Pat Dollard | Young Americans

FOX:

Rep. Rush Invokes Race in Defending Blagojevich Senate Appointment

Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., is urging Senate leaders not to block the appointment of Roland Burris, pointing out that he would be the only black man in the chamber.

WASHINGTON — A House Democrat is daring Senate leaders to block a black man from taking President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat.

Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois points out that Roland Burris would be the only black man in a chamber populated overwhelmingly by white senators.

Senate Democratic leaders earlier Tuesday added an explicit note of support for Burris personally, but not for his appointment by the embattled governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich.

The leaders said the Democratic caucus would refuse to seat Burris if Blagojevich appoints him, and called their stance a reflection of the scandal-tainted governor.

Blagojevich denies charges that he tried to sell Obama’s Senate seat for personal gain.
The 71-year-old Burris is a former Illinois attorney general.

(H/T MsUnderestimated)

FOX:

Blagojevich Names Former Illinois AG to Replace Obama in Senate

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich names former state Attorney General Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate, stunning lawmakers.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich named former state Attorney General Roland Burris to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday, stunning lawmakers both in his home state and in Washington, where Senate Democrats vowed to block the appointment.

Blagojevich, at a press conference in Chicago, called Burris a candidate of “unquestioned integrity” and urged the public not to “allow the allegations against me to taint this good and honest man.” He said he was obligated by law to fill the vacant Senate seat and he did not want to deprive Illinois of having two senators on Capitol Hill.

Blagojevich is facing federal corruption charges and impeachment proceedings after being accused of trying to sell Obama’s seat.

Despite the cloud of allegations surrounding him, Blagojevich said he was confident his selection of Burris would be upheld.

“The people of Illinois are entitled to have two United States senators representing them in Washington, D.C. As governor, I am required to make this appointment,” Blagojevich said. “This is about Roland Burris as the United States senator — not about the governor who makes the appointment.”

Burris said he has no involvement in the charges against the governor and asked voters to place the “same faith and trust in me as they have in the past.”

U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush also stepped to the podium and endorsed Burris, who is black, as a “worthy” and “esteemed” candidate. Rush had been urging Blagojevich to select an African-American to replace Obama, who had been the only black in the Senate.

But Senate Democrats, who have been urging Blagojevich to step down since his arrest earlier this month, released a statement just prior to the governor’s announcement saying they would not seat any candidate he sends to Washington.

“It is truly regrettable that despite requests from all 50 Democratic Senators and public officials throughout Illinois, Gov. Blagojevich would take the imprudent step of appointing someone to the United States Senate who would serve under a shadow and be plagued by questions of impropriety,” the Democrats said in the written statement Tuesday.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White said he would not certify an appointment by Blagojevich, although it was unclear whether he had the power to “veto” such an appointment by refusing to certify.

Concerns are widespread that any appointment by Blagojevich will be tainted since the governor is facing charges for his alleged attempts to extract favors and contributions from potential candidates. Several unidentified Senate candidates are referenced in transcripts of wiretapped conversations with Blagojevich; Burris has not been identified as one of them.

Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who is next in line to be governor, told reporters Tuesday that the Burris appointment was an “insult to the people of Illinois” and urged the public to “stand firm” against the governor’s actions.

“Rod Blagojevich has unclean hands, and he should not be able to make an appointment to any office whatsoever,” Quinn said.

Blagojevich’s lawyer, Ed Genson, told reporters just two weeks ago that because of the threats from Senate lawmakers, the governor would not attempt to appoint anybody to the seat.

Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross told FOXNews.com he was shocked by the governor’s turnaround.

“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “I can’t comprehend that it’s even happening.”

But he predicted that Burris and Blagojevich would fight hard to defend the legitimacy of the decision.

“It’s complete disregard for the will of the people of our state,” said Illinois state Rep. Susana Mendoza, a Democrat, calling the move “brazen” and “disgusting.”

The Chicago Tribune reported that Burris, 71, has been interested in the appointment since Obama’s Election Day victory, though he was not considered a top candidate for the job. He reportedly stepped up his lobbying effort after the governor’s arrest.

Burris is a prolific contributor to Democratic candidates, including Blagojevich. State campaign finance records show he and his wife have donated $4,500 to Blagojevich’s campaign fund since 2004. Burris has also contributed to Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

Burris served as state attorney general from 1991 to 1995. He earlier served as state comptroller, and made history as the first black elected to statewide office.

Blagojevich’s announcement could complicate matters for the Illinois House panel examining grounds for his impeachment. If Burris is accepted, the scenario could implicitly affirm the governor’s authority.

Genson has argued that the threshold for impeachment has not been met.