http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090106/ap_ ... rris/print
Burris denied seat in US Senate to succeed Obama
By LAURIE KELLMAN and ANN SANNER, Associated Press Writers Laurie Kellman And Ann Sanner, Associated Press Writers
1 min ago
WASHINGTON – Roland Burris announced Tuesday he was rejected for Barack Obama's Senate seat, in a bizarre rainy-day scene on the Capitol grounds as lawmakers awaited the gaveling of the 111th Congress into session.
Standing amid a huge throng of reporters and television cameras in a cold and steady rain, Burris, 71, declared that he had been informed that "my credentials are not in order and will not be accepted."
The former Illinois attorney general said he was "not seeking to have any type of confrontation" over taking the seat that he was appointed to by embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But Burris also said he was looking at options for taking the seat.
It was a spectacular demonstration of political gridlock at a time when the Democratic-controlled Congress has been eagerly awaiting Obama's inauguration while nervously anticipating tense work on a much-discussed stimulus program to steady the faltering economy.
An attorney for Burris, Timothy W. Wright III, said that "our credentials were rejected by the secretary of the Senate. We were not allowed to be placed in the record books. 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. We will consider our options and we will certainly let you know what our decisions will be soon thereafter."
Asked what his options were, Wright said there possibly could be a court challenge and he said that Burris also would continue to talk to the Senate leadership.
There had been earlier indications that the Senate would disallow Burris to take his seat, at least in part because his letter of appointment from Blagojevich was not co-signed by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.
Some of Burris' supporters have bemoaned the fact that Democrats would stand in the way of the Senate gaining its only black member. Burris himself downplayed the issue of race, telling reporters: "I cannot control my supporters. I have never in my life, in all my years of being elected to office, thought anything about race."
Earlier Tuesday, Burris had tense negotiations with Terrence Gainer, the Senate's sergeant at arms.
"I'm presenting myself as the legally appointed senator from the state of Illinois. It is my hope and prayer that they recognize that the appointment is legal," he said earlier in a nationally broadcast interview.
Burris dismissed the Senate Democratic leadership's position that he cannot be seated because he was appointed by a governor accused in a criminal complaint of trying to benefit financially from his authority to fill the seat that Obama vacated after winning the presidential election.
Burris said his belief is that his appointment is constitutional and that "I have no knowledge of where a secretary of state has veto power over a governor carrying out his constitutional duties."
Burris also maintained that the announcement by Blagojevich Monday of a date for an election for a successor to Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., proves the governor still has legal authority to carry out his duties. Emanuel will be Obama's White House chief of staff.
"There's nothing wrong with Roland Burris and there's nothing wrong with the appointment," Burris said.
Burris has found little support among fellow Democrats.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., had said Monday that Burris would not be permitted to take his seat because Burris "has not been certified by the state of Illinois," a reference to incomplete paperwork that only touches on the dispute. Senate Democrats maintain that Burris' appointment is tainted because of the charges against Blagojevich.
While Blagojevich has signed formal appointment papers, White has not, and Senate rules require that signature. Burris, in turn, has gone to court hoping to win an order for White to sign the necessary paperwork, and he has also threatened to sue to take his seat in the Senate.
Indictment: Illinois Governor tried to sell Obama Senate sea
Moderator: Super Moderators
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090107/ap_ ... _104/print
Democratic opposition to seating Burris cracks
By ANN SANNER, Associated Press Writer
59 mins ago
WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats are looking for ways to defuse the standoff that has denied Roland Burris the vacated Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama of Illinois, but maybe not much longer.
While Burris' paperwork was rejected at the opening of the 111th Congress, he was scheduled to meet Wednesday with the Senate's top two Democrats — Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and assistant leader Dick Durbin of Illinois.
Knowledgeable Senate officials in both parties said the saga was widely expected to end with Burris being seated. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly for Senate members.
The likelihood that Burris, a Democrat, will eventually prevail increased Tuesday after a key chairwoman got behind the former Illinois attorney general, driving a crack in what had been a united front by Senate Democrats against any appointee chosen by embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Three weeks after Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges in what federal prosecutors said was a scheme to sell or trade Obama's Senate seat to the highest bidder, the governor shocked Democratic leaders by appointing Burris to finish the final two years of the president-elect's six-year term.
