Well, he isn't quite as obscure as Tim Ted Kaufman, but Blagojevich has named his pick for the vacant Illinois senate seat and it's someone who wasn't on anybody's watch list: former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris. Burris is the first African-American to win statewide office in Illinois, elected comptroller in 1978. He's failed to win the primary in three separate gubernatorial runs, including in 2002 against Blagojevich.
Burris is 71. This leads to the question: is he running for re-election in 2010? That's not immediately clear, but Burris stated earlier that whoever gets the appointment should be able to win re-election. Burris sold himself to Blagojevich when the position came open, and unlike most anyone else, continued to sell himself harder after Blago got arrested.
Shortly after Obama's Nov. 4 victory, Burris made known his interest in an appointment to the Senate but was never seriously considered, according to Blagojevich insiders. But in the days following Blagojevich's arrest, and despite questions over the taint of a Senate appointment, Burris stepped up his efforts to win the governor's support.
What's strange here is that Blagojevich's own defense attorney said that no appointment would be forthcoming, and of course earlier Harry Reid said that no Blagojevich appointment would be seated by the Senate... so it's unclear what exactly Blagojevich is thinking (although that seems like it has frequently been the case lately). Burris apparently has not been connected to any of the investigations of Blagojevich, but it seems highly iffy as to whether or not he ever actually becomes a senator, with Reid's threat, and the Illinois legislature still considering impeachment procedures against Blagojevich. (Discussion is already underway in safi's diary.)
UPDATE (James L.): Looks like Senate Dems are standing firm:
It is truly regrettable that despite requests from all 50 Democratic Senators and public officials throughout Illinois, Gov. Blagojevich would take the imprudent step of appointing someone to the United States Senate who would serve under a shadow and be plagued by questions of impropriety. We say this without prejudice toward Roland Burris's ability, and we respect his years of public service. But this is not about Mr. Burris; it is about the integrity of a governor accused of attempting to sell this United States Senate seat. Under these circumstances, anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic Caucus.
As is Illinois' Secretary of State:
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White says he'll reject any paperwork that Gov. Rod Blagojevich files to name a new U.S. senator.
The secretary of state keeps state records and certifies official actions.
But White says he won't certify anything Blagojevich does to fill the Senate seat once held by President-elect Barack Obama.
(Hat-tip: SusanG)
Later Update: Did you catch the Blago/Burris press conference? Reportedly, it was nothing less than surreal. |
