Reader comments
Seat Roland Burris ASAP

Dan_R | 1:21 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009

LOBBYIST, NOT CONSULTANT !!!

Roland Burris is a LOBBYIST - NOT a consultant!! Please get use the correct terms. What is ILLEGAL in many counties and states, is legally done here in Illinois every day of the year by crooked LOBBYISTS.

Hundreds of Thousands and Perhaps Millions of TAXPAYER DOLLARS flowed through his fingers on contracts ; many of them NO-BID. He also paid money into BLAGOjevich's campaign. He DOES NOT DESERVE this appointment.

"The lobbying firm he runs with Democratic political consultant Fred Lebed, Burris & Lebed, received about $290,000 in state contracts with the Illinois Department of Transportation a few years ago, according to state comptroller records. And many companies that hired Burris' firm have received hundreds of thousands in state business."
- Chicago Tribune .... January 8, 2009

AMERICA deserves better than this! Most Illinoisians prefer to VOTE in a SPECIAL ELECTION for the Senate candidate of their choice.

Alan Thomas, Belfast | 1:28 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009

So there IS a smattering of common sense within the U.S. Senate after all? I was beginning to wonder.

Monument to Himself | 7:42 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009

I give you the best reason why Burris should not be allowed to be a US Senator--his mausoleum to himself! Google "Burris" and "mausoleum" for the definition of hubris!

Comments continue below

Paul | 7:44 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009

They should allow Burris to be seated, but only after he gives a statement of how much he paid.

His position is tainted. Will Burris give up his seat later, once the indictments come in? I doubt it.

Questionable | 9:33 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009

While we're accomodating the seatings designated by a person under investigation for selling seatings, why dont we hire Mark Foley back to handle intern hiring!?

Arthur | 10:02 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009

It makes sense that it took this long to seat him, most out of state checks take 5 days to clear.

LVIS | 10:31 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009

I wasn't aware that Harry Reid was President of the Senate. I always understood (Per Article I, Sec 3.4 of the Constitution) that the Vice-President of the U.S. was the President of the Senate.

lost in DC | 11:18 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009

anyone who accepts an appointment from the crook in the Illinois governor's mansion is tainted. Burris' judgment has to be suspect if he accepts an appointment from the worst governor in Illinois since Thomas Ford.

Well of course... | 12:22 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009

"He is the highest-ranking African-American official to be elected to state office."

Well, that in itself makes him the "most qualified" person to take over the Senate seat, now doesn't it?

Utah Dem | 12:42 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009

LVIS - correct, Reid is the Senate Majority Leader.

To me Burris seems quite arrogant and anything or anyone associated with Blagojevich is tainted. They need a state wide election.

Arthur | 12:56 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009

I think this is the governments way of saying, "We may be corrupt, but there's not a thing you can do about it".

Go ahead, do it | 6:23 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009

The govenor is still legally empowered to appoint a senator whent the seat is vacant. By all available evidence Mr. Burris is untainted in this scandal.

He should be seated. The senate should have some black people, and Mr. Burris is qualified.

What are we waiting for?

re Well of course... | 12:22 p. | 6:59 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009

Heads of corporations are hardly the most qualified to lead them, thats why they demand golden parashuts for when they fail. White senators and congressmen are not the most qualified to hold the seats they hold, but many are highly qualified.

Now you want to make it so no black serves unless it can be proved they are absolutely the most qualified in their state?

Mr. Burris comes across to me as pretty qualified from what I can see, he speaks well, he appears intelligent.

Dave | 8:52 a.m. Jan. 9, 2009

Blagojevich has shown he is much smarter than Harry Ried and the majority of Dms in the Senate. We are in for a fun 4 years.

Patti | 9:02 a.m. Jan. 9, 2009

Note to self: Buying your way in to political office OK if your qualified.

Branty Harris | 10:23 a.m. Jan. 9, 2009

If Roland Burris wants the seat then he should have no problem running for it in an open election.

Anonymous | 11:20 a.m. Jan. 9, 2009

The senate was forced to make a statement. They didn't want to be seen as rubber stamping corruption. This should be even understandable to a ditto head.

re Branty Harris | 10:23 a.m. | 12:22 p.m. Jan. 9, 2009

"If Roland Burris wants the seat then he should have no problem running for it in an open election".

Who knows he just may run when the time comes.

re Patti 9:02
You're wrong girl, buying your way into office is wrong.

Branty is a dictator | 3:49 p.m. Jan. 9, 2009

Branty Harris,

"If Roland Burris wants the seat then he should have no problem running for it in an open election."

This may come as quite a shock to you but in a free country we don't change the rules in the middle of the game. The U.S. and Illinois Constitution grant the Illinois Governor the authority to appoint the seat vacated by Obama. They do not grant authority to hold a special election.

You seem to favor a "special election" but such an election would be improper. If you want these seats to be filled by special elections free to amend the Illinois state and U.S. Constitutions and the next time a U.S. Senate seat becomes vacant in Illinois you can have a special election but at this time the rules are clear and no ignoramus named Branty from who knows where is going to change the rules on people.

If you can change the rules whenever you want where does that leave us? Why should we follow the rules and not beat the living daylights out of you since they only apply to others since you will change them when you don't want them to apply to you.

Utah to appoint Senators | 3:57 p.m. Jan. 9, 2009

Utah Dem,

"To me Burris seems quite arrogant and anything or anyone associated with Blagojevich is tainted. They need a state wide election."

How many times must you people be told that you don't get to change the rules in the middle of a game? Doing so gives those who don't agree to the change the RIGHT to an all out brawl on the field.

You should have dealt with the problem this poses before Obama's vacancy, the pay-to-play scandal and the appointment took place.

You can't say there should be special election when the Governor is granted the authority to fill the vacancy anymore then you could say "we no longer believe in electing Senators therefore the election you just had is invalid and U.S. Senators will be appointed by State Legislatures." Now that I think about it any legislature could change its mind about how (the Constitution grants them authority) to elect Senators after any election where a Utah Democrat wins. Oops, we don't want that so we will hold a special appointment session. Of course as long as Republicans win the rules can remain the same. Only need to be changed when they don't benefit them.

ASAP | 4:05 p.m. Jan. 9, 2009

Thats the new mantra comming out of Washington. Our new administration needs your tax money asap! Put Burris in asap, becuaus we don't want any more bad press from out mafia-like political system in Chicago.
Hurry, hurry, spend, spend the people are depending on fast action. do it NOW!!!

Change rules, get beat up | 4:06 p.m. Jan. 9, 2009

Go ahead, do it

"The govenor is still legally empowered to appoint a senator whent the seat is vacant."

Yet there are some who would like to change the rules right in the middle of a game. That is the worst form of tyranny and I personally could care less if Burris is appointed Senator or not but I won't stand by as people seek to change the rules in the middle of the game. Because if they can do it now they can do it whenever they want and rules mean nothing when those who make them can change them when they don't benefit them while imposing them on others for as long as it benefits them to do so.

"He should be seated. The senate should have some black people, and Mr. Burris is qualified."

There's no grounds not to seat him. He is the duly appointed U.S. Senator from Illinois. It would be like refusing to seat a U.S. Senator who was duly elected just because you don't agree with the result.

"What are we waiting for?"

People are hoping that they can find a way to change the rules and get their way.

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