Sen. Dianne Feinstein breaks with Democratic colleagues, says Senate should seat Burris

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The chairman of the Senate Rules Committee has parted with many of her Democratic colleagues and says that the Senate should seat former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California said Tuesday that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, however tainted by corruption charges, has the right to appoint someone to President-elect Barack Obama's former seat. The Rules Committee decides whether Burris is qualified to serve.

Feinstein said that blocking Burris would have ramifications for other governors' appointments.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SENATE_BURRIS?SITE=NVREN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

When his she just going to switch parties?

The governor has not been charged with anything and the people of IL deserve the voices of 2 senators.

She positioned herself as the 'Rule of Law' person and was being credited on the news this morning (NBC/Channel 5 Chicago) as being the one that has turned this around for Burris.

As it stands, Illinois has half the representation and voting power in the senate as most other states. We need someone right now. The voters will take care of the situation in two years, but we need someone representing us now.

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But what she said is true.



We have gotten so used to the lawbreaking ways of the Republicans who have been running things that it seems almost natural that we should do the same. We shouldn't. By upholding the law even though it may be distasteful to us we are preserving our rule of law for future appointments.

require the Illinois Sec of State's signature before he can be seated?

Gov, have you?

its a requirement for the senate for any state/senator.

Seat the man.......it's 100% by the rules.

Let's do it.

to portray us as corrupt and power hungry. After statements by Obama, Reid and others to the effect that anyone appointed by Blago should not be accepted, it would be "politics as usual" (say one thing, do another) to seat Burris.

Finally, someone with ethics to do what is right under the law instead of playing politics.

Constitutionally speaking, Gov. Blago could appoint anyone to the Senate (as long as the person is 30 years old, 9 years a resident of the US, and a resident of the state at the time of appointment) if he wanted to do so, and the Senate couldn't say boo about it.

Now, they can keep him out of the various caucases, but they have to seat him (imho). They can try to impeach him if they want him out of there that badly. Otherwise, they'll just have to suck it up until the next election.

we want to honor the rules to seat him but we should ignore the rule that requires the Illinois Sec of State's signature?

It's not in the US Constitution. The 17th Amendment:

"The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct."


I freely admit that I don't know IL law, or the IL constitution. So, if it's a requirement of IL law to have the SoS signature on appointments, then it must happen before the appointment is legal and he can't be seated until then.

Hmm.

& then go after fitz for not investigating the criminal activities of bush & company.

done nothing wrong. If that is true, they need to seat him. No need or justification whatever to punish Burris because Blago tried to get Rahm or Jackson to pay up.

Accept the fact that Blago out-maneuvered Harry Reid and company.

She is right though, Blago messed up big time and now he's gotta pay.

We gotta do the right thing as much as possible.

But Blago has not been indicted, he hasn't been charged, he hasn't been impeached, he hasn't been convicted, and he has the authority to appoint a replacement for Obama. It was Joe McCarthy who got people fired on the basis of a mere allegation. Let's not go down that path.

Senate Majority leader. He has the biggest set on a Democrat in a long time.

After Reid's racist comments about Burris, and his "I don't work for Obama" and his obvious dislike for a progressive agenda, we need a new Senate leader with the cojones of a Blago.

I don't really like DiFi, Blago, or Burris -- but he should be seated.

Legally, I don't understand how they can do what they did today. If Illinois sent him to be sworn in, what standing do the feds have for denying him a seat?

Just got off work - bet that's been answered on every other thread - so consider it rhetorical.

Source: A/P

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Roland Burris failed to capture President-elect Barack Obama's old Senate seat Tuesday in a wild piece of political theater, but the Democrats' opposition cracked when a key chairwoman said seating him was simply the legal thing to do. Sen. Dianne Feinstein rejected the reasoning that all of the chamber's Democrats, herself included, had cited in a letter last week - that corruption charges against Burris' patron, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, tainted his appointment.

"Does the governor have the power, under law, to make the appointment? And the answer is yes," said Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee, which judges the credentials of senators.

Burris marched into the Capitol earlier Tuesday, declaring himself "the junior senator from the state of Illinois." But Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson rejected his certification, as he knew she would, saying it lacked Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White's signature and the state seal.

Late Tuesday, Feinstein urged the Senate to settle the matter.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SENATE_BURRIS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-01-06-18-54-56

And I then intend to tell her to stop the Panetta complaints. The man is perfect for the job. He is totally anti-torture and makes no bones about it. DiFi had better watch her step after helping confirm that torture enabler MUKASSEY.

Fitzgerald is the king of the press conferences & should be CALLED OUT, for not indicting the Blago.

D's have bigger fish to fry & should let this guy be the temporary Senator.

Actually, I totally agree with her this time.

as he is well within his rights to do. Seating Burris would be ILLEGAL, Feinstein.

Interesting possibility.

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Every post in the executive and judicial branch of Illinois? And all of their acts reversed on the basis of Blaggo's presumed innocence to the allegations? I call bullshit on this. Blaggo is still governor and has the right to make the appointment under law. With or without the Sec of State's signature, that signature is a ministerial act that cannot be withheld on a discretionary basis.

This issue has been decided in Western Civilization since Augustine opined 1600 years ago that the absolution given by a corrupt priest is still absolution for the innocent parishioners who received it. And he was right. Even if Blaggo later turns out to be guilty, we don't have Bills of Attainder in this country. Only if Burris is charged with something does suspicion fall upon him.

to see how many people on here will be carrying on about the "rule of law."

Refuse to seat a senator because he or she slid into office on a somewhat scandalous note or with a few skeletons in their closet? There would be hardly anyone in office if they start doing that.