Burris Denied Seat in US Senate
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. > Full Coverage
This thing with Blagojevich keeps getting deeper the longer it plays out, and the political soap opera is likely going to keep producing bubbles long after the presidential inauguration.
But the racial side of it, initially baited when Rep. Bobby Rush pretty much declared that there should be a black U.S. Senator whether he is elected, properly appointed or artificially placed there just because he's black.
But now the rumblings of the Washington opposition are starting to surface since allegations have been made that Sen. Harry Reid (above-left), the Democratic majority leader had made calls to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich encouraging his own preferences to fill President-Elect Barack Obama's Senate seat. The people he reportedly suggested to Blagojevich were state Veterans Affairs chief Tammy Duckworth (above-right) or Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
The people he didn't want were Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., Rep. Danny Davis and State Senator Emil Jones; all African American
Now reports say he pushed against the three because he didn't feel they would be electable when it came time for the 2010 midterm Congressional elections. But that begs the question, who is he -- a Congressman from Nevada -- to determine what the voters of Illinois will want nearly two years from now?
Rush, although I disagree with his premise, is correct. There are now no blacks in the U.S. Senate. If none are elected during the midterms, then that means the Senate will be without representation from the African American community throughout Obama's first term. A black president, but no black Senators? Not a good look.
Jackson, Davis and Jones could well run for Senate themselves in 2010, and there's a high probability that African Americans from states all over the country will make their own bids. But for Reid to determine those three are not electable, but insist the other two are is suspicious to me.
On NBC's Meet The Press, Reid says he doesn't even remember all the details of this conversation with Blagojevich (at 7:35 of the video above), but a long time ago they used to call this type of thing "selective amnesia." Regarding the discussion of who he didn't want, Reid says Blagojevich is making it up. But at least some of this conversation is possibly on tape, as part of the investigation against the governor and if it comes out that Reid did say these things, he'd better be ready to do some damage control.
To be fair, some of the main people spinning the racial portion of this controversy are people from the camp of former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, who Blagojevich did appoint as Senator last week, and who Senate Democrats are threatening not to seat. Prince Davis, a senior consultant to Burris suggested to Washington watchdog website Politico that Reid favored anybody but black men for the Senate seat.
That has to be taken with a grain of salt, considering the source of the complaint. However, Reid is best left dealing with the Senate appointment when it gets to Capitol Hill, and not in Illinois. That is a matter for the state's legislature, it's current Attorney General and the Governor's office.
Comments: (8)
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By: Elmo Jones on 1/06/2009 10:55PM
The rule of law has only recently been observed in a large percentage of the cases when it comes to the legal rights of African Americans. Senator Burris was only 24 years old when the March between Selma and Montgomery took place. I wonder if he feels that we have truly made much progress in these 44 years?
Senator Burris was appointed by the GOVERNOR of the state of Illinois. Is This Gov. an asshole? Sure. A criminal? Maybe. From the African American perspective, most politicians probably are, including senator Burris (being that he is also from Chicago why should he be any different from the rest). But as long as the Gov. has not been impeached, expelled, died, or voted out of office. The appointments made by his legal administration should stand until such time as the Gov. has been impeached, expelled, died or voted out of office.
If after the legislature of the state of Illinois has taken action against him and the Gov. has been found culpable of illegalities formidable enough to warrant his being expelled from office, then those appointments should be rescinded. As they were made by one who was not at the time empowered to make them.
Is he empowered to make appointments since he does still hold the office? This is the only question here.
These dramatic actions by senator Reid have their roots in a despotic coup d'etat, more than a law abiding democracy.
The governor of Illinois was elected by the people of Illinois to represent them. His job description allows him to make appointments to the United States senate when a seat has been vacated under certain circumstances.
Where's the beef???
Having representatives in the senate of the United States commensurate the with size and population of the state is a right of the states, and should be not be usurped by the congress unless said senator has proven himself to be unworthy of this position. Even though the senate has the constitutional right to refuse to seat anyone they deem to be too tall or too short (not really, but almost).
What has Senator Burris done to prove himself unworthy?
Powerful people sometimes get to thumb their noses at the establishment, as the history of Gov. Blagovich illustrates. But we have laws which protect us from both the Gov. of Illinois, the senator from Nevada and the congress of the United States and both these official branches of government should only come into play under due process of law.
At this rate the U.S. senate which is 100% white by the way, could refuse to seat an appointed or elected official based entirely on his race, or would they? I know one thing just as well as senator Burris and so does senator Reid, they would've back in 1965.
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By: jab011110 on 1/06/2009 11:07PM
Once you've seen it, you'll know why the brain-dead followers of NO-bama try their best to keep you from seeing --- HowObamaGotElected.com.........
As of tonight (01/06/09) at 10:25 PM EST, over 1,878,150 have visited HowObamaGotElected.com -- and discovered how MR. HUSSEIN was "SELECTED" Supreme Ruler of The Divided Socialist States of America....................
Be prepared to become extremely pissed off as you watch.
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By: wendell on 9/08/2009 10:08PM
Senator Burris, take your seat. Senate Reid, give up your gavel. You say that the Senate is 100% caucasian? Not true to say the least. Nothing in this day and age are 100% anything. How many white men of do you know with the last name of WASHINGTON-as in George?
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By: Satirah on 1/07/2009 1:24AM
Harry Teid has a lot of nerve. This country is so racist. White folks just don't get it, they want the President-elect Obama to be anything other than black. I am sure that Harry Reid has enough unfinished business to take care of in Utah without meddling in the business of Chicago. Wh aren't they calling for his OUSTER?
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By: Daniel Asamota on 1/07/2009 1:27AM
They know that Burris is the legal senator in this fiascoe. If he had have been a white man they would have gone on ahead and seated him but Reid made it plain to Blagovich that he didn't want anybody black. He needs to be impeached coz' the case against the governor is flying south fast. They can't prove any of their charges and so Burris will end up being seated.
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By: Jazz on 1/07/2009 5:48AM
ok..i'm no political expert.....
but....although burris deserves the seat...i wouldn't want it like this....it's like...he's fighting to be seated........why fight?.....i wouldn't want to be in this position...i wouldn't want to fight for the seat....i would have gotten with my lawyers, seeked advice first before i accepted the seat.....
and the dude who "appointed" him may be a crook...they should have taken care of the matter with blagojevich first....they should have charged him..then impeached him first...not let this thing linger...
it almost like burris is looking like a clown...like a black man so anxious...too anxious to have that seat no matter what....
the catch is...he deserves to have the seat....it's a bad situation for burris!!!!
i'd like to hear what other black politics have to say about this.
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By: lolabull on 1/08/2009 10:42AM
These last weeks should let all who don't, or won't, see the true colors of democrats. They want that vote alright, do anything or say anything to get, no doubt about that, but they don't give a rat's ass about anyone who is different from them. You wanna talk racism...look at the democratic party and you'll find it. They want that gay vote too, but they can't stand the site of gay people. Republicans and conservative's just don't want them to get married, but dems and libs litterally hate them. Stop being so blinded by thinking this party is compassionate about the plight of minorities...it's exactly the opposite.
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By: rpbusmc on 1/10/2009 3:06PM
Nothing has changed. Whites have used Obama to be the reason why Blacks will no longer get any help from the Govt. The free ride is over. When they start to look at programs to cut. Good bye welfare,SSI, food stamps etc. They have allowed illegals to come in to replace the Black population. The Senate does not want a Black so they can be a Good Old Boys club again. There are three Branches of Govt and if you think that the Whites are going to support Obama you are crazy. he will have to dance to their music or nothing will get done.Why do you think Richardson jumped ship.
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