Chicagoist: Mr. Burris Goes to Washington

Albanyparkour

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:52:23 -0600

I'm quite certain that, were he not already dead 175 years, Thomas Jefferson would die from the shock of seeing the constitution used to defend the appointment of man by a governor accused of selling that very appointment. This is a case where the law and justice are on opposite sides of the coin.

jennyblur

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:26:52 -0600

According to Powell v. McCormack (1969) the Congress can only deny a seat to someone who fails to meet the Constitutional requirements, i.e. age, residency and citizenship. Even though Burris isn't technically elected, he was legally appointed by a sitting governor. I don't see any reason that this case wouldn't be the governing precedent in this situation.

Slaphappy

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:06:33 -0600

It is illegal for Jesse White to refuse to certify this appointment, just like according to Supreme Court precedent it would be illegal for the Senate to refuse to seat this guy. The Supreme Court said that Congress couldn't refuse to seat a prospective representative who was elected by the public. This is a different scenario with no precedent in the federal courts, as far as I know.

jennyblur

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:31:18 -0600

It is illegal for Jesse White to refuse to certify this appointment, just like according to Supreme Court precedent it would be illegal for the Senate to refuse to seat this guy. The fact that Harry Reid went on MtP and said that he was "open to negotiations" means that the Senate Dems know they don't have a pot to piss in here and don't want to look like assholes down the line when Burris is voting on shit in Congress. The problem here is that Harry Reid CONSTANTLY looks like an asshole. Pelosi has bigger balls than him.

ophmarketing

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:19:21 -0600

Well that explains it. Roland just misheard. His Senate appointment wasn't ordained by GOD, it was ordained by ROD. Easy mistake.

Stealth

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:16:16 -0600

Asshole move. Definitely. If Blago wasn't being probed, would he even have taken Burris' phone call on this? I mean Burris has been out of the loop for so long, he has NOTHING to offer. What clout does the name "Burris" have around town? Hell, he barely had clout when he was IN office.

matty

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:46:56 -0600

I kind of have to wonder if Burris was really Blago's choice or if he's just being an asshole by doing this.

UTV

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:45:28 -0600

I imagine the GOP is salivating at the thought of Burris running as an incumbent in 2010.

Spook

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:31:02 -0600

Seriously George Burris Jefferson is one of the worse Black machine hacks that Blago could have sent to the U.S. Senate. As Chicaoist's most Blago friendly commentating Now & Later eating alligator, I say lets Dump the Mutha F*cker Already!

BlueFairlane

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:29:48 -0600

Ingrid: By "Lord," I think he's actually talking about Blagojevich. And yeah, Slaphappy, he'll be our senator. And he'll run to keep the seat in 2010. And I'd lay pretty good odds on him winning, because the people of Illinois understand that it's really their fault. If they just hadn't worn that short skirt ...

Albanyparkour

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:28:24 -0600

I think the Lord God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, is going to have his handiwork undone by Pat Quinn. What a buzzkill.

Slaphappy

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:26:26 -0600

Why do I get the feeling this guy will end up seeing the Senate floor?

Ingrid

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:22:53 -0600

Hubris, anyone? "The Lord ordained"?????? Have we not had enough with Bush and his Lord? Just leave the lords and the gods and jesuses out of it.