Minister of Defense.
Cross-file under: Attica! Attica! Attica!
Playing itself like a bad, David Mamet-wannabe rewrite of, oh, say, "The Fucking Maltese Falcon" --
-- up until last week, Governor Shakedown's ongoing Illinois Senate Seat soap opera was embarrassing enough.
And then Blago decided to start throwing nukes around.
From the Chicago Tribune:
...
Jesters don't pick up the race card in a nationally televised news conference and slam it into the face of every Democrat in the U.S. Senate, a palm heel strike to the tip of the nose, leaving all of them watery-eyed, their lips stinging.
Yet that's what Blagojevich—aided by former Black Panther-turned-Daley-machine-functionary Bobby Rush—did at that stupendous news conference in Chicago on Tuesday. That's when the governor appointed Democratic empty suit Roland Burris, an African-American, to fill the Senate seat vacated by Obama.
...
From HuffPo:
"I would ask you the not hang or lynch the appointee as you castigate the appointer and separate the appointee from the appointer," said Rush. "Roland Burris is worthy and he is the only one who can stand in the gap during this time and gather the confidence, re-establishing confidence of the people of the state of Illinois."
Rush went on to essentially challenge the United State Senate to not seat Burris -- a course of action that the Democratic Caucus has said it will pursue.
"There are no African-Americans in the Senate, and I don't think that anyone, any U.S. Senator who is sitting right now would want to go on record to deny one African-American from being seated in the U.S. Senate. I don't think they want to go on record doing that.
...
Sigh.
That Lil' Roddy has been allowed to run wild-child through the machinery of power, hold national headlines hostage to his whims and turn a political heist-gone-bad into his own, personal "Blag Day Afternoon" --
-- is a reflection of the widespread decrepitude of our political system generally, but only in the unique Mosh Pit of Illinois politics could someone name Milorad R. Blagojevich play the race card and not get laughed into political oblivion.
And the result?
From USA Today:
Report: Senate Democrats will allow Burris to take seat
Senate Democrats will allow Roland Burris to take the seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, the Associated Press reports.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed Burris, a Democrat who served as state attorney general, to replace Obama on Capitol Hill. Senate Democrats had previously refused to seat Burris because his appointment certificate lacked the secretary of state's signature.
Blagojevich, a Democrat, is facing federal charges that he tried to sell the open Senate seat, among other things. Burris has not been implicated in the corruption case.
...
And why?
For a lot of reasons, both legal and pragmatic, but I strongly believe that chief among them is trying stop the Governor Shakedown freak show from becoming the media's de facto undercard at a certain January 20th event before it's too late.
28 comments:
the main thing about the burris appointment, which i noted at the outset, (before i largely abandoned the story that went further than posting links to your fine stuff) is that i cannot, for the very life of me, think of one instance, or one person that has paid a political price for telling harry reid to jump the fuck off.
Minstrel Boy,
bingo!
Well no one should be surprised at how this is ending. Which is why those supporting Reid's position were simply ignoring past history. And now the Senate Dems have egg on their face.
bravo, Reid, bravo, for yet again proving that you are utterly unable to perform your duties
Any bets on how long it will be before we read about Burris' own corruption? My guess is that Blago finally found someone who would pay to play.
Besides watching Lil'Harry get humiliated again, I find Drifty's post title
The Blag Panther Party
among the funniest epitaphs yet!
Sir, I salute you!
SP
Yeah, GayVet, Reid has proved unable to perform his duties. One of which is to keep a crook like Blago from using the United States Senate to insert a political hack like Burris up the collective ass of Obama and the democrats as payback for their not helping him cover his ass after he got caught trying to auction off that Senate seat.
Why do you think conservative watchdog groups are sueing to try force the Senate to seat Blago?
Surely it's not possible that they see the opportunity to drop yet another ethics-turd into Obama's punchbowl. They wouldn't be that cynical, would they?
Burris is a little time bomb. Which is why so many repubs have discovered their inner Civil- Rights-Worker selves and are pimping for Burris...along with some democrats who are too fucking stupid to pour proverbial piss out of the proverbial boot.
Since my repub debating partners on this won't answer a simple question, maybe you will:
What's the hurry?
I admit, it's a rhetorical question, since we already know the answer.
