Senate Will Seat Burris
Apparently ending a contentious fight over whether a new U.S. senator named by embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich should be seated, Democratic leaders say they expect Roland Burris to be sworn into office by the end of the week.
In a joint statement, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin say “we have spoken to Mr. Burris to let him know that he is now the Senator-designate from Illinois and as such, will be accorded all the rights and privileges of a Senator-elect,” reports the Chicago Tribune in a breaking story.
The announcement reportedly came after Senate lawyers said Burris met the chamber’s rules and could be sworn in.
As discussed in earlier ABAJournal.com posts, the Senate had initially balked at allowing Burris to take the seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. Blagojevich is accused in a federal criminal case in Illinois of having sought to barter the appointment of someone to replace Obama for his own personal benefit and is facing a related impeachment trial in the Illinois state senate.
However, there is no claim that Burris was in any way involved in the governor’s alleged wrongdoing, and objectors have stressed that their concern about the appointment would apply to anyone named by Blagojevich to the vacant Senate seat.
Additional details are provided in the Caucus, a New York Times political blog.
Earlier ABAJournal.com coverage:
Will Senate Democrats Accept Roland Burris as Ill. Senator?
Burris Turned Away from Senate, Setting Up Constitutional Claim