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 Senate 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.
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."
___
Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman and Erica Werner contributed to this report.
Democratic opposition to seating Burris cracks
By ANN SANNER, Associated Press Writer
59 mins ago
WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats are looking for ways to defuse the standoff that has denied Roland Burris the vacated Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama of Illinois, but maybe not much longer.
While Burris' paperwork was rejected at the opening of the 111th Congress, he was scheduled to meet Wednesday with the Senate's top two Democrats — Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and assistant leader Dick Durbin of Illinois.
Knowledgeable Senate officials in both parties said the saga was widely expected to end with Burris being seated. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly for Senate members.
The likelihood that Burris, a Democrat, will eventually prevail increased Tuesday after a key chairwoman got behind the former Illinois attorney general, driving a crack in what had been a united front by Senate Democrats against any appointee chosen by embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Three weeks after Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges in what federal prosecutors said was a scheme to sell or trade Obama's Senate seat to the highest bidder, the governor shocked Democratic leaders by appointing Burris to finish the final two years of the president-elect's six-year term.
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 Senate 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.
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."
___
Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman and Erica Werner contributed to this report.
racehorse
-
Cherry Kelly
- Pirate
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Cherry Kelly wrote: It has become a circus with a lot of talk about it being racist...
---
From the information - Burris is well qualified to fill the seat - until the end of the term - or election time.
Which is total BS. Burris, IMHO, should have declined the appointment. Taking it and trying to push Blago's choice on the senate is pure grandstanding.
"We can't solve problems with the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." – Albert Einstein
Roland Burris is well qualified. He should also have declined the appointment. Still, it is understandable that he did not. I very much do not like the idea of Rod Blagojevich being permitted to make this appointment but I also believe in the principles of everyone being considered innocent until proven Guilty and he remains at least for now Governor of Illinois with all of the powers and responsibilities of that office. I believe Burris should be permitted to serve in this seat which is a reversal of my earlier stand since I have given the matter much thought.
racehorse
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1
Democrats misstepped in handling Burris matter
Jan 7 08:34 PM US/Eastern
By CHARLES BABINGTON
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democrats who thought they could push away Roland Burris misjudged the racial fallout, underestimated public reaction and wound up on shaky legal ground.
The blunders began when the Democrats, including President-elect Barack Obama, insisted they would not seat Burris as the Senate's only black member because the appointment came from a governor accused of trying to sell Obama' former seat.
On Wednesday, they all but admitted being outflanked by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, praising Burris and suggesting he soon will be a senator.
Eight days ago, Obama and Senate Democratic leaders saw Blagojevich as so politically damaged that they announced they would reject anyone he appointed to finish Obama's term. Every Democratic senator signed a letter to the same effect.
Privately, key Democrats now admit they miscalculated from the start. They spent this week trying to backtrack and save face.
They had overstated their legal powers to block Burris's appointment, they said, and failed to foresee the ability of Burris—a little-known Democrat with no apparent ties to Blagojevich's misdeeds—to make himself a sympathetic figure in the national media.
Race complicated the matter, with many people asking how Democrats could prevent Burris from replacing Obama as the only black senator.
Underlying the Democrats' initial response to Blagojevich's appointment was a cold political calculation. Many felt that Burris, who unsuccessfully sought his party's nomination for governor three times, would be a weak nominee when the Senate seat comes up for election in 2010. Knowing an incumbent senator can be hard to beat in a party primary, Senate Democrats had hoped to postpone acting on Blagojevich's choice until if and when the governor was replaced, making it possible to put a more potent campaigner in the Senate seat.
Now, however, Democratic senators and strategists are reconciling themselves to the possibility of being stuck with Burris.
When Blagojevich, himself a Democrat, announced his choice of Burris on Dec. 30, Obama and Senate Democrats were fixated on the lurid accusations against the governor, according to interviews with several Democratic aides and lawmakers. Federal officials had arrested Blagojevich on Dec. 9, saying wiretaps caught him talking crudely of trying to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder.