The people flacking for Burris know damn well that if they don't get Burris in, practically instanter, they won't get him in at all.
The Illinois legislature has subpoenaed Burris, and the last thing that team Blago/Burris want is to see Roland giving sworn testimony about the deal he cut to climb onto Blago's help-me-shit-on-the-democrats! wagon. Especially, since, pre-appointment, there's that clip of him backing Madigan in her call for the Ill. Supremes to oust Blago. :o)
That the legalists should join so many repubs in wanting Burris to be sitting in the Senate when the roof falls in on Blago, is mind-bendingly stupid. Obama already has so much shit on his plate to deal with, that it's ridiculous. The man is clearly in trouble with a number of his appointments, to add to the misery of dealing with Iraq and our economic woes. The Burris/Blago sitch is just one more turd for him to have to eat, which is why he originally opposed seating Burris, in what was the high point of his transition period. That, just like Reid, he appears to be caving, is not an indication of discovering that Burris' degree of political whoreishness is any better than if he were a republican; it's just that Obama has decided that he can't afford to expend any political capital to keep Burris out of the Senate to avoid the embarassment to the dems of having him there when the anvil falls on
Blago.
You need to get smarter about what's going on with this.
Stick with me kid, I'll show you the ropes. :o)
http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/bensargent;_ylt=Ahd9.rPNvRD4vT9u4w02YJI0vTYC
Tanbark, it is time for you to stop libeling people like Burris. You said he was corrupt, but could show no evidence.
You also made over the top statements about those who wanted Burris seated: "...Everyone supporting team Blago/Burris is saying, in effect: "Fitz has nothing, and Blago's going to walk."..."
Your hatred for Blago (and Burris?) has blinded you, and the hell with the Rule of Law. Party above Country is the province of ReThugs.
Jane Hamsher gets it right again:
I Want To Play Poker With Harry Reid
http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/07/i-want-to-play-poker-with-harry-reid/
LONG past time we return to the Rule of Law after 8 years of our Crawford Caligua's lawlessness.
Is Burris being in the Senate good or bad for the Democrats? I don't give a rat's ass. If this means that the Democrats suffer, then so be it.
Country above Party.
One of the more interesting parts of Hamsher's post:
"...He [Reid] counters by calling Secretary of State Jesse White, who has already said he won't sign Burris's certification, and encourages him. What White is doing is most certainly outside his legal authority -- the Secretary of State doesn't have veto power. But Reid not only gives White a high five, he tells him they'll use this to keep Burris from being seated...."
Wow. Encouraging a public official [White] to do something [not sign the certification] he has no power to do.
That is lawlessness. That is what we have suffered the past eight years. And the fact that Democrats are doing it just makes it even more disgusting.
Either you didn't see the clip of Burris changing his opinion 180 degrees of Blago's fitness to govern, based entirely on the fact that Blago decided to appoint HIM to the seat, or you're just choosing to ignore it. Either way, you're as wrong as two left feet.
Here's Burris on Dec. 13th:
"The evidence has been presented is pretty appalling, should that come out to be the case of what our governor was attempting to do."
Which clearly implies that we need to find out IF that was what Blago was attempting to do.
But once Burris received the Blago Blessing, he suddenly decided that Blago was good to go with making the appointment, especially since the appointment he was making would put Burris in the United States Senate.
I think that IS corrupt, and the fact that it's not idictable has squat to do with it.
And if you think bringing this up and calling Burris out for doing it, is "libelling" him, then, I'm sorry, but for you to talk about "rule of law" is a fucking joke.
And if you'd been paying attention, you'd know that for Hamsher to start snarking on Reid for his inept job of keeping Burris out is another flip-flip, since, just like you, she's been flacking for Burris to get in, from the gitgo. I think she just liked the poker theme and figured that no one would call her on her inconsistency.
BTW, the "rule of law" whine is nonsense on the face of it.
Here's Article I, sec. 5, of the U.S. constitution:
"Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of it's own members..."
Which leaves us with this: The BEST the legalists like you can say is that there is some confusion on the matter. Which would point to taking enough time to resolve it. Which, in turn, brings us right back to the question which you so tellingly ignored:
What's the rush?
