The Capitol Fax Blog » The Burris saga

Monday, Jan 5, 2009

* I told subscribers about this today…

The [House impeachment committee] has also issued a subpoena that was served Saturday on Roland Burris, the governor’s controversial choice to fill Illinois’ vacant U.S. Senate seat. The order compels Burris to testify Wednesday.

Burris will be in DC on Wednesday, so that may not happen. Stay tuned.

* I thought Roland Burris said he wasn’t going to make a scene?

In a raucous sendoff at a church on this city’s South Side, Roland W. Burris, the contested appointee for the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, vowing on Sunday night to cordially but aggressively fight efforts to block him from joining the chamber when he arrives in Washington this week.

More…

“Friends, we’re going to have to have some powerful prayer. . . . They can’t deny what the Lord has ordained,'’ said Burris at New Covenant Baptist Church, 740 E. 77th, surrounded by ministers, politicians and activists.

More…

On Sunday night, [Congressman Bobby Rush] called the Senate “one of the last bastions of plantation and racial politics in America” and said Senate Democrats who won’t seat Burris are “going to have to come and ask for forgiveness” from black Americans.

And Burris tips his strategic hand…

“I am now the junior senator from the state of Illinois. Some people, they want to doubt that. That is their right,” Burris said [last night] at a Chicago prayer service… But Burris noted the several hundred supporters in the predominantly African-American audience and said, “You are the real determining factor.” [emphasis added]

That doesn’t sound like a quiet push to me. It’s a blatant play to race.

* A spot of good news…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich has no plans to go to Washington, D.C., to present Roland Burris as his appointee to the U.S. Senate, a spokesman for the governor said this morning.

However, his acting chief of staff, Clayton Harris III, will leave for the nation’s capital this morning to hand deliver the certificate of appointment to the Senate, even though it doesn’t bear Secretary of State Jesse White’s signature.

* Clarence Page sees through the hype…

Is this where the revolution has come? Has the black community become the last refuge for scalawags like Blagojevich, whose approval ratings had fallen to a miserable 13 percent in a Chicago Tribune poll even before his arrest?

As an African-American, I resent that notion, and I don’t appear to be alone. Secretary of State Jesse White, who is black, a Democrat and a friend of Rush and Burris, nevertheless has refused to certify Burris’ appointment in what White called “a moral decision,” even if it fails to hold up in court.

While Laura Washington points to popular opinion among African-Americans…

America’s most exclusive club wants to maintain its pedigree. No members appointed by crooks, please. Secretary of State Jesse White has refused to certify the Burris appointment. It’s mere paperwork, but White’s stand gives Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid priceless cover. Does White want to be seen as a water-carrier? Just turn on black talk radio WVON and listen to the callers howl.

* Lynn Sweet points out a possible compromise…

From the soundings I took Sunday, I have a well-informed hunch that if Burris wants to get a deal done quickly, he needs to say he won’t run for the seat in 2010.

But…

When we talked Friday, Burris said he would likely run to keep the seat, and I asked him why he thought 2010 would be different.

“I’m the incumbent,” Burris said.

* Related…

* Burris backers have a compelling case

* Filling Obama’s seat becomes test of ‘authentic’ blackness

* Hiding behind black voters

* Supporters warmly greet Burris

* Burris appointment remains in question

* U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid calls Gov. Rod Blagojevich ‘corrupt’

* Why the Senate should seat Burris

* Reid’s stand on Burris ignores rule of law

* Durbin: No plans to seat Burris provisionally

* Senate cop not worried about Burris

* Burris drama plays out as Senate set to begin work

* Courageous Burris

* Gov needs to resign, but Burris should stay

* Gov insults our intelligence with Burris

- posted by Rich Miller

19 Comments

- cynically anonymous - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 9:51 am:
“What the Lord hath ordained”? So since Rod promoted Burris to Senator, Burris has promoted Rod to God? Can he do that before he’s seated?

- John Bambenek - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 10:02 am:
Burris is a legitimate senator by law. The ILGA had the chance last month to deal with it and they trusted Blago’s word that he wouldn’t make the appointment like they trust him now not to go to DC and make a scene. He’s been lying to them for years, why should this be different.

The only way to keep Burris out is to demote Illinois to federal territory status… We’ve certainly earned it.

- Bill Baar - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 10:02 am:
Burris has the law on his side.

Democrats had a chance to strip the Guv of his legal right (and duty) to appoint but they didn’t.

Democrats would be wise to write the appointment off as water-over-the-bridge and move on to the impeachment.

- BandCamp - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 10:03 am:
===I thought Roland Burris said he wasn’t going to make a scene?===

I know! So weird, a politician going back on his previous words.

- shermans ghost - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 10:14 am:
Ok, not trying to be banned for this comment, but considering the racial comments quoted and stated, does this then mean that Durbins seat is forever a “white” position ?
Actually am curious.

- Gadfly - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 10:18 am:
So, if Burris stays in Washington and defies the subpoena, can he be charged with contempt?

And if so, couldn’t that simply be used as yet another reason not to seat him, since he’ll be facing a criminal trial himself?

- Fan of the Game - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 10:22 am:
I assumed Burris meant no scenes in D.C. For some reason, I think Harry Reid will be the scene maker this week.

- Capitol View - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 10:37 am:
I’m also disappointed that there are currently no Af-Ams in the US Senate, but this is a result of Af-Am community political ineffectiveness. There are four states with 25% or more Am-Af residents.

