Word: blagojevich
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Burris, a former state comptroller and attorney general, has done nothing wrong - his only crime was to be appointed by a governor, Illinois' Rod Blagojevich, who's under investigation for trying to sell the same seat, made vacant by the election of Barack Obama. With Blagojevich facing the prospect of federal charges and impeachment, the pick has caused a maelstrom within the Democratic Party. Officials from Illinois secretary of state Jesse White, whose refusal to certify Burris' selection was used as an excuse to invalidate the appointment, to Senate majority leader Harry Reid, who ordered Burris to be turned away...
...makings of a public relations disaster. African-American political leaders are already incensed over the rejection of Burris, the first African-American to be elected statewide in Illinois. With Obama's departure, the Senate will be devoid of black representation - a fact that Burris' presence would change, which Blagojevich was surely mindful of when he made the surprising move to make an appointment. In recent days, African-American leaders in both Chicago and Congress have argued for Burris' admission, with Representative Bobby Rush calling the Senate the "last bastion of plantation politics." After initially dismissing the appointment out of hand...
...ugly as Tuesday's scene was, it may end up buying the Dems enough time to deal with the Burris appointment. Since Blagojevich could be impeached as early as next week, a bureaucratic delay would allow Quinn to then make what would be considered a legitimate appointment. All of this may seem like an internal party squabble, but Democrats say the GOP is waiting in the wings, ready to object to Burris and demand a special election (as Illinois Republicans unsuccessfully tried to do a few weeks ago); given the way Blagojevich has dragged down the local party in recent...
...began giving speeches in which he emphasized that the struggles ahead might be harder than expected. And though transparency is supposedly trademark Obama, some journalists have noted that Obama has begun to take on habits of his predecessor Bush, who is notoriously tightlipped. In the wake of the recent Blagojevich scandal, Obama has snapped or clammed up when asked for details about his team’s involvement in the investigation. He’s begun adding old-timers to his cabinet and deploying Clinton White House staffers. Could it be that even the beloved Obama, Crown Prince of Change...
...Blagojevich, Rod •efforts of to demonstrate innocence of charges of trying to sell Senate seat by giving it to someone who clearly couldn't have afforded it •Roland Burris accepts offer of to fill Obama Senate seat after first choice of said thanks but no thanks