Top Democrats' response was quick and nearly unanimous: Burris would never be seated because of the governors' misdeeds.
"Anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative" and "will not be seated by the Democratic caucus," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and his top deputy, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Obama said, "Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago that they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat."
Obama, Reid and Durbin are lawyers and among the nation's highest-achieving politicians. Now, however, their initial comments seem unusually tone-deaf.
The ground shifted quickly beneath the Democrats, in several ways. Most importantly, the public's focus moved from Blagojevich, who was easily vilified, to Burris, a likable if obscure politician whose highest office had been Illinois attorney general.
The more people learned about Burris, the more they saw him not fitting the story line of sleazy Chicago politics. From the start, Obama, Reid and others acknowledged that he apparently played no role in the governor's bid for favors. As news accounts focused more on Burris than Blagojevich, the arguments against the appointment made less sense.
Meanwhile, the legal basis for opposing Burris came under greater scrutiny. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., had signed the letter opposing Burris's appointment, but on Tuesday, the day Burris got turned away from the Capitol into a cold rain, she had a new view.
"Does the governor have the power, under law, to make the appointment?" she asked rhetorically. Yes, she answered, no matter how many accusations are lodged against him.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, phoned Reid last week to express concerns about the legal basis for barring Burris, and warned that the Democratic solidarity was crumbling.
On Monday, Obama and Reid spoke. Obama "conveyed the sense that if Burris has the legal standing to be seated, he should be, sooner rather than later," said a transition official who could speak only on background because the conversation was private.
The Congressional Black Caucus was preparing to vote unanimously to support seating Burris.
On Wednesday, everything seemed changed. Reid warmly received Burris in his Capitol office, then told reporters he was waiting for the Illinois Supreme Court to decide whether the Illinois secretary of state had to sign off on Blagojevich's appointment.
"I think it's a pretty easy hurdle to get over," Reid said of the remaining impediments to seating Burris.
A reporter asked whether Blagojevich had outmaneuvered him.
No, Reid said, recounting the governor's arrest, vulgar language and wiretapped descriptions of the empty Senate seat as a gold mine to be sold.
"How are we supposed to react?" Reid asked, a bit plaintively. "We've acted in a very reasonable way."
___
Associated Press writers Jim Kuhnhenn, Ben Evans, Erica Werner and Ann Sanner contributed to this report.
Democrats misstepped in handling Burris matter
Jan 7 08:34 PM US/Eastern
By CHARLES BABINGTON
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democrats who thought they could push away Roland Burris misjudged the racial fallout, underestimated public reaction and wound up on shaky legal ground.
The blunders began when the Democrats, including President-elect Barack Obama, insisted they would not seat Burris as the Senate's only black member because the appointment came from a governor accused of trying to sell Obama' former seat.
On Wednesday, they all but admitted being outflanked by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, praising Burris and suggesting he soon will be a senator.
Eight days ago, Obama and Senate Democratic leaders saw Blagojevich as so politically damaged that they announced they would reject anyone he appointed to finish Obama's term. Every Democratic senator signed a letter to the same effect.
Privately, key Democrats now admit they miscalculated from the start. They spent this week trying to backtrack and save face.
They had overstated their legal powers to block Burris's appointment, they said, and failed to foresee the ability of Burris—a little-known Democrat with no apparent ties to Blagojevich's misdeeds—to make himself a sympathetic figure in the national media.
Race complicated the matter, with many people asking how Democrats could prevent Burris from replacing Obama as the only black senator.
Underlying the Democrats' initial response to Blagojevich's appointment was a cold political calculation. Many felt that Burris, who unsuccessfully sought his party's nomination for governor three times, would be a weak nominee when the Senate seat comes up for election in 2010. Knowing an incumbent senator can be hard to beat in a party primary, Senate Democrats had hoped to postpone acting on Blagojevich's choice until if and when the governor was replaced, making it possible to put a more potent campaigner in the Senate seat.
Now, however, Democratic senators and strategists are reconciling themselves to the possibility of being stuck with Burris.