And minorities have been elected to the Senate - at least one American Indian, from Colorado, and at least one Native Hawaiian.

There is Emily’s List promoting women candidates, but I am unaware of any PAC created among the Af-Am community in support of quality Af-Am candidates across the nation.

There are currently 13 Jewish US Senators. So minorities do earn votes across the states, if they are quality candidates. Even Af-Am, as our incoming President shows us. So come on, Af-Am community, start doing more than church rallies and public protests. Groom and financially support quality Af-Am candidates, and watch the voters support them in Illinois and elsewhere.

The same applies to Latino communities. Come together and present quality candidates, and win US Senate seats by your positive efforts.

The current governor of a southern state is an Asian Indian by background. No one handed him the job or gave it to him on the basis of Affirmative Action.

Stop thinking minorities, and start thinking who among you is the best candidate for the entire voting public. Good government is good for everyone, including your base community.

- Phineas J. Whoopee - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 10:37 am:
Talk about short sited thinking-this fiasco virtually assures a white Senator winning election. To indirectly or directly accuse white people of this state of being racist because they don’t want a white criminally charged Governor appointing a crony has-been black politician to a seat that was formally held by a popularly elected black Senator is about as politically foolish and greedy a move as I’ve seen. I think it is worse than the Eugene Sawyer power grab after the death of Washington that destroyed that black coalition.

I would guess this is the last gasp of the old guard black pols who are about to be so completely overshadowed by a new breed that they are grasping at straws and willing to swim with any shark in the ocean. Someone like Valerie Jarret would have been so well received her re-election would have been assured.

Why they would choose to make a mockery out of Obama’s legacy to this Senate seat is beyond unforgivable. But what is worse is how really politically stupid this move was. Pathetic

- bored on 1 - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 10:38 am:
“Friends, we’re going to have to have some powerful prayer. . . . They can’t deny what the Lord has ordained,’’ said Burris at New Covenant Baptist Church, 740 E. 77th, surrounded by ministers, politicians and activists.
This just screams at me. Where does Burris get off saying that the Lord has ordained this? Leave him out of it.

- Anonymous45 - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 10:42 am:
God=Rod? Please watch the spelling Ro…

- VanillaMan - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 11:03 am:
Roland Burris is not the only African American in Illinois. To claim that he has to be received by the US Senate or that a denial to his appointment would be an insult will be seen as it is - a stupid silly argument by Illinois voters.

Illinois has elected an African American woman, and an African American man to the US Senate - this state doesn’t have to prove anything to demonstrate it’s commitment to racial equality. We have an outstanding array of black leaders without falling for Roland Burris’ joke of an appointment.

Roland Burris is a gold-digger who claims his death bed marriage to Rod Blagojevich is as noble and admirable as two high school sweethearts’. He wants us to believe that Blagojevich has had a death bed conversion and selected him from real love and affection, unlike the rest of Blagojevich’s political harem of appointments.

Burris is ridiculous. He wants to abuse the law so that he can reach his goal, but doesn’t want to be associated with the guy he had to marry to reach that goal.

He is a farce and an embarrassment to all Illinoians regardless of race.

- VanillaMan - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 11:34 am:
Roland Burris, like General Motors, is demonstrating that a lifetime of quality work can come undone in the public eye when they discover you offering them a Pontiac Aztek.

Roland believed that his good was greater than Blagojevich’s bad. He is discovering otherwise.

- Cassandra - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 11:41 am:
And how many pols have said they won’t run again.

Of course he’ll run. He’ll probably run if he is seated or not, after all this hoohaa.

- Six Degrees of Separation - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 11:56 am:
VM - It is true that IL has become the prime provider of African American members to the US Senate in this century and the last. I don’t know how IL has inherited that mantle, while it has apparently escaped other supposedly enlightened states. I am not judging Burris’ selection process other than to say, on the face of it, it is well deserved by a citizenry that voted for this gov twice and is probably among one of his better reasoned acts in office of late…not that that’s saying much. Of course, many people said CMB was a farce and an embarrasment when she was in office…and she was elected, not selected.

- You Go Boy - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 12:14 pm:
Obama made a powerful and compelling speech regarding race in the aftermath of Rev. Wright’s
“G.D. America…” ‘gospel’. Obama identified and articulated the difference between white prejudice and honest resentment. Blago and his ilk have used race nefariously and have set back the cause Barack attempted to advance. I’m with Obama, but he needs to call out the race baiters/users, which Blago has profoundly exhibited, who are not all black.

- You Go Boy - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 12:18 pm:
….and on the topic of “Rollin’ with Roland” only sitting in for a while until the next election. As Jimmy Hoffa found out, once Frank Fitzsimmons got a taste of the power/good life, he wasn’t amenable to turning it over as planned.

- Six Degrees of Separation - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 12:25 pm:
YGB-

The only difference is, if Burris gets seated, he will have to convince the voters next time.

- Oberon - Monday, Jan 5, 09 @ 12:52 pm:
Gadfly, defiance of a House subpoena is contempt of the House; the remedy is to send the Doorkeeper or his agents to seize the person of Mr. Burris and bring him before the Committee, where, upon his continued refusal to cooperate, the Chairperson of the Committee could order him incarcerated in the Sangamon County Jail for 24 hours, at which time he would be brought before the Committee again. If he continues to refuse to cooperate, they can repeat this procedure as necessary, but not beyond the expiration of the Assembly. I’m not aware this has ever been done before, but that’s the law.

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