Blago to Appoint Illinois Pol to Obama Senate Seat

This seems like a fairly safe pick – I don’t know why anyone would oppose it. The governor hasn’t been convicted of anything yet and he is still considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Good luck to Mr. Burris.

I have to say that I am very impressed with Blago. In today’s society people are unfortunately GUILTY until PROVEN INNOCENT. I for one am SICK of this ‘new’ judicial standard thrown upon the public by judgmental fools. Blago is INNOCENT until PROVEN GUILTY in my mind, and he is fighting for his innocence even though it is a shame he shouldn’t NEED to in America.

This seems like a fairly safe pick – I don’t know why anyone would oppose it. The governor hasn’t been convicted of anything yet and he is still considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Good luck to Mr. Burris.——————————————————-I bet if he had been arrested and charged with a sex crime you wouldnt want him hanging around your kids even if he hadnt been convicted yet. Burris is a decent pick but the Senate seat appointment shouldnt come from that possible crook.

Blago is insane.

Roland Burris is a man of integrity. There is no reason not to allow him to be seated. Blagojevich talked about committing a crime, but never actually committed one. I think Fitzgerald acted in haste and it will come back to bite him.

LMAO, the scandal ridden democrat party is really looking good now…. Blago is saying kiss my butt obama and reid

This Blago must have brass kahunas!! To have an approval rating in single digits, to have been arrested, and to have been warned NOT to appoint anyone, who the hell does he think he is?? He should be setting an example and instead he is doing as he damn well pleases. Good luck to the State of Illinois — you voted for him, now get rid of him.

Amazing that republicans are still trying to associate this problem with Obama. The FEDS have already stated that he wasn’t aware about the blago’s dealings. O by the way wasn’t Senator Craig a republican? Yeah you forget about that.

Hey BPortJohn, conspiracy, or the planning of a crime, IS A CRIME!! He did commit conspiracay, and is guilty as the day is long. Get with the program. He hasn’t been convicted in a court of law, but in the public domain, with all the evidence stacked against him, if he sounds like a duck, and walks like a duck, and looks like a duck, then he is a . . . criminal.

Too bad the Illinois Legislature hasn’t read the Constitution: Amendment XVII, paragraph 2: “When vacancies happen in the representation of any state in the Senate, the executive authority of such state shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, that the legislature of any state may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.”
If the legislature may empower the governor to appoint, cannot the legislature also take that power away?

I don’t know who Burris is, but just who the HECK does Harry Reid think he is! Enough of this Democratic nonsense! If it’s Okay for Caroline Kennedy to be considered for Hillary’s job, then it should be okay for Blago to make his pick! Talk about hipocrits, the dems should be saying the same thing about Kennedy as they said about Sarah Palin. Fitzgerald be fair, if your going to request some of the tapes, then you should make all of the tapes available to BOTH SIDES. You should also allow Blago to call Obamas staff to testify. What a farce, welcome to Fantasy Island!

Will Burris accept?

Impeach Blagojevich NOW.

Wow – this guy is completely nuts! He’s an embarrassment to our party.

Blago is completely delusional! The first thing that comes to mind is how much Burris paid Blago to get this senate seat!

I would think Reid or anyone else would have a hard time finding a reason not to seat Burris. He has served Illinois honorably for many years. The only reason he wasn’t a senator is he had the misfortune of running against Simon for the nomination. As for Blago, I think he will probably remain as gov, he knows to much on to many people for it to go to far.

if caroline kennedy has set the bar for being a senator and accordingly anyone with money and no experience at anything other than being a kennedy or a democrat makes you qualified. therefore blago s pick has as much merit as a kennedy. its a shame or sham? change we can believe in my arse. the dems are making such a mess and there not even in power yet. god save us from thses crooks.

Eric: I think you don’t understand a word of politics. The governor still has the power to pick someone to fill the seat and he did just that. And Burris should take it. He has been around for a long time and is a good politician. The governor did the right thing and I dare the democrats to say anything about Burris. If Quinn was governor right now he probably would select Lisa Madigan who would like that seat herself. I am glad the governor is still in power and he has not been convicted yet.

Blago calls Reid’s bluff. Blago appoints an African-American with a respectable resume of public service to fill Obama’s seat in the Senate. Reid, who himself has an upcoming re-election battle, risks alienating the African-American vote if he urges rejection of Burris’ appointment but accepts without reservation Kennedy who has no record of public service. On the other hand, if he accepts Burris’ appointment, he gives credibility to Blago’s defense, and in doing so taints the party. A lose-lose situation for Reid.

Smooth move Gov. Rod Blagojevich!
Reid and his cronies in the Senate won’t reject this man for fear of a racism charge! :)

“if caroline kennedy has set the bar for being a senator and accordingly anyone with money and no experience at anything other than being a kennedy or a democrat makes you qualified.”
No experience at anything other than being a Kennedy?

This guy just won’t get along. Suppose we shouldn’t be surprise when Blago breaks his word…
Now the fun get started: Will Burris ever serve? How does Reid handle this mess? Will Burris simply withdraw from the appointment? And if Burris does get blocked/step aside, does Blago keep trying to get a Senator seated in D.C.?

