Roland Burris Denied Entry Into Senate

WASHINGTON – Roland Burris failed in his bid to take President-elect Barack Obama's Illinois Senate seat on Tuesday in a scripted piece of political theater staged just before the opening of the 111th Congress.

"My credentials were not in order, I will not be accepted, I will not be seated," Burris, 71, told a mob of reporters who had followed him across the street for a news conference in a cold and steady rain outside the Capitol.

The former Illinois attorney general said he was "not seeking to have any type of confrontation" over taking the seat that he was appointed to by embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But Burris, who would be the Senate's only black member, also said he was considering a federal lawsuit to force Senate Democrats to seat him.

It was a major distraction for majority Democrats eager to project an image of progress with Obama on an economic stimulus package that could cost up to $1 trillion.

Democrats and Obama have said that the corruption charges against Blagojevich would strip credibility from anyone he appoints to the seat. Burris and many of his supporters have suggested that the real reason for the rejection involved race.

Blagojevich denies federal accusations that he tried to sell Obama's seat. Democrats, for their part, deny that race has anything to do with Burris' rejection and say that it's a reflection on Blagojevich.

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:I wonder what the status is of Princess Caroline in NY???

pez wrote:I cant figure out why Burris would have aaccepted the nomination in the first place. Congress is performing rightly by refusing to seat him, in much the same way the Illinois SOS refused to sign the paperwork. While they may be on shaky ground legally, they are in the right place politically.

WASHINGTON (CBS) ―
Senate Democrats plan to accept Roland Burris for President-elect Barack Obama's vacant seat.

LTRT wrote:Senate Democrats Plan To Accept Burris
Blagojevich's Senate Pick Meets With Reid, Durbin
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/burris.senate.democrats.2.901914.html

WASHINGTON (CBS) ―
Senate Democrats plan to accept Roland Burris for President-elect Barack Obama's vacant seat.

Didn't deny him for that long.

Jugomugo wrote:

pez wrote:I cant figure out why Burris would have aaccepted the nomination in the first place. Congress is performing rightly by refusing to seat him, in much the same way the Illinois SOS refused to sign the paperwork. While they may be on shaky ground legally, they are in the right place politically.

I heard an interview with him on NPR last week or two. He sounded like a total ass. I'm glad he got denied.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Democrats have no choice but to change their tone about Roland Burris becoming a U.S. senator because Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich "called our bluff" in appointing someone over their objections, a senior Democratic congressional source conceded Wednesday.

Markwes wrote:http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/07/illinois.senate/index.html?eref=rss_politics&iref=polticker

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Democrats have no choice but to change their tone about Roland Burris becoming a U.S. senator because Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich "called our bluff" in appointing someone over their objections, a senior Democratic congressional source conceded Wednesday.

Called their bluff eh? I can visualize the conversation now:

Senate: "We are not letting you in"
Burris: "Yes you are"
Senate: "Okay"

Vis wrote:Markwes, the dialogue made me laugh but what choice do you think the Senate had? Unless you were just going for the chuckle.

Markwes wrote:

Vis wrote:Markwes, the dialogue made me laugh but what choice do you think the Senate had? Unless you were just going for the chuckle.

If they didn't have a choice they should have seated him from the beginning. It's kind of like if a cop arrested you for doing something that's not illegal and then released you when you "call their bluff". It doesn't make the initial arrest right. Same thing here, the Senate should always do what they are supposed to do, not just when they are challenged.