Surrounded by journalists, Roland Burris makes his way to the Capitol on Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of AFP / Getty Images


Burris denied seat in US Senate

We in Minnesota are not the only ones waiting with an empty senatorial seat to find out who will fill it.

The seat in Illinois vacated by Obama is still vacant amidst all the controversy attendant on an appointment made by Governor Blagojevich.  Blagojevich, who is in danger of impeachment and was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit fraud (which carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years) and solicitation to commit bribery (up to 10 years prison sentence), issued Burris a letter of appointment but the letter was not co-signed by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. Senate rules require that signature.

Burris said in a nationally broadcast interview, "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 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. He ignored President Elect Obama's statement in which 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. I agree with their decision." Associated Press

Anti-endorsement and incomplete paperwork in hand

So, with an arrest having been made and impeachment looming against the sponsoring governor, with a ringing anti-endorsement from Obama — and incomplete paperwork in hand — Burris made his way to Washington.

Associated Press reports:

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."

Doomed plans?

With such a cold welcome and with legal obstacles in his way, Burris cannot have been encouraged in his pursuit of the seat. Right? Discouragement, schmishcouragement. He is not entirely disheartened.

According to The Associated Press:

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.