When Blagojevich, himself a Democrat, announced his choice of Burris on Dec. 30, Obama and Senate Democrats were fixated on the lurid accusations against the governor, according to interviews with several Democratic aides and lawmakers. Federal officials had arrested Blagojevich on Dec. 9, saying wiretaps caught him talking crudely of trying to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder.
Top Democrats' response was quick and nearly unanimous: Burris would never be seated because of the governors' misdeeds.
"Anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative" and "will not be seated by the Democratic caucus," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and his top deputy, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Obama said, "Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago that they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat."
Obama, Reid and Durbin are lawyers and among the nation's highest-achieving politicians. Now, however, their initial comments seem unusually tone-deaf.
The ground shifted quickly beneath the Democrats, in several ways. Most importantly, the public's focus moved from Blagojevich, who was easily vilified, to Burris, a likable if obscure politician whose highest office had been Illinois attorney general.
The more people learned about Burris, the more they saw him not fitting the story line of sleazy Chicago politics. From the start, Obama, Reid and others acknowledged that he apparently played no role in the governor's bid for favors. As news accounts focused more on Burris than Blagojevich, the arguments against the appointment made less sense.
Meanwhile, the legal basis for opposing Burris came under greater scrutiny. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., had signed the letter opposing Burris's appointment, but on Tuesday, the day Burris got turned away from the Capitol into a cold rain, she had a new view.
"Does the governor have the power, under law, to make the appointment?" she asked rhetorically. Yes, she answered, no matter how many accusations are lodged against him.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, phoned Reid last week to express concerns about the legal basis for barring Burris, and warned that the Democratic solidarity was crumbling.
On Monday, Obama and Reid spoke. Obama "conveyed the sense that if Burris has the legal standing to be seated, he should be, sooner rather than later," said a transition official who could speak only on background because the conversation was private.
The Congressional Black Caucus was preparing to vote unanimously to support seating Burris.
On Wednesday, everything seemed changed. Reid warmly received Burris in his Capitol office, then told reporters he was waiting for the Illinois Supreme Court to decide whether the Illinois secretary of state had to sign off on Blagojevich's appointment.
"I think it's a pretty easy hurdle to get over," Reid said of the remaining impediments to seating Burris.
A reporter asked whether Blagojevich had outmaneuvered him.
No, Reid said, recounting the governor's arrest, vulgar language and wiretapped descriptions of the empty Senate seat as a gold mine to be sold.
"How are we supposed to react?" Reid asked, a bit plaintively. "We've acted in a very reasonable way."
___
Associated Press writers Jim Kuhnhenn, Ben Evans, Erica Werner and Ann Sanner contributed to this report.
racehorse
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6601973&page=1
Burris Testifies Amid Illinois Governor Impeachment Moves
Burris Says No Deals on Senate Seat; Illinois Panel Considers Impeachment
By MATTHEW JAFFE, KATE BARRETT and CHRIS BURY
Jan. 8, 2009—
The special Illinois House committee investigating Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has unanimously approved a report recommending the full House impeach Blagojevich for "abuse of power."
The committee cites a litany of corruption allegations, including the attempted sale of Barack Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat, extortion of Children's Memorial Hospital, extortion of the Chicago Tribune, and various other "pay to play" schemes. The Illinois House, which has been called back in special session, will now consider impeachment as early as Friday. If the House votes to impeach, the state Senate then would conduct a trial presided over by the chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. That trial could begin as early as Jan. 26.
In the state Senate trial, impeachment managers and Blagojevich would have the opportunity to present witnesses and evidence. If convicted by the Illinois Senate, Blagojevich would be removed from office and Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn would become acting governor.
Former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris told state lawmakers investigating the possible impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday that he did not act unethically in being appointed to the vacant U.S. Senate seat.
"I have been in government for 20 years and never participated in anybody's quid pro quo," Burris said.
Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on corruption charges, including allegedly attempting to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat. He tapped Burris to fill the seat just after Christmas.
Burris also told the committee today that he first became interested in filling the U.S. Senate seat "around the time President-elect Obama won the Democratic primary for president."
Upon being approached to fill the seat amid the allegations involving the governor, Burris said he was "surprised" and took the weekend to think it over and consult with friends before accepting the appointment.