Blago’s got chutzpa. It’s kind of endearing.

If the Lt. Gov. and leaders of both IL State houses sign a supporting letter backing this appointment, then he should probably be seated. Then the investigation of the Gov. can continue without unduly holding up the open slot in the Senate.

who cares: I am glad you said that because Reid, Nancy and Dean are corrupt themselves but do it in a sneaky way. All three should be butted out of politics. Burris has been in politics for a long time and is very well respected. He will make a good senator. I am waiting to hear if Reid deny’s Burris. Watch the democrats throw their arms up in the air.

matt: If Burris is denied, I hope a riot starts with the blacks against Reid because the governor picked the best of the lot. Burris is definately highly rated in politics, no scandal against him and well respected. He should take the seat. When the democrats talk about the seat being tainted they are talking thru their head. No seat in the senate is tainted and never will be. The governor is tainted not Burris. I don’t know who thought of that but they better think again.

Blago is still performing his normal duties. Picking Burris is one of
them and he has it on what to do list.

Mariann: Thanks for the correction. I don’t know much about Blo except from the Media which I should learn not to believe.
I agree with you 110%. It’s another “Clinton White House” for 4 years.

Hello,
Gov Thompson was just as crooked as any one of them. Remember the US Atty stated that President-Elect Obama has done nothing wrong. How do I know about Gov Thompson, I also live in Illinois and the only reason that he is not talked about is that fact that he was not caught.

Blago is also forcing Fitzgerald to play part of his hand. Unless Fitzgerald releases part of his evidence, the impeachment proceedings can’t go forward, and Blago is free to exercise his powers as governor i.e. appointing Obama’s replacement. Moreover, Fitzgerald’s interference with Blago’s subpoena of Obama’s staff and refusal to release the audiotapes is germinating a seed of distrust in the investigation (critical to any criminal defense). Fitzgerald has to be feeling the pressure, particularly on the heels of the Valerie Plame case.

wow, so he picked a black guy for the seat? wow wow wow… how cynical is this governor?

Why would anybody of integrity accept an appointment from Blago? Oh wait, we’re talking Obamacrats here so that explains it. Just business as usual for the cabal that produced Blago, Daley, and the Great One. Will be interesting to see how Obama’s followers will try to make excuses for his involvement in this scandal. Amazing isn’t it? The Obama junta is not even in the White House yet and already mired in a major scandal.

Democrats pull the RACE CARD out again

The Mobocrats better watch their step: if Blago’s still Governor, wouldn’t the lawful thing be to seat him now, then UNseat him if indicated?
If Senators were unseated for having a cloud of corruption over their heads, the Senate wouldn’t have a quorum.

Boy Gov is just picking someone who he never tried to extort money for his own political gain. Now, when the Feds release and play the tapes of Boy Gov trying to extort money from the other Senator wannabies, he can say, “See, I had not intention of picking any of them, I was just joking around.”

Love it. The House had their chance last week to vote for a special election. They didn’t do it for fear the people might go ahead and elect a republican…maybe someone like former Gov. Jim Edgar. Speaker Madigan(ruling father of ruling attorney general Lisa who wants to be governor)called the reps. in on the pretense of deciding a special election for the seat. However instead, he wanted to start impeachment proceedings. Rep. Black called it what is was as he had cut short his travel to visit a sick parent in order to return. Madigan and Blagojevich have been at war longer than Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has wanted to be governor himself. By the way, at one time Blagojevich tried to get rid of Patrick Fitzgerald which adds fuel to Fitz’s fire. As far as playing the race card, he was going to have to name an African American regardless. Personally, I would have loved to see the reaction if he would have named Lisa Madigan.

Lt Gov Quinn should just endorse the selection of Burris and end the circus. Burris appears untainted by the Blago issues and has promised to serve only to the end of Obama’s term. Unless Quinn/Reid/Durbin et al have their own payoffs to make with the appointment, why not spare us the theatre?

Good for Gov. Blago! I hope he sings like a canary if reid and Pelosi… give him a tough time! :)
PEBO thugged his way through the same palm-greasing cesspool! :(

Isn’t it Caroline K Slosshberg or something? Now you are talking about real corruption! :)

Sen Reid, Durbin, and democrats in the senate look like idiots denying a qualified candidate because of the allegations and didnt bother to look into the legal ramaifications they are about to do something unconstitional for people that have been on the capitol for years they never even look at the damn document that swore to uphold and protect. My fellow democrats I think it time for term limits
US Rep. 3-two year terms only
US Sen. 2-six year only
Without term limits these same idiots who brought our first majority of both houses of congress will no doubt put us back in minority status in 2010

I get the idea that the case against Blago was rushed to try and get him out of the way. Instead he’s turning into a huge thorn for the democrats. The Chicago Machine comes first, even against the national democrat party. And keep in mind, this is the background that has produced Obama and parts of his new administration. Watch for much more of this.