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Opposition To Seating Burris Softens

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The Associated Press

Published: January 12, 2009

Roland Burris, appointed to the U.S. Senate by impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, said he is sending his lawyers to Washington today to meet with Senate officials and expects to take his seat later this week.

Also, a resolution could be brewing in the Senate that will allow Burris to take the seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

The Senate's second-in-command, Sen. Dick Durbin, said he is moving away from resisting Burris, a former Illinois attorney general, for the seat.

"I want to do this in a fair and quick way so that Roland knows his fate," Durbin said, noting he thinks Burris' fate in the Senate will be decided before Blagojevich's impeachment trial is concluded.
Senate Democrats have opposed Burris' appointment because of federal charges that Blagojevich tried to sell the seat to the highest bidder. Although they have argued that any Blagojevich appointee is tainted because of the scandal, no one has accused Burris of wrongdoing.

The National Coalition for Fairness and Justice in the U.S. Senate, a Chicago group led by Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., said Sunday that it had sent letters to Durbin and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid requesting Burris be seated immediately. The group accused Durbin of "playing political pingpong" and said it was planning a "massive mobilization effort" this week if Burris was not seated.

KEY DATES

DEC. 30: Burris was appointed by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, three weeks after Chicago U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald announced the governor's arrest on charges of trying to sell the seat.

JAN. 6: Burris was not allowed to participate in the swearing-in of new senators because the Senate appointment lacked the signature of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.

FRIDAY: The Illinois Supreme Court ruled White doesn't need to sign the appointment for it to be valid, and Burris said he submitted new documents to take the seat.

FRIDAY: Senate lawyers are reviewing Burris' documents to see whether they comply. Sen. Dick Durbin, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other Democrats have said that unless the appointment is signed by both the governor and the Illinois secretary of state, it violates Senate rules.

The Senate also said it wants to examine Burris' testimony before an Illinois House of Representatives panel that was considering Blagojevich's impeachment. Burris told the panel the governor never asked him for money or favors in exchange for the appointment.

FRIDAY: The Illinois House voted 114-1 on Jan. 9 to impeach Blagojevich on allegations of abusing his power.

SUNDAY: Burris said he had nothing to do with Blagojevich's seat-filling machinations.

JAN. 26: Blagojevich's trial in the Illinois Senate slated to begin.

Information from Bloomberg News was used in this report.

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