When asked whether Blagojevich should resign, Burris repeatedly said, "I have no authority over the governor." As he has said before, Burris told the panel that Blagojevich appointed him according to law.
Before hearing from Burris, the Illinois legislative panel released a draft report Thursday morning recommending that the state's House of Representatives vote on whether to impeach Blagojevich.
"The Special Investigative Committee for the Illinois House of Representatives, 95th General Assembly finds that the totality of the evidence warrants the impeachment of the Governor for cause," the proposed report states. "The Committee, therefore, recommends that the House consider an Article of Impeachment against the Governor."
Today Blagojevich's spokesman, Lucio Guerrero, said he did not yet have any comment on the draft report.
The panel's chairwoman, Illinois Democratic Rep. Barbara Currie of the 25th District, told ABC News that the committee wants to obtain federal wiretap recordings of Blagojevich as soon as possible, but if it can't get that additional evidence, Currie anticipates the committee will act on the draft report this afternoon.
If the committee finalizes the report, the full House will vote on the governor's impeachment.
The recommendation is the latest advance in the drama surrounding Obama's former Senate seat.
Currie told ABC News Tuesday she did not want Burris to testify but agreed to his appearance because of Republican requests.
"I assume Roland will inform us he's pure as the driven snow," she said. "I expect the GOP will question him, and I wouldn't be surprised if they picked up on the fact that he and his firm had made contributions to the governor's campaign coffers and also won some state business. But I don't think it'll be at all compelling."
Legal Questions About Seating Burris
Burris was denied the right to be seated in the Senate Tuesday amid legal questions over being hand-picked by the state's scandal-stained governor. But Wednesday, Illinois' first black attorney general saw his prospects looking better after returning to Capitol Hill for conversations with Senate Democratic leaders.
"Roland Burris to me appears to be candid and forthright. ... He is not trying to avoid any responsibility or hide anything. ... We don't have a problem with him as an individual," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "[But] we want to do what we can do to make sure that everything that has been done in the Blagojevich hours is transparent."
A Democratic source also told ABC News that Obama talked to Reid about Burris Monday and urged him to come to "an amicable resolution" with Burris.
Reid and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the senior senator from Illinois, said Wednesday that Burris was not admitted to the Senate floor Tuesday because he lacked the signature of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White on his appointment certificate.
Now the Illinois Supreme Court considers Burris' legal right to fill the Senate seat and examines whether it should accept his motion to force White to sign his certificate, a move that would advance his entry into the Senate.
Even after that, Reid has said he wants the full Senate to vote on whether to give Burris the seat.
Still, Reid and Durbin's argument was challenged Wednesday when White told a Chicago radio station that his signature was "not required" for the U.S. Senate to seat Burris. White agreed with the suggestion that the U.S. Senate was making Burris a "fall guy."
White, along with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, has made that argument in writing to the state Supreme Court, stating in the filing that White's signature is not required by law but only recommended by a Senate rule.
"The secretary has performed all of his legal duties and the ultimate determination whether to seat petitioner Burris lies with the U.S. Senate," the filing stated. "That, too, is where the petitioners' remedy lies."
A release from Madigan's office likewise said, "The decision to treat the U.S. Senate's "recommended" form as a legal requirement is a decision of the U.S. Senate," it concludes. "It remains up to the U.S. Senate to seat Mr. Burris."
Election law attorneys have said that senators may not have the constitutional power to refuse to admit Burris into the Senate without some indication that his appointment was corrupt.
Meantime, Reid and Durbin insisted that the onus is on Burris to make clear that this appointment is not tainted by the political scandal surrounding his appointer, Reid said.
"The senator from Illinois has to satisfy not only us, but the people of Illinois, that this is a fair deal," Reid said. "And that's what we're working on right now."
In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Burris said he was pleased with the meeting and denied having any information about Blagojevich's wiretapping scandal.
Responding to questions on whether supporters had actually made calls to Blagojevich on his behalf, Burris laughingly responded, "If they did, it was certainly no 'pay to play' involved, because I don't have no money."
--
ABC News' Jonathan Karl, Z. Byron Wolf, Russell Goldman and Huma Khan contributed to the report.
