Islandman, Scaly, Sass et al. Should the

[Lazie]

Senator appointed by the Ill. Governor be allowed to sit in the Senate? Yes or No. Why?

[Hortical]

The Senator is an opportunist who has twice (?) failed in his bid for Mayor of Chicago. He should not have accepted the senate seat from the crooked governor and the appointment is tainted.

He is just looking after his own narrow minded self-interests and if he was a brown man he would have a better chance of holding on to the Democratic seat in the special election in 2010. Furthermore the man is too old and lets have someone fresh with some new ideas in Washington.

[Assasin]

By the rule of law he should be.
Despite the governor been a suspected criminal, he has the right to select who he wants. What if he is freed of all charges?

Burris have the right to accept or not. While many may want to stand on principle, if it was asked of them to serve in the seat, many would.

They only refuse to sit Burris because of technical stuff. What if the Attorney General signs it and his paper work is in order?

[Islandman]

Maybe legally he has some room for argument but he will not be able to serve effectively even if they can't get rid of him.

Clearly he knows this too so I don't know what he is up to. I am sure he has his own good reasons for putting himself in the center of this issue though.

[MdmeX]

Opposition to seating Burris in Senate weakening

Opposition to seating Burris in Senate weakening

By ANN SANNER, Associated Press Writer Ann Sanner, Associated Press Writer 35 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris is closer to taking President-elect Barack Obama's seat in the Senate, say knowledgeable officials in both parties, despite Democratic leaders' vows to reject any appointee of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

After being rejected Tuesday when he tried to join the class of incoming freshmen senators, Burris is finding new support on Capitol Hill as Democratic leaders scramble for a way to defuse the standoff with growing racial, political and legal complications.

The likelihood that Burris, a Democrat, will eventually prevail and become the Senate's only black member after Obama's resignation from the seat, increased Tuesday evening when a key chairwoman got behind him, cracking what had been united public front by Senate Democrats against a Blagojevich appointee.

Burris was scheduled to meet with the Senate's top two Democrats — Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and assistant leader Dick Durbin of Illinois — on Wednesday, a day after his paperwork was rejected at the opening of the 111th Congress.

Senate officials in both parties, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly for Senate members, said there is a growing expectation on Capitol Hill that the saga will end with Burris being seated.

Blagojevich shocked Democratic leaders by appointing Burris to finish the final two years of Obama's six-year term in the Senate just three weeks after the governor was arrested on corruption charges in what federal prosecutors said was a scheme to sell or trade Obama's vacated Senate seat to the highest bidder. Blagojevich denies the accusations and has yet to be indicted. There has been no indication that Burris was involved in the alleged scheme, and he has not been accused of any wrongdoing. Democrats have repeatedly said the issue is Blagojevich, not Burris' qualifications.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Rules Committee, told reporters Tuesday evening that Burris should be seated.

"If you don't seat Mr. Burris, it has ramifications for gubernatorial appointments all over America," the California Democrat said. "Mr. Burris is a senior, experienced politician. He has been attorney general, he has been controller, and he is very well-respected. I am hopeful that this will be settled."

In a piece of political theater, Burris, 71, tried and failed Tuesday to take Obama's seat.

He marched into the Capitol, declaring himself "the junior senator from the state of Illinois," and asked Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson to accept a certification of his appointment signed by Blagojevich. Erickson refused, saying it lacked Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White's signature and the state seal.

White has refused to sign the appointment letter that Blagojevich gave to Burris, saying he won't sign onto any such decision by a governor under legal siege.

White said Wednesday says he's being unfairly blamed by senators for not seating Burris, saying Burris could have been accepted there without his signature, calling that "mostly ceremonial."

And in Chicago, Burris' attorneys asked the Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday to expedite a hearing on their petition for a court order directing White to certify his appointment.

Burris also was considering a federal lawsuit to force Senate Democrats to seat him.

"Our credentials were rejected by the secretary of the Senate," said Timothy W. Wright III, an attorney for Burris. "We were not allowed to be placed in the record book. We were not allowed to proceed to the floor for purposes of taking oath. All of which we think was improperly done and is against the law of this land."

[Gamma]

well the technical stuff is the law too, isn't it? if he gets all those ducks in a row he should be alowed to take his seat.

he is an opportunist and the guv too.....but if he has everything in order he should be allowed to take his seat

[Assasin]

G, does the AG have the power not to sign it based on the fact that he has given his word?

If he had better reasoning I would agree with you.

[Lazie]

My view is that he should be allowed to sit. What laws did he break? I don't see why he is being punished for the wrongs of the Gov. What is the Gov isn't found guilty of anything?

[Gamma]

well, if it is within the discretion of the AG to do so then certainly the controversy and unwanted attention may be legitimate reasons for him to refuse to sign it (saying he gave is word is an attempt to absolve himself i think).

i would therefore imagine that this is the process because it lends some checks and balance to the process even though it is largely rubberstamping.

[OJ]

he should be allowed to sit... despite the fact he has an ego bigger than life it self..