Burris will be seated...I see no way around it...

Blago is still Governor and can legally make the appointment. The IL SoS role in this is ministerial, meaning he has no choice but to certify someone legally appointed. And the Senate cannot constitutionally deny him the seat....

They could try and expel him after he was seated but there is no way Repubs will go along with that...

Best Dems can do is deny him membership in the caucus and refuse to give him any committee assignments...

Its not personal...but Blago cannot be allowed to get away with this type of corruption.

I think the caucus should deny Burris access to the caucus or committee assignments until Blago resigns...once he does then Burris can be admitted to the caucus

That should be the price for seating him

imo they should be glad they got a Dem, and an AA at that.

In that political climate there, why the heck would you want a special election?

...a decent Dem for the seat.

It is the acceptance of corruption that got the repubs kicked out in 2006. Dems should not do the same thing. Blago may or may not be legally responsible for what he did...but there is absolutely no doubt he is politically corrupt...more than enough grounds for the Senate to take action...

That is a fact...why Burris chose to accept under this cloud is beyond me...but it cannot stand...Dems need to show they will not put up with it...

with Blago. He's a very smart man, he knew what he was getting into. I can't believe he actually found a respectable politician that would stand up there with him.

...and, unless he's guilty of something illegal or unethical, it's fine with me.

People are always going to be wondering if Burris, paid him somehow. The media is already digging up his contributions to Blago. And fundraisers he might have had for him.

So far Burris looks fine to hold the seat for a couple of years.

;(

with anything yet. He agreed to have a special election and the legislature declined. So what option does that leave? Blago should have stepped down and allowed the Lt. Gov make the appointment, but he's looking out for himself.

CNN just broke news that Obama released a statement from Hawaii saying he supports the Senate Dems in their opposition to Burris.

Hmmmmm.

Why he had to go to court...

Whether he is legally responsible for what he did will be decided in court...but there is no doubt that he is politically corrupt...and that is more than enough reason for Dems in the Senate to take some kind of action...

:)

Blago could have appointed, I don't know, Kucinich and it would still be unacceptable.

He forfeited his right to appoint someone when he tried to sell the seat.

He needs to resign and Quinn and then appoint Burris if he so desires, but Blagojevich shouldn't be allowed to appoint anyone, no matter how great they may or may not be.

It's absurd to hold it against Burris.

Legal or not, there's no way this should be allowed to happen.

and he is STILL the legal governor of the state and the SINGLE person with the authority

The US Senate has better things to do that get involved in STATE politics

That got the Republicans kicked out in 2006...Dems cannot fall into the same trap. Whether Blago is legally responsible for what he did will be decided in court, but there is no doubt at all he is corrupt...that is most definitely an issue the Senate ought to be involved in...

IN my opinion Dems ought to keep him from joining the caucus and refuse to assign him to any committees until Blago leaves office...the sooner he goes the sooner Burris can be admitted to the caucus

Senate is getting involved in STATE issues. Your SENIOR state senator, absolutely.. he should be involved, but the rest of the US Senate, not really

Oh and by the way precedent is also against the US Senate not seating him... 1966 case.

But right at the moment, all these games, are making ANY prosecution next to impossible... why? Conviction in the court of public opinion, which will make finding an impartial jury of his peers very difficult to find.

This guy is corrupt, but the case does NOT belong in the US Senate, but in the DOJ. And for the moment, the appointment is part of his duties. The State Constitution does not have a place for a special election, but... appointment by the governor.

Remember how the system works

In fact the Senate is the only body that can oust a sitting Senator...states cannot recall their own members...they also get to decide who gets committee assignments. And in fact, this is a national issue whether it should be or not...if Dems let this pass without attempting to do something about it it will taint the entire party...not just those dems in Illinois...

And I venture to guess there isn't a single Democrat in Illinois outside of Blago and Burris who believes this is the right thing to do...

I agree that the Senate will have to seat him (see my OP), but in my opinion they should not admit Burris to the caucus or give him a committee assignment until Blago resigns...

and the aforementioned 1966 case, which is PRECEDENT... for this.

This is making Blago harder to prosecute as well

The Senate has many ways to skin the cat, but doing what they are doing LEGALLY, will byte them in the ass

Or are you telling me that Burris is paying to play? In that case, absolutely they have a right and a duty to expel him... is he?

But the dems do not have to let him join the caucus, nor do they have to give him committee assignments..

So I am saying the Senate will have no choice but to seat him...but they don't have to give him any responsibilities..or influence...

that Blago wanted for the seat, I think that there would be a way to remove him from office fairly quickly.

Given the taped conversations, Blagojevich is not willing to give the senate seat for nothing.

That looks like probable cause to investigate Burris.

(see why Blagojevich shouldn't be allowed to do this?)

The IL Sec of State, Jesse White, said he will not certify Blago's appointment.

Jesse White and Roland Burris are both African americans from Chicago but that's about the end of their similarities. Jesse White has a very good reputation while Burris less so.

Furthermore, Roland Burris has personally give $$ to Blago as has his wife and other friends. So the odds of Burris actually becoming the Junior Senator from my state are very, very slim.

Thank God.

He has no choice. If he refuses and goes to court it may take longer, but in the end he will be certified...

you guys need a senator, why not him?

Another IL crook