In a political power play just bristling with chutzpah, scandal-enmeshed Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich just named former IL Attorney General Roland Burris to fill President-Elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat.
This presents something of a quandry for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has previously threatened to decline to seat anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich. It also contradicts the statement made on December 17 by the governor’s attorney, Ed Genson:
The attorney, Ed Genson, was asked at a news conference after an impeachment hearing in Springfield if Mr. Blagojevich was planning to appoint anyone against the wishes of Democrats across the state and country including Mr. Obama.
“No,” Mr. Genson replied. “(U.S. Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid said that they’re not going to accept anybody he picks. Why would he do that?”
The entire theatrical gesture may, in fact, be moot. According to the AP, the Illinois Secretary of State has said that he will not certify Burris.
But who is Roland Burris? He will definitely be arriving with his own baggage. In examining his record, the Chicago Tribune reports:
“…Burris has given more than $20,000 to Blagojevich’s campaign fund on his own and through his consulting and law firms, state campaign finance records show. Burris’ consulting company received about $290,000 in state contracts with the Illinois Department of Transportation a few years ago, according to state comptroller records.”
Sounds like Burris knows very well how to play this game.
UPDATE: Chickens coming home to roost, indeed! From the an article published on February 26, 1998 in the Washington Post:
Burris, the only black candidate in the Democratic field of four, issued a cryptic response to reports that he told an African-American community group that his opponents are “non-qualified white boys.”
Stoutcat
December 30, 2008 at 3:08 pm |
[...] the Senate without a tantrum on The Left, the fact that Burris carries his own pricey “designer Blago baggage” will speak [...]