Will Senate Democrats Accept Roland Burris as Ill. Senator?
Senate Democrats are considering whether to accept Roland Burris as the next Illinois senator to fill the seat vacated by Barack Obama.
The Chicago Tribune had the news. Its story says Burris met this morning with Senate leaders, who are waiting to see how the Illinois Supreme Court handles an appeal filed by Burris’ lawyers. A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid denied an earlier report that the leaders had already agreed to accept Burris.
The talks follow assertions by constitutional law experts that Supreme Court precedent supported Burris in his attempt to take the seat.
Yesterday the Senate had refused to seat Burris, citing the refusal of the Illinois secretary of state to sign his appointment papers. Burris was appointed by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, previously accused by federal prosecutors of trying to sell the vacant seat.
Later in the day, lawyers for Burris asked the Illinois Supreme Court to act quickly and order Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White to sign his commission, Bloomberg reports. “It is now clear that an extraordinarily arbitrary and unlawful process is afoot,” Burris’ lawyers said in the filing.
White later said his signature is “mostly ceremonial” and the Senate could accept Burris without his certification, the Associated Press reported.
White said he was being unfairly blamed for the Senate’s refusal to seat Burris.