Burris Testifies Amid Illinois Governor Impeachment Moves
Burris Says No Deals on Senate Seat; Illinois Panel Considers Impeachment
By MATTHEW JAFFE, KATE BARRETT and CHRIS BURY
Jan. 8, 2009—
The special Illinois House committee investigating Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has unanimously approved a report recommending the full House impeach Blagojevich for "abuse of power."
The committee cites a litany of corruption allegations, including the attempted sale of Barack Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat, extortion of Children's Memorial Hospital, extortion of the Chicago Tribune, and various other "pay to play" schemes. The Illinois House, which has been called back in special session, will now consider impeachment as early as Friday. If the House votes to impeach, the state Senate then would conduct a trial presided over by the chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. That trial could begin as early as Jan. 26.
In the state Senate trial, impeachment managers and Blagojevich would have the opportunity to present witnesses and evidence. If convicted by the Illinois Senate, Blagojevich would be removed from office and Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn would become acting governor.
Former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris told state lawmakers investigating the possible impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday that he did not act unethically in being appointed to the vacant U.S. Senate seat.
"I have been in government for 20 years and never participated in anybody's quid pro quo," Burris said.
Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on corruption charges, including allegedly attempting to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat. He tapped Burris to fill the seat just after Christmas.
Burris also told the committee today that he first became interested in filling the U.S. Senate seat "around the time President-elect Obama won the Democratic primary for president."
Upon being approached to fill the seat amid the allegations involving the governor, Burris said he was "surprised" and took the weekend to think it over and consult with friends before accepting the appointment.
When asked whether Blagojevich should resign, Burris repeatedly said, "I have no authority over the governor." As he has said before, Burris told the panel that Blagojevich appointed him according to law.
Before hearing from Burris, the Illinois legislative panel released a draft report Thursday morning recommending that the state's House of Representatives vote on whether to impeach Blagojevich.
"The Special Investigative Committee for the Illinois House of Representatives, 95th General Assembly finds that the totality of the evidence warrants the impeachment of the Governor for cause," the proposed report states. "The Committee, therefore, recommends that the House consider an Article of Impeachment against the Governor."
Today Blagojevich's spokesman, Lucio Guerrero, said he did not yet have any comment on the draft report.
The panel's chairwoman, Illinois Democratic Rep. Barbara Currie of the 25th District, told ABC News that the committee wants to obtain federal wiretap recordings of Blagojevich as soon as possible, but if it can't get that additional evidence, Currie anticipates the committee will act on the draft report this afternoon.
If the committee finalizes the report, the full House will vote on the governor's impeachment.
The recommendation is the latest advance in the drama surrounding Obama's former Senate seat.
Currie told ABC News Tuesday she did not want Burris to testify but agreed to his appearance because of Republican requests.
"I assume Roland will inform us he's pure as the driven snow," she said. "I expect the GOP will question him, and I wouldn't be surprised if they picked up on the fact that he and his firm had made contributions to the governor's campaign coffers and also won some state business. But I don't think it'll be at all compelling."
Legal Questions About Seating Burris
Burris was denied the right to be seated in the Senate Tuesday amid legal questions over being hand-picked by the state's scandal-stained governor. But Wednesday, Illinois' first black attorney general saw his prospects looking better after returning to Capitol Hill for conversations with Senate Democratic leaders.
"Roland Burris to me appears to be candid and forthright. ... He is not trying to avoid any responsibility or hide anything. ... We don't have a problem with him as an individual," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "[But] we want to do what we can do to make sure that everything that has been done in the Blagojevich hours is transparent."
A Democratic source also told ABC News that Obama talked to Reid about Burris Monday and urged him to come to "an amicable resolution" with Burris.
Reid and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the senior senator from Illinois, said Wednesday that Burris was not admitted to the Senate floor Tuesday because he lacked the signature of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White on his appointment certificate.
Now the Illinois Supreme Court considers Burris' legal right to fill the Senate seat and examines whether it should accept his motion to force White to sign his certificate, a move that would advance his entry into the Senate.
