Illinois governor taken into custody

[Anonymous]

Blogs are reporting this is a 'gift' to Burris as he will qualify for a Senate pension if he serves 18 months...

[Anonymous]

Jeff, it sounds to me as if you are suggesting that as long as Blago appoints someone you (and Reid) approve of, that person should be seated. But if he had come out with a replacement appointee that didn't meet your standards, you would have been howling for a rejection.

I think we need to apply an across-the-board standard here: either Blagojevich's appointee is accepted because he is the not-yet-convicted sitting governor, or rejected because of the well-publicized misdeeds and the tainted nature of the process.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Jeff, it sounds to me as if you are suggesting that as long as Blago appoints someone you (and Reid) approve of, that person should be seated. But if he had come out with a replacement appointee that didn't meet your standards, you would have been howling for a rejection.

I didn't actually say any of those things. I don't have a say in who represents Illinois in the Senate -- heck I don't even have a say in who represents me in the Senate. What I will say is that if Blago had attempted to appoint someone who was simply the highest bidder, that individual would be tainted. However, Burris is one of the few Illinois politicians that is universally believed to be honest. The guy is really a legend. It will be impossible to cast him as someone who received the appointment unethically. So, if the fear is that Blogo would sell the seat, that fear should be now put to rest. Without that fear, I don't know why the Senate would reject Burris.

[Anonymous]

"I'm beginning to wonder if they should swear in and indict Illinois governors at the same time. "

LOL, did anyone see the Daily Show a few weeks ago? Stewart's joke was that over the past 10 years 50% of Illinois governors have gone to jail while nationwide only 38% of all murderors are ever caught. So...you are more likely to go to prison if you are elected to the Illinois governor position than if you muder someone.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff, it sounds to me as if you are suggesting that as long as Blago appoints someone you (and Reid) approve of, that person should be seated. But if he had come out with a replacement appointee that didn't meet your standards, you would have been howling for a rejection.

I didn't actually say any of those things.

Settle down. That's why I worded it the way I did. "sounds to me", and "suggesting". I just caught a whif of trying to have it both ways.

I wonder what would have happened if Burris had declined to receive the seat at Blagojevich's hands? Would it increase his reputation for honesty, or would it be a case of protesting too much? And, would it matter? The Dems are still saying that they won't seat him.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:
I wonder what would have happened if Burris had declined to receive the seat at Blagojevich's hands? Would it increase his reputation for honesty, or would it be a case of protesting too much? And, would it matter? The Dems are still saying that they won't seat him.

It might have increased his reputation for honesty, but to what end? It doesn't look like there will be a special election and Burris has not fared well in Democratic primaries. So, he would be left enjoying his enhanced reputation as a private citizen.

Blogo pulled off a pretty good trick with this appointment. It really puts the Democratic Senators in a bind. Do they really want to reject a very respected African American who has done nothing wrong? My prediction is that he gets seated in the Senate, but the Dems don't allow him in their caucus. It won't matter to him because as the freshman with the least seniority, he won't have any perks anyway. Of course that will create the irony of non-Dem Leiberman caucusing with the Dems while Dem Burris does not. But, that's probably better than the alternatives. Then, if Burris can win re-election in two years, all will be forgiven. Also, what if Blogo decides to withdrawal the Burris nomination and appoint a moderate Republican (maybe even a woman such as former Representative and Labor Secretary Lynn Martin)? That will even be worse for the Dems.

More and more I'm starting to think that Harry Reid is an idiot. The only people to whom he ever stands up are fellow Dems. He bends over whenever Bush or Senate Republicans give the word. So, whatever happens, I'm sure he will make the worst of this situation.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

More and more I'm starting to think that Harry Reid is an idiot.

No argument there - but then again I support the other side of the aisle Reid and Durbin announced again today they would not seat Burris or anyone Blago appoints.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I wonder what would have happened if Burris had declined to receive the seat at Blagojevich's hands? Would it increase his reputation for honesty, or would it be a case of protesting too much? And, would it matter? The Dems are still saying that they won't seat him.

It might have increased his reputation for honesty, but to what end? It doesn't look like there will be a special election and Burris has not fared well in Democratic primaries. So, he would be left enjoying his enhanced reputation as a private citizen.

Blogo pulled off a pretty good trick with this appointment. It really puts the Democratic Senators in a bind. Do they really want to reject a very respected African American who has done nothing wrong? My prediction is that he gets seated in the Senate, but the Dems don't allow him in their caucus. It won't matter to him because as the freshman with the least seniority, he won't have any perks anyway. Of course that will create the irony of non-Dem Leiberman caucusing with the Dems while Dem Burris does not. But, that's probably better than the alternatives. Then, if Burris can win re-election in two years, all will be forgiven. Also, what if Blogo decides to withdrawal the Burris nomination and appoint a moderate Republican (maybe even a woman such as former Representative and Labor Secretary Lynn Martin)? That will even be worse for the Dems.

More and more I'm starting to think that Harry Reid is an idiot. The only people to whom he ever stands up are fellow Dems. He bends over whenever Bush or Senate Republicans give the word. So, whatever happens, I'm sure he will make the worst of this situation.

But the Illinois Sec. of State, an African-American Democrat, has refused to certify Blago's appointment of Burris. Your prediction may be correct, as there may not be a way for the Dems to block Burris from being seated in the Senate. Still, Burris is going to have to go to court to get himself seated because of the IL sec of state's action. Any way you look at it, it's a mess, and not something Obama needs at this moment.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:
But the Illinois Sec. of State, an African-American Democrat, has refused to certify Blago's appointment of Burris. Your prediction may be correct, as there may not be a way for the Dems to block Burris from being seated in the Senate. Still, Burris is going to have to go to court to get himself seated because of the IL sec of state's action. Any way you look at it, it's a mess, and not something Obama needs at this moment.

I agree this is not something Obama needs. This entire episode is very unfortunate. Roland Burris is from a small town in southern Illinois that had less than 10,000 people (probably considerably less when he was growing up). My father is from a town about a mile from Burris' that had less than 500 people. As a result, my father was always a fan of Burris and I heard many Roland Burris stories growing up. I am really saddened to see him embroiled in this mess. To go from a small southern Illinois town to the first African American elected state-wide -- and only the second African-American state Attorney General in the nation -- is a great achievement. That legacy is being destroyed now. Liberal blogs in particular seem exceedingly willing to destroy this man's reputation.

I don't know why the Democrats couldn't have just taken the position that it was regrettable that Blogo make the appointment, but at least he appointed someone not tainted by scandal and accepted him. Illinois deserves two Senators. There are some important Senate votes coming up at the beginning of the session such as Obama's economic stimulus package. The Democrats might need that vote. The same group of people who allow Lieberman to chair the homeland security committee and have never been concerned that Bush administration figures routinely ignore subpoenas suddenly find a backbone when it comes to a Burris.

Blago and Burris are obviously not without blame, but their actions are entirely legal -- if regrettable. If Reid had showed half the backbone when it came to telecom immunity or a host of other issues on which he caved, I might feel differently about him. But, the only time he has showed strength was when he opposed Dodd on telecom immunity and now in regards to Burris. Reid is a tough guy when it comes to fellow Dems. I'm not sure that he understands his role entirely. He is more supportive of Republicans acting illegally than he is of Democrats acting legally. Its a real shame.