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Loading ...Burris expects to be seated soon
01.07.2009 3:04pm EST
(Washington) Roland Burris said Wednesday he should be able to join the Senate “very shortly,” after talking to newly supportive Democratic leaders and working on lingering legal obstacles.
Talking to reporters on the second day of a Washington power odyssey that would intimidate many, the 71-year-old Burris declared himself “very happy” and said he was pleased with his meeting with Sens. Harry Reid and Dick Durbin.“My whole interest in this experience is to be prepared” to lead Illinois, Burris said, “and very shortly I will have the opportunity to do that.”
Burris’ legal issues include a pending decision by a court in his home state on whether Secretary of State Jesse White’s signature is required on his certification papers and his appearance Thursday before a committee considering the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who appointed him to take Barack Obama’s Senate seat.
For his part, Obama stood above the fray, telling his own news conference that the decision on whether to allow Burris to join the Senate is a decision for Senate leaders. He did say that he knew him, liked him and would be happy to work with him if he is seated.
Earlier, Reid, D-Nev., emerged with Durbin from a private meeting they had in the Capitol building with Burris, the former attorney general of Illinois.
Reid said the Senate was awaiting that court ruling by the state court that tests whether the White has to put his signature on Burris’ letter of appointment. White has taken the position that Blagojevich, accused of seeking to benefit financially from filling Obama’s seat, did not have legal authority to make the appointment.
Of Burris, Reid told reporters: “We don’t have a problem with him as an individual.”
And both he and Durbin, D-Ill., dramatically softened their party’s opposition to seating any Blagojevich appointee.
Knowledgeable Senate officials said the visual embrace of Burris was meant to show acceptance of his personal and professional qualifications, an indication that opposition to seating him was waning.
Burris was on the second day of a bizarre introduction to Capitol Hill, standing in the rain Tuesday to say he wouldn’t be seated and then giving a much more upbeat assessment of prospects Wednesday after his meeting with Reid and Durbin.
Burris was asked about the obviously warmer reception he got the second time around this week.
“I don’t know what pressure they were under, but they, I guess they have to keep the integrity of the Senate,” he said. “And they did not want to rush into anything and make a decision where they have to then be trying to reverse that. And that would even be worse.”
Asked if he, Reid and Durbin discussed any conditions under which he could be seated, he said that subject “wasn’t even on their radar screen.”
When a reporter inquired as to whether Burris might have had any “pay to play” discussions with Blagojevich or his office, Burris said that couldn’t have happened “because I don’t have no money.”
“When a reporter inquired as to whether Burris might have had any ‘pay to play’ discussions with Blagojevich or his office, Burris said that couldn’t have happened ‘because I don’t have no money’.”
Aside from his semi-literate use of a double negative, is Mr. Burgess implying that if he HAD had money, he WOULD have engaged in “pay to play” with Gov. Blagojevitch?
Blagojevitch’s callous playing of the “race card” to direct attention away from his own misdeeds, and Burgess’ ambitious thirst for an office to which he couldn’t get himself ELECTED (if he does manage to get himself seated) are likely to cost the Democrats his seat in 2010 … no matter HOW honorable Burgess personally is or isn’t, his APPOINTMENT is irreparably tainted, thanks to Blagojevich’s recklessness.
BTW, Illinois Democrats have only themselves to blame. They could have impeached Blagojevick; they didn’t. They could have called a special election; they didn’t. They will reap the whirlwind in 2010.
Bud Burgoon-Clark
San Diego CA USA
Exactly why is this a Gay 365 news story? Because gay and lesbian people live in Illinois?
Stephen, I’m sorely tested right now, really wanting to make some nasty, sarcastic comment like, “Unless it deals with drag queens, HIV, or Cher, it’s not gay enough for a gay site.” But–having made it clear that I want to do that–I won’t do it. It’s news, and it matters to gays because Burris could help some GOP wingnut get into the Senate. That’s why it matters, even on a “gay” site. Because not everything on a “gay” site is drag queens, HIV, or Cher.
Anyway, Burris has already shown his pitiful hand, and the Dems will pay if they allow him to be seated. Burris’ conduct, his greed for the seat, have removed any question I might’ve had. A person with ANY integrity or street smarts would steer miles away from any “gift” from Gov Blagojevich.
Because 365gay.com needs “filler” for some reason, don’t know why, I am sure the gay world and domestic news didn’t stop coming in just because 365gay.com didn’t post from Decmeber 22nd until January 5th. This outfit seems to have a monopoly on presenting daily gay news as I tried hard to find other sources to fill in 365gay’com’s absense and I couldn’t except maybe the once a week Washington Blade gay news.
What did 365gay.com do with all the gay news that came in while they were on that long holiday break? Tear it off the machine and throw it in the trash?
There was no excuse for not posting the lost news from that period when they came back in. Norway gay couples could legally start marrying on January 1st, 2009 on New Year Day. Not a word about that, just some nothing thing like Larry Craig’s bathroom stall no longer a tourist draw. Oh, I am so disappointed. Minneapolis’s big claim to fame got flushed, awwww! yeah, I could see myself going all the way from Maryland to the Minneapolis airport to be a “tourist” for Larry Craig’s potty just so I could see how wide I could make my own stance, tap my foot and put my hand underneath hoping I’d get the same cop who busted Larry Craig. We had the same lesbian who was raped by a gang of five as though we hadn’t seen that about 10 times already, and this thing about a transwoman and her brush with the law. Absolutely zero of major national and international significance in the gay world. Leave it to me a non-journalist to point out for the last time the news about Norway become gay marriage land #6 in the world and marrying gay couples on the very first day of 2009. There aren’t a whole of countries like that in the world doing that for gay people, not exactly dime a dozen last time I checked!
Thanks 365gay.com! Keep up the good work, keep on scraping the bottom of the barrel!
As for Burris and Blagojevich, while we are on an irrelevant non-gay news item, shouldn’t the good people of Illinois have been the ones to have chosen a senatorial replacement for Barack Obama in the US Congress? Isn’t that one of those rare occasions calling for a special election to make sure the people of that state have at least some say in just who represents them in Congress and not some handpicked favorite of a gov especially one with a tarnished and corrupt reputation?
No matter what he says, or tries, his appointment is not legal. By law, if a political figure is accused of corruption and us under legal investigations, all his actions and appointments are suspect. There can not ethically be a seating of this man until after the Governor has been cleared or convicted. Add to the fact that he stands accused in the area of this decision, there stands no legal appointment possible.
In other words, Governor Blagojevich is like E-Coli, everything he touches is tainted and must be recalled.