Even after that, Reid has said he wants the full Senate to vote on whether to give Burris the seat.
Still, Reid and Durbin's argument was challenged Wednesday when White told a Chicago radio station that his signature was "not required" for the U.S. Senate to seat Burris. White agreed with the suggestion that the U.S. Senate was making Burris a "fall guy."
White, along with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, has made that argument in writing to the state Supreme Court, stating in the filing that White's signature is not required by law but only recommended by a Senate rule.
"The secretary has performed all of his legal duties and the ultimate determination whether to seat petitioner Burris lies with the U.S. Senate," the filing stated. "That, too, is where the petitioners' remedy lies."
A release from Madigan's office likewise said, "The decision to treat the U.S. Senate's "recommended" form as a legal requirement is a decision of the U.S. Senate," it concludes. "It remains up to the U.S. Senate to seat Mr. Burris."
Election law attorneys have said that senators may not have the constitutional power to refuse to admit Burris into the Senate without some indication that his appointment was corrupt.
Meantime, Reid and Durbin insisted that the onus is on Burris to make clear that this appointment is not tainted by the political scandal surrounding his appointer, Reid said.
"The senator from Illinois has to satisfy not only us, but the people of Illinois, that this is a fair deal," Reid said. "And that's what we're working on right now."
In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Burris said he was pleased with the meeting and denied having any information about Blagojevich's wiretapping scandal.
Responding to questions on whether supporters had actually made calls to Blagojevich on his behalf, Burris laughingly responded, "If they did, it was certainly no 'pay to play' involved, because I don't have no money."
--
ABC News' Jonathan Karl, Z. Byron Wolf, Russell Goldman and Huma Khan contributed to the report.
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http://cbs2chicago.com/local/governor.b ... 03841.html
Jan 9, 2009 10:44 am US/Central
ILLINOIS HOUSE IMPEACHES BLAGOJEVICH
Angry Lawmakers Say 'Plague' Has Been Lifted
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
In a dramatic display of anger and solidarity over a political scandal that has made Illinois a national laughingstock, lawmakers on Friday voted 114-1 to impeach disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
It's the first time in the state's history that the Illinois House has voted to impeach its governor. The impeachment proceedings will now move to the Illinois Senate for trial. It is unclear when that will begin.
The one lawmaker voting against impeachment was Rep. Milton Patterson, a Chicago Demorcrat who represents the South Side. Rep Elga Jefferies, also a Chicago Democrat, voted present.
Before the vote, lawmakers lined up to denounce the governor. They expressed anger and embarrassment over his alleged behavior, which includes a criminal complaint that he attempted to sell President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat.
"Due to his conduct, the governor has failed to uphold the oath of office," Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), chair of the House panel that held impeachment hearings, said. "He is no longer capable of defending our liberties. He should be impeached."
"The plague that has been brought upon us by Rod Blagojevich will be lifted," said Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock). "We will no longer tolerate the culture of corruption that has seized our government. Our duty is to clean up the mess and stop the freak show that has become our government."
"Our institiution has suffered severe damage," said Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago). "But, our institution will rise from the ashes."
During the House debate, Blagojevich left his house in Chicago to go for a run. He told waiting reporters: "I will see you at 2." A spokesman for the governor said he planned to issue a statement at that time.
On Thursday, the House impeachment investigation committee voted 21-0 to send the issue to the full House for a vote. The panel released a scathing report, outlining the governor's alleged misdeeds.
The 69-page draft report outlines all the criminal charges against Blagojevich, including his alleged plan to sell the U.S. Senate, to withhold state assistance for the sale of Wrigley Field if Chicago Tribune editorial writers were not fired, and to shake down Children's Memorial Hospital.
Read The Full Report (.pdf)
The report makes extensive use of the FBI's wiretap transcripts that led to criminal charges against Blagojevich. The wiretaps reveal the governor talking about trading the vacant Obama senate seat, and calling the appointment "golden."
The report also includes evidence that Blagojevich circumvented state hiring laws, misspent tax money and expanded programs without proper authority.
Also Thursday, the panel questioned Roland Burris about what led up to the governor's decision to appoint Burris to the U.S. Senate.
