The Roland Burris’ saga – ain’t that some shit | Chocolate City: The Best African American Blog

The Roland Burris’ saga – ain’t that some shit

By: Charles Mombo

Roland Burris

Last Wednesday a meeting was scheduled at Roland Burris’ request with Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Majority Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois.

After the hour long meeting on Capitol Hill, Reid and Durbin told reporters that they would consider Burris’ appointment if:

It is certified by the Illinois secretary of state and,
If Burris testifies successfully before legislators in Illinois who are considering the impeachment of Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is accused of corruption charges, including looking to sell Obama’s Senate seat.

"Once that’s done, we’ll be in a position to see what we’re going to do," said Reid, who last week had declared any appointment that Blagojevich made would be "tainted." In a news conference yesterday morning, Obama said he would accept Burris as his replacement in the Senate.

Reid said that if Burris was successful in those proceedings in Illinois, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee would investigate the appointment, and then the full Senate would vote on whether to accept Burris. Democratic aides had suggested last week an investigation in the Rules committee would be used to slow down Burris’ appointment, but the current chairman of the Rules Committee, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said last week she felt Burris should get the seat.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), one of the few levelheaded individuals in the senate, bucked party leaders by calling for Burris to be seated in the Senate as soon as his paperwork is signed by the Illinois secretary of state. Not allowing Burris to be seated could undermine future gubernatorial appointments, Feinstein said. “I can’t imagine the secretary of state countermanding a gubernatorial appointment,” Feinstein said. “

On last Thursday, Burris appeared successfully before the Illinois impeachment committee and on last Friday, the Illinois Supreme court refused to force Secretary of State Jesse White to sign the document relating to Mr. Blagojevich’s appointee to the U.S. Senate, saying that the appointment was legally valid without his signature. The court said that Mr. White had fulfilled his legal responsibility by registering the appointment. He had no legal obligation to sign the U.S. Senate forms, which are "recommended" under the Senate’s own rules.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan also said the appointment was valid and urged Senator Reid and Senate Durbin to seat Mr. Burris.

Despite Burris’ successful completion of the Senate requests and the Illinois court ruling, Reid and Durbin are now starting to sing a different tune.

llinois Sen. Durbin is now saying a ruling by the Illinois Supreme Court over the credentials of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s Senate appointee has created an impasse and he urged that the filling of Mr. Obama’s seat be put on hold pending the outcome of the state senate trial of Mr. Blagojevich.

A spoke person for the senate is quoted as saying "We have the parliamentarian, Senate legal counsel and the secretary of the Senate looking at that issue right now" . "[Senate] Rule II says six things are required — name, date of appointment, date the certificate was signed, state, signature of the governor, and signature of the secretary of state. So now we have all six elements on two separate pieces of paper — they are looking at whether that works."

Meanwhile, Mr. Burris’ lawyer indicated the former attorney general has no plans to give up his fight. The Burris camp faxed a second round of Senate nomination paperwork to the Senate on Friday and plans to hand-deliver it Monday. Burris is prepared to go back into court if those efforts fail. "One of our options is going into U.S. District Court," lawyer Timothy Wright said. "We’re not looking to do that."