Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White (right) is a bitchn' and a moanin'. Seems that U.S. Senate President Harry Reid & Co. now say that the only thing Roland Burris needs to do to be seated in the U.S. Senate is get White's signature on the certification. A mere technicality.
No more talk of 
barring Burris because of his appointment by Governor Rod Blagojevich. Forget about the letter from half the Senate saying they will not seat the former Illinois Attorney General. No. No. No. Just sweet talk and a small bureaucratic requirement -- a mere technicality.
In response, White is saying that Reid has thrown him under the bus, or down the stairs strapped to a wheel chair, depending on the quote you prefer. This is all "veeeelly interersting," as comic Arte Johnson used to say.
White claims that his signature isn't needed to seat Burris, even though not long ago he said he was stopping the Governor for filling the seat by ... take a guess ... by not signing the document. If White believes that, why did he refuse the sign the certification? Just some silly symbolic posturing?
Regardless of what White's shifting opinion is at the moment, the U.S. Senate thinks his signature is required -- and they sight a Nineteenth Century rule to back up their words.
But White has every reason to be a bit perturbed. He was encourged by Reid to refuse to sign the certification so that Reid could refuse to seat Burris. In fact, Reid called White personally to thank him for his support and courage. White gave Reid the shred of bureaucratic process -- or lack there of -- that gave an appearance of legitimacy to Reid's flagrantly improper scheme to reject the legally appointed Burris.
Proving that in politics no favor goes unpunished, Reid now lays the blame for not seating Burris on White's missing signature, while he plays host to the soon-to-be junior senator from Illinois.
For his part, Reid, who was rolled by Burris like a cheap cigarette, denies that he was out smarted by the Washington neophyte. He just needed a few minutes face time to assure himself that Burris did not have horns and a tail -- and presumably that the former Illinois Attorney General did not talk like those uppity blacks who Reid (excuse the expression) black balled.
White is not alone on the far side of the limb that Reid & Co. are sawing off. Illinois Attorny General Lisa Madigan has offered an opinon that there is nothing in the law that requires White to obey ... the law. Ya gotta love lawyers. Personally, I sort of think that the part of the oath that that says "uphold the law" could be releveant, but then, I'm not a lawyer.
Madigan first tried to get the Supreme Court to declare the Governor incompetent to serve without a shred of medical evidence or legal authority. It was more than a stretch -- but desperate times require desperate measures. Now she supports the Secretary of State not performing his legal duties.
barring Burris because of his appointment by Governor Rod Blagojevich. Forget about the letter from half the Senate saying they will not seat the former Illinois Attorney General. No. No. No. Just sweet talk and a small bureaucratic requirement -- a mere technicality.In response, White is saying that Reid has thrown him under the bus, or down the stairs strapped to a wheel chair, depending on the quote you prefer. This is all "veeeelly interersting," as comic Arte Johnson used to say.
White claims that his signature isn't needed to seat Burris, even though not long ago he said he was stopping the Governor for filling the seat by ... take a guess ... by not signing the document. If White believes that, why did he refuse the sign the certification? Just some silly symbolic posturing?
Regardless of what White's shifting opinion is at the moment, the U.S. Senate thinks his signature is required -- and they sight a Nineteenth Century rule to back up their words.
But White has every reason to be a bit perturbed. He was encourged by Reid to refuse to sign the certification so that Reid could refuse to seat Burris. In fact, Reid called White personally to thank him for his support and courage. White gave Reid the shred of bureaucratic process -- or lack there of -- that gave an appearance of legitimacy to Reid's flagrantly improper scheme to reject the legally appointed Burris.
Proving that in politics no favor goes unpunished, Reid now lays the blame for not seating Burris on White's missing signature, while he plays host to the soon-to-be junior senator from Illinois.
For his part, Reid, who was rolled by Burris like a cheap cigarette, denies that he was out smarted by the Washington neophyte. He just needed a few minutes face time to assure himself that Burris did not have horns and a tail -- and presumably that the former Illinois Attorney General did not talk like those uppity blacks who Reid (excuse the expression) black balled.
White is not alone on the far side of the limb that Reid & Co. are sawing off. Illinois Attorny General Lisa Madigan has offered an opinon that there is nothing in the law that requires White to obey ... the law. Ya gotta love lawyers. Personally, I sort of think that the part of the oath that that says "uphold the law" could be releveant, but then, I'm not a lawyer.
Madigan first tried to get the Supreme Court to declare the Governor incompetent to serve without a shred of medical evidence or legal authority. It was more than a stretch -- but desperate times require desperate measures. Now she supports the Secretary of State not performing his legal duties.
One suspects that she would not undertaket these political suicide missions if the Governor didn't just happen to be her daddy's chief nemisis. As Speaker of the House, he is doing his own version of get-Blago-at-all-costs by establishing a impeachment committee composed of the Governor's most ardent enemies.
At first, the game plan was to get Blago out before he could make a senate appointment. Now the game plan is to get him out before the Burris appointment sets like cement on a sunny day. They hope they can twist, bend and break the rules as a means of stopping Burris.
My bet is Burris wins with or without White's signature.
No comments:
Post a Comment