I couldn’t believe it when I read it on my cell phone in rural Pennsylvania last week. Erstwhile Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, famously out on bail, soon to be indicted for attempting to sell the Senate seat of President-Elect Barack Obama for campaign cash or Cabinet post, and surely much to the chagrin of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald who had him arrested before his case was really complete to prevent this very thing, had appointed Roland Burris to fill the seat.
Admittedly, there is no evidence that Mr. Burris paid or promised anything to receive the appointment. But clearly Mr. Burris has a very high opinion of himself and his ability to overcome the astonishment that anyone would even consider accepting the appointment from such a tainted Governor, whether or not the appointment is legal.
However, the Senate, and in particular Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) are in a bit of a pickle. Roland Burris was the first African-American to be elected to statewide office in Illinois (Attorney General). He has had a very clean career, if undistinguished and unable to be elected to any higher office, though he tried. He is 71 and does not currently hold elective office. And Mr. Burris is determined to be seated if he can make it so.
In an interview today, Mr. Burris stated that he will try to enter the Capitol Building on Tuesday when the Senate recovenes in an attempt to be seated. It remains to be seen what will happen then. It is to be hoped that he will not cause a scene if denied entry. You need either to be Senate Staff, a Member of Congress or have an appointment to enter the Capitol Building these days. He has an appointment with Harry Reid on Wednesday for “negotiations,” according to the Majority Leader.
The only reason to negotiate, however, rests in another state, Minnesota. The Senate race there has been going through a series of recounts, challenges and court rulings but the end result seems to have been an extremely narrow victory for Al Franken, the Democratic ex-comedian, and a defeat for incumbent Norm Coleman. Coleman, of course, is planning to take the whole race to court but the recount results are expected to be certified by the Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie tomorrow, January 5. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) is promising to filibuster the seating of Mr. Franken, even if provisional. This is an outrageous use of the filibuster, which is meant for stalling legislation, not stopping states from having representation in the Federal Government.
But some people feel that if Reid agrees to seat Franken, he has to agree to seat Burris as well. If only Harry Reid were not well known to Progressives as being weak-willed against Republican aggression.
I believe this to be a case of false equivalency. Roland Burris, indeed anyone appointed by the incredibly tainted Illinois Governor, should not be seated under any circumstances. The Lieutenant Governor of Illinois should be given the power to appoint someone and then there should be a special election. So that the people can speak.
Al Franken, however, seems to be the legitimate if narrow winner of his race. Period. He is the Junior Senator from Minnesota. Congratulations, Al! Can’t wait to watch you on C-Span! Mr. Franken, even if his win is contested in court, should be representing the people of Minnesota as they have chosen.
These cases do have one thing in common, though. Former Senator Coleman and Mr. Burris both want to have something that they have not earned nor even been given in a clear and transparent process. They should both stand aside.