen appeal for black support, the soon to be ex-Gov’s goose is cooked. Let’s say, for argument’s sake that all African American state senators are so cowed by their constituents to vote against impeachment, that’s still only 15% of the Senate. So, no Republicans. No progressive whites. No regulars. Maybe some Hispanic legislators might vote not to impeach, but unlikely. No Emil Jones threat of retribution. I don’t see Blagojevich getting off the hook on this one - even with his cynical racial pot stirring.




83. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 4:05 pm:

    Also, the Fitz tape thing shouldn’t be all that tough. Remember, he’s already released tape snippets in the criminal complaint. What’s to stop him from releasing more?




84. - Confucius - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 4:14 pm:

    ===Could it be that the Senate may actually want to vote Blago out BEFORE the 14th===
    Very unlikely, The year of the rat does not end until Jan. 26th




85. - lincoln street - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 4:29 pm:

    concerned observer,

    Triumphing doesn’t even makes sense. Maybe you meant trumpeting.




86. - Pot calling kettle - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 4:31 pm:

    ===it was certainly brave of him to appoint Roland Burris to the seat===

    It was? How?

    It was pandering, nothing more, nothing less.




87. - Capitol View - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 4:35 pm:

    I believe Hawaii has sent native Hawaiians to the US Senate - why shouldn’t these count as minorities, in addition to the three African-Americans (two from Illinois)?

    Oh, well…




88. - Pot calling kettle - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 4:39 pm:

    Accepting a personal check (made out to Rod B.) for $5 million and handing the check-writer the papers appointing him/her to the Senate all during a televised news conference, that would have been brave. (or something)




89. - jake - Friday, Jan 2, 09 @ 9:05 pm:

    Given the well-documented fact that the Governor wanted to sell the seat, and then offered it to Mr. Burris, it seems to me completely appropriate for the Senate Elections Committee to investigate the circumstances of the appointment, to determine whether Mr. Burris offered something to the Governor in return. It may be that no such offer was made, but it should certainly be looked into, and arguably better to do so before Mr. Burris is seated than after.




90. - Obama's Puppy - Saturday, Jan 3, 09 @ 2:00 pm:

    Burris is blinded by his own political ambition plain and simple. A sad ending for a distinguished political career, just look at this man’s masoleum (sp). I think he got an “A+” in high school speech class according to one of the inscriptions.




91. - iguana - Saturday, Jan 3, 09 @ 6:28 pm:

    Black Ivy

    Former Attorney General Roland Burris doesn’t need Rich’s help in being caricature.




92. - Chicago Cynic - Saturday, Jan 3, 09 @ 11:46 pm:

    Ivy,

    With all due respect, Roland Burris has been making a caricature of himself for a very, very long time all by himself.

    Let’s take the tomb (see link) he has built for his own self-aggrandizement. The perennial candidate thing. The always referring to himself in the third person and naming his children Roland and Rolanda.

    Oh yeah, and it kind of makes a mockery of his tenure as AG that he is collaborating with and enabling the most corrupt governor in Illinois history; a governor he only two weeks before had called “appalling” and “reprehensible”. So he accepted an appointment from this governor who he had said could no longer do his job when he applauded the AG for attempting to remove Rod from office.

    Cmon Ivy, Rich isn’t making Roland a caricature. Roland is.




93. - Chicago Cynic - Saturday, Jan 3, 09 @ 11:48 pm:

    In case you missed the link to the crazy tomb:

    http://wonkette.com/405196/roland-burris-has-already-constructed-his-terrifying-death-chamber




94. - anono - Sunday, Jan 4, 09 @ 3:50 pm:

    Let us also be reminded of Burris’ run in the 2002 gubernatorial run for governor. Blagojevich, Burris and Vallas were the three candidates. Burris was a plant to take African American votes away from Vallas who was popular in the Afrrican American community. This helped assure a Blago victory. Two days before the election, Bill Daley endorsed Blago. It struck me at the time that there was a Blago/Burris/Daley plan to cut Vallas out.
    I suspect that this appointment was a thank you to Burris for his help in engineering a victory for Blagojevich.




95. - Ghost - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 4:07 pm:

    Burris suffers from the same delusions of Blago.

    Burris contributed to Blago, so he got the appointment. i.e.Burris payed so he gets to play. The existance of the contribution by Burris, together with the Govs conduct of requiring donations for jobs, should cause more then calling the Gov tainted. Burris bought this job; Blago looked through the list of people who had paid to find a canidate, the very heart of the allegations against him. No canidate who has given money to blago should ever be a viable choice from Blago in light of the indictment for pay to play.

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