Gov. Blagojevich Shocks with Senate Appointment
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed Barack Obama's U.S. Senate replacement Tuesday, despite a uniform call by fellow Democrats to resign his own post
Illinois executive at heart of corruption scandal chooses Obama successor
By Matthew B. Zeidman
CHICAGO (Hollywood Today) 12/30/08 – In a shocking act of unmitigated gall and defiance that threatened to mar the post-election era of good feelings enjoyed by the Democratic Party, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed a successor to President-Elect Barack Obama’s post in the U.S. Senate Tuesday afternoon.
Blagojevich, who has been charged by federal authorities with attempting to trade the vacant Senate post for political favors and has fiercely refused to resign, held a press conference announcing Roland Burris, Illinois’ former attorney general, as Obama’s replacement.
“Please do not allow the allegations against me to taint this good and honest man,” Blagojevich said of Burris.
A short time later, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid issued a statement, claiming he and his fellow Democratic lawmakers would not seat Burris and that despite Burris’ exemplary record, the circumstances of his appointment would prevent him from fulfilling his duties effectively.
“[T]his is not about Mr. Burris; it is about the integrity of a governor accused of attempting to sell this United States Senate seat,” Reid wrote. “Under these circumstances, anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic Caucus.”
The prospect of a drawn-out fight to remove Burris from his seat is especially bad news for the Democrats, who, if party member Al Franken were to win the hotly contested Minnesota senatorial election, would be only one vote shy of a filibuster-proof majority. In that case, if even one Republican senator could be convinced to cross party lines, the Democrats could force a vote on all measures brought to the Senate floor. Not counting Franken, Democrats will hold 56 seats in the Senate next term, joined by two independent politicians who caucus with them.