Burris Drama Carries on, Takes on Racial Undertones

By Kevin Robinson in News on Mar 2, 2009 3:40PM

In another episode of the ongoing Roland Burris drama, the embattled Senator addressed supporters Sunday at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church. Although he made no mention of recent calls for his resignation, he promised supporters that he's been working hard to represent them in congress. Noting his support for the recently passed economic stimulus package, Burris went on to point to a voting rights bill he voted for and legislation he introduced to recognize the slaves who helped build the Capitol. "Let me assure you that I will continue to serve you with the fullest of my ability, and that I will never, ever let you down. I will continue to serve you with honesty and integrity. That's all I know," Burris told congregants, community residents and clergy.

Adding fuel to the tensions behind Burris's tenure in the Senate were Dick Durbin's statements on WGN-AM Sunday, when he acknowledged that race was a factor in seating the junior senator. Noting Congressman Bobby Rush's comments at the press conference where former Governor Rod Blagojevich appointed Burris, "my colleague from Illinois, Congressman Bobby Rush, made strong statements along those (racial) lines," Durbin said. "They were painful and hurtful, and it became part of this calculation." At the South side church where Burris spoke, Rush had more to say on the matter. "There is some kind of game being played," Rush said. "But everybody is not fooled by these games, by this technology that everybody is engaged in."

Meanwhile, Governor Pat Quinn renewed his call for Burris to step down. After speaking to the congregation at Rebano Companerismo Cristiano church in Humboldt Park, Quinn told the press that Burris should do the right thing and step down. "He should look for another way to serve the people of Illinois," Quinn said.

While Quinn, Rush and Burris were talking to churches Sunday, Democratic Fifth Congressional District candidate Tom Geoghegan was on Fox News over the weekend, talking about a lawsuit he'd filed in federal court to force a special election to replace Barack Obama in the Senate.

At a press conference at the Dirksen Federal Building this morning, Geoghegan -- along with co-counsels Scott Frankel, Rob Cohen, and former alderman Marty Oberman -- announced that he has filed a suit in federal court against the state of Illinois and Gov. Pat Quinn seeking a special election for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama.

The plaintiffs claim that neither former Gov. Rod Blagojevich nor Quinn issued a "writ of elections to fill senate vacancies" as required by the 17th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Currently, Illinois follows a legal proviso in the amendment that allows the governor to "make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislatures may direct." Geogeghan and his colleagues are not suggesting that Burris' appointment was illegal "rather, it represents a temporary placeholder until the state could marshal the resources to hold a statewide election." (Geogeghan first laid out this argument in a New York Times op-ed published a few days after Burris' appointment in January.)

Speaking to a large assembling of reporters, Geoghegan outlined three purposes for the suit: to "end the embarrassing stalemate" that is the Blagojevich-Burris charade, to establish rules so the people can vote for their elected officials, and to assure that the government is conducted by the rule of law. "This is why I went to law school" he said. "And the Constitution exists to make sure the democratic rights of the people are secured."