Burris said he did not read the criminal complaint against Blagojevich, relying only on media reports, and he did not have any conversation with the governor about the legal problems.
"I feel I passed the test with flying colors" Burris said. "I have nothing to hide, and I feel that I answered all of their questions."
The representatives asked Burris his opinion of the governor, about running against him in the Democratic primary. They asked about political contributions that Burris and his consulting firm made to the governor's campaign fund.
Blagojevich spent Thursday in his downtown office and did not watch the hearing. He issued a statement saying that the panel's actions were a foregone conclusion and that the whole process was flawed, biased and denied him due process, and that attorneys never got the chance to put on a defense.
Following the House vote, Secretary of State Jesse White said in a statement, "I have closely monitored the progress of the House Special Investigative Committee and today's vote to impeach the Governor. I applaud their efforts to ensure that the process was handled fairly and professionally."
-
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jan 9, 2009 10:44 am US/Central
ILLINOIS HOUSE IMPEACHES BLAGOJEVICH
Angry Lawmakers Say 'Plague' Has Been Lifted
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
In a dramatic display of anger and solidarity over a political scandal that has made Illinois a national laughingstock, lawmakers on Friday voted 114-1 to impeach disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
It's the first time in the state's history that the Illinois House has voted to impeach its governor. The impeachment proceedings will now move to the Illinois Senate for trial. It is unclear when that will begin.
The one lawmaker voting against impeachment was Rep. Milton Patterson, a Chicago Demorcrat who represents the South Side. Rep Elga Jefferies, also a Chicago Democrat, voted present.
Before the vote, lawmakers lined up to denounce the governor. They expressed anger and embarrassment over his alleged behavior, which includes a criminal complaint that he attempted to sell President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat.
"Due to his conduct, the governor has failed to uphold the oath of office," Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), chair of the House panel that held impeachment hearings, said. "He is no longer capable of defending our liberties. He should be impeached."
"The plague that has been brought upon us by Rod Blagojevich will be lifted," said Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock). "We will no longer tolerate the culture of corruption that has seized our government. Our duty is to clean up the mess and stop the freak show that has become our government."
"Our institiution has suffered severe damage," said Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago). "But, our institution will rise from the ashes."
During the House debate, Blagojevich left his house in Chicago to go for a run. He told waiting reporters: "I will see you at 2." A spokesman for the governor said he planned to issue a statement at that time.
On Thursday, the House impeachment investigation committee voted 21-0 to send the issue to the full House for a vote. The panel released a scathing report, outlining the governor's alleged misdeeds.
The 69-page draft report outlines all the criminal charges against Blagojevich, including his alleged plan to sell the U.S. Senate, to withhold state assistance for the sale of Wrigley Field if Chicago Tribune editorial writers were not fired, and to shake down Children's Memorial Hospital.
Read The Full Report (.pdf)
The report makes extensive use of the FBI's wiretap transcripts that led to criminal charges against Blagojevich. The wiretaps reveal the governor talking about trading the vacant Obama senate seat, and calling the appointment "golden."
The report also includes evidence that Blagojevich circumvented state hiring laws, misspent tax money and expanded programs without proper authority.
Also Thursday, the panel questioned Roland Burris about what led up to the governor's decision to appoint Burris to the U.S. Senate.
Burris said he did not read the criminal complaint against Blagojevich, relying only on media reports, and he did not have any conversation with the governor about the legal problems.
"I feel I passed the test with flying colors" Burris said. "I have nothing to hide, and I feel that I answered all of their questions."
The representatives asked Burris his opinion of the governor, about running against him in the Democratic primary. They asked about political contributions that Burris and his consulting firm made to the governor's campaign fund.
Blagojevich spent Thursday in his downtown office and did not watch the hearing. He issued a statement saying that the panel's actions were a foregone conclusion and that the whole process was flawed, biased and denied him due process, and that attorneys never got the chance to put on a defense.
Following the House vote, Secretary of State Jesse White said in a statement, "I have closely monitored the progress of the House Special Investigative Committee and today's vote to impeach the Governor. I applaud their efforts to ensure that the process was handled fairly and professionally."
-
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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