Tribune: "Roland Burris must resign." WaPo, some local Dems agree

[Lunar]

The benefit of the doubt had already been stretched thin and taut by the time Roland Burris offered his third version of the events leading to his appointment to the U.S. Senate. It finally snapped like a rubber band, popping him on that long Pinocchio nose of his, when he came out with version four.

Let’s see if we have it right: Burris had zero contact with any of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s cronies about his interest in the Senate seat being vacated by President Barack Obama— unless you count that conversation with former chief of staff Lon Monk, and, on further reflection, the ones with insiders John Harris, Doug Scofield and John Wyma and, oh yeah, the governor’s brother and fund-raising chief, Robert Blagojevich. But Burris didn’t raise a single dollar for the now ex-governor as a result of those contacts because that could be construed as a quid pro quo and besides, everyone he asked refused to donate.

The story gets worse with every telling.

Enough. Roland Burris must resign.

His protests that he had nothing to hide just don’t square with his obvious attempts to hide something, as evidenced by the evolving truths in three sworn statements to the House impeachment panel. His Jan. 8 testimony before that panel contradicted the affidavit he’d filed three days earlier. On Feb. 5 he submitted a “clarification” detailing the contacts he’d failed to mention on the stand.

Now he has admitted that the governor’s brother hit him up to raise campaign cash, and in at least one conversation, Burris raised his prospects for being appointed to the Senate.

Rob Blagojevich’s attorney has acknowledged that the feds likely have at least one of those conversations on tape. Burris told reporters Monday night that he “talked to some people about trying to see if we could put a fund-raiser on,” but “they said ‘We aren’t giving money to the governor.’”

The hole just gets deeper and deeper, and Burris keeps digging. He has no credibility.

And many Democrats are losing theirs.

Illinois House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), who chaired the impeachment panel, sat on Burris’ amended testimony for more than a week.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed that no Senate appointment by the disgraced Rod Blagojevich would stand—until Blagojevich appointed Burris.

They told Burris to go to the impeachment committee and testify fully and truthfully. And he did not.


And now what? "He went before the state Legislature and he obviously convinced them, but we’ll have to see… I hope he didn’t try to avoid or mislead anyone..." Reid said Tuesday. Durbin is on an overseas trip and hasn’t bothered to comment on the tomfoolery back home. Late Tuesday came word that the Senate Ethics Committee has started a preliminary inquiry.

Finally, remember that Illinois Democrats failed to do right by the people and schedule a special election for this Senate vacancy. If they had done that, voters today might be weighing the lost credibility of candidate Burris, instead of expressing their disgust with Senator Burris.

Disgraceful. Disgraceful all around.

There’s only one honorable action for Burris: resign.

Strip this whole wretched process out of the hands of the politicians and give it back to the people.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/vox_pop/2009/02/roland-burris-resign.html

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

There should be a motion that Burris is expelled and Franken is seated.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Burris fails at life.

[Lunar]

To be fair too, it's important to note that the Trib's editorial board is quite Republican.  Not that they're wrong about anything here.

[Eraserhead]

Well, he had a great run. He'll still be able to say that he was a Senator once.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

He'll still get a nice pension too.

[Landslide Lyndon]

There should be a motion that Burris is expelled and Franken is seated.

You don't want to upset Bobby Rush.

[Lunar]

That bastion of conservatism, the Washington Post, agrees:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/17/AR2009021702717.html
"This latest revelation makes a mockery of his professions of no quid pro quo. It is a violation of the public trust. The people of Illinois have suffered enough. Mr. Burris should resign."

Cook County Commissioner Quigley agrees, as does Cook County Clerk Orr and State Rep. Susan Mendoza.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

He'll still get a nice pension too.

No he won't, members of congress need to serve for 20 years to get a pension.

Anyway, Burris definitely needs to get out.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I doubt that Burris has done anything much more corrupt than the vast majority of Congress.

[Brittain33]

That bastion of conservatism, the Washington Post, agrees:

Sarcasm aside, the Washington Post editorial board is no bastion of liberalism, either.

[ill ind]

As an Illinois resident, the only thing that comes to mind is "Ugh!!!"

If Burris had any sense he would never have taken an appointment from tainted Governor Blagojevich.  If Reid and Durbin had any sense they would have stuck to their guns and refused to seat an apointee by Blagojevich as they originally stated.  Instead they allowed themselves to be bulldozed over by racial comments--particularly from Bobby Rush.  If the Dems in the Illinois General Assembly and State Senate had any sense they would have allowed a special election to happen.  Instead they allowed their fears of losing the seat dictate an appointment.

What a perfect storm....

Illinois politics is never dull!!

Ill Ind

[Lunar]

I doubt that Burris has done anything much more corrupt than the vast majority of Congress.

Of course, but is this the tip of the iceberg?  The facts that he contacted some members of Blago's inner circle is hardly surprising, nor is the fact that Robert Blagojevich asked him for money in exchange.  The fact that Burris tried to raise money but couldn't is a little more iffy, but why bother lying about the first two and commit perjury and whatnot?

[Mr. Morden]

Democratic Rep. Phil Hare agrees that Burris should resign:

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/02/first_house_democrat_to_call_for_burriss_resignation.php

As does Jan Schakowsky:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0209/Scakowsky_Burris_should_go.html?showall

Schakowsky also makes the dubious claim that "Under the 17th Amendment, the Governor has a right to end the temporary term at any time and call for a special election."

[Lunar]

Schako is also one of the new governor Quinn's biggest allies.  She was one of the biggest people wanting Burris to be blocked in the first place.

[Lunar]

The gov is now calling on Burris to resign.

Gibbs, the White House press secretary basically made a statement that Nate Silver hilariously described as "Roland Burris, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here."

[Mr. Morden]

I know we went over all this two months ago, but someone please remind me: What can Quinn and the Illinois legislature do (if anything) to yank Burris out of office at this point?  IIRC, Schakowsky is wrong in saying that Quinn can simply retract the appointment whenever he chooses, no?

What about a special election?  If the legislature passed a special election law and Quinn signed it, would that be a legal way of replacing Burris before 2010?

Or is Burris stuck in the Senate until Jan. 2011 unless he resigns or is tossed out by his fellow senators?

[Lunar]

The Senate can expel him but everyone's hoping he'll just resign.  I don't think any law can "undo" the appointment but I don't really know.  Even black ministers in Chicago are pressuring Burris (according to Rich Miller) and they were supporting Blagojevich until his last days.

But will there be a special election this time around? 

[Verily]

But will there be a special election this time around? 

Only if the Illinois legislature decides to make it so. And they won't; the only reason it was possible before was because the Democrats wanted to get around Blagojevich.

[Lunar]

Well, Quinn supports a special legislature and I think the Democrats might be afraid of making a third strike on this one.  The establishment black community in Chicago is not whistle clean, so how do you make an appointment that won't generate controversy?

[Lunar]

Also, the bill would have passed last time if the Democrats knew Blago was actually going to appoint someone

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Yes, but everyone knows now Blago will not be appointing somone else.

[justfollowingtheelections]

Well, Quinn supports a special legislature and I think the Democrats might be afraid of making a third strike on this one.  The establishment black community in Chicago is not whistle clean, so how do you make an appointment that won't generate controversy?

Quinn will appoint Schakowski, but I don't expect Burris to quit unless he's expelled.

[Mr. Morden]

I'm not sure it's true that the appointment can't be "undone".  Some people at least think it might be possible to undo the appointment:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/19076.html

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[Lunar]

I think a long legal battle is the last thing the national or state Democratic party wants.  That would be a media circus, distracting from Obama's overall narrative.