Outrage Greets Blagojevich Power Play

Dec. 30, 2008— -- Before embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich even had the chance to officially announce his pick to take the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Obama, lawmakers blunted the power play, insisting they won't seat Roland Burris.

Blagojevich, who was arrested earlier this month on federal corruption charges and faces possible impeachment, announced at a Tuesday afternoon press conference in Chicago that he had tapped former Illinois attorney general and fellow Democrat Roland Burris for Obama's seat.

But before the two men took to the podium, lawmakers from the Illinois state capital of Springfield to Capitol Hill in Washington affirmed they will not recognize any Blagojevich pick.

"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," Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada and Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois said in a written statement.

The lawmakers said their decision is not a reflection on Burris, but, instead, of the current situation.

"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," they claimed.

Blagojevich is under scrutiny from federal prosecutors and investigators, who say they taped phone conversations in which he allegedly attempted to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Obama, and solicit the firing of members of the Chicago Tribune's editorial board who had been critical of him.

Despite the outcry, Burris got a high-profile endorsement when civil rights leader Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., unexpectedly joined Blagojevich and Burris at the press conference podium and challenged the Senate to accept the pick.

"I will ask you to not hang and lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointer. Separate, if you will, the appointee from the [appointer]. ... Burris is worthy," Rush said.

Rush had not sought appointment to the Senate seat himself, but did call on Blagojevich to appoint an African American to replace Obama.

Obama, until his election to the White House, was the only black member of the U.S. Senate and only the third African American to serve in the nation's highest legislative chamber since Reconstruction.

Rush said he will rally the Congressional Black Caucus around Burris and lobby hard to force Durbin and others to accept the appointment.