Give us your reason for not wanting to wait for the legislature to resolve the issue of Blago's fitness to stay in office and make appointments. That is, other than the fact that every day that brings us closer to that impeachment vote means that it's going to be harder for Blago (and people like you) to insert Burris up our butts like the political hack of a suppository that he is.
While you're at it, why don't you give us your considered opinion on why so many conservatives and republicans want to see Burris seated.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090107/ap_on_go_co/burris_legal
(I look forward to seeing you tell us that they're only motivated by their abiding love for the "rule of law".)
The Democrats owe the country a clean selection process, not a special election. Screw making gestures to the GOP according to their standards of "fairness." Illinois would get an expensive and dirty race, resulting in a possible GOP win. Happily, that seems to be a dead letter now.
Blagojevich is a scumbag, but Burris looks mostly harmless and there's no evidence he owes his selection to anything but spite, so I call that good enough. If anyone really cares, maybe they can prevail on Burris to step aside for any selection by a non-corrupt Democratic governor, but he'll be out in 2 years anyway, so why bother?
Once again Reid stands on principle to Democratic disadvantage. The sooner he gets the boot the better.
"...but he'll be out in two years anwway..."
I wouldn't bet on that. And since Blago will almost certainly have been forced out of office by the legislature by then, with the high likelihood that he will also have been indicted by Fitz, if not conviccted, then Burris will be sitting in the Senate while the shit comes down on Blago, for the repubs to point to.
We have enough people in there who are willing to sell their vote to the highest bidder. _Putting more in is not the way to bring about the change that Obama promised.
Richardson has withdrawn.
Emanuel is a long way from being out of the woods.
Obama's A.G.-designate is at some risk for apparently lying about his work to get Bill Clinton to pardon Marc Rich. The repubs will have a field day with that.
(incidentally, when they do, it'll be interesting to see where people like Hamsher and GayVet come down on that.)
Lastly, I would submit that Blago's trying to put Burris in the Senate to embarrass the democrats, guarantees anything BUT a clean selection process.
GayVet, whether or not White has he has the power to do it has already been decided. Whether or not he has the RIGHT to do it, is to be considered by the Illinois Supreme Court.
And, to my knowledge, they have yet to respond to Burris' request for an answer to that.
White, himself, is now trying to duck it, by saying that he's a good friend of Burris', and that he really wanted the Senate to seat Burris, blah-blah-blah...
Which is just one more piece of evidence that they're still afraid of Blago's scorched earth policy.
There were reports the the Illinois legis would vote this week on whether to impeach Blago. Evidently that's not happening yet. Which is too bad, since the vote is likely to be nearly unanimous to impeach him. And once they start to move on Blago, it's going to be a lot harder for the people pushing Burris to justify that.
Which is why so many of them want the Senate to seat Burris before the Illinois legislature impeaches him.
I meant, of course, before legislature impeaches Blago.
As of today, the Illinois House committee investigating Blago released a draft report saying that the panel believes the Governor has abused his power and recommending the full chamber vote on impeachment.
"The citizens of this state must have confidence that their governor will faithfully serve the people and put their interests before his own" the report reads. "It is with profound regret that the committee finds that our current governor has not done so."
The panel could vote to accept the report when it resumes work Thursday afternoon, which would set up a full House vote on the impeachment question on Friday. If the House did vote to impeach, the case would head to the state Senate for a trial.
With this moving right along, there is NO reason that the Senate can't stick Burris's appointment in the cloakroom of the Senate Rules Committee for just a few weeks while the Illinois legislature makes a decision as to Blago's fitness to discharge the duties of the governor and to allow the...uhhh...rule of law to take it's course. :o)
Which I sure hope happens.
Tanbark: “...Give us your reason for not wanting to wait for the legislature to resolve the issue of Blago's fitness to stay in office and make appointments....”
Gee, maybe because Blago HAS the authority to make an appointment. But don’t let that fact get in the way of your crusade against Blago. But I guess you’re an expect in Law, such as the following Illinois law:
“When a vacancy shall occur in the office of United States Senator from this state, the Governor shall make temporary appointment to fill such vacancy until the next election of representatives in Congress, at which time such vacancy shall be filled by election, and the senator so elected shall take office as soon thereafter as he shall receive his certificate of election.”
And since you’re such a legal expert then I’m sure you’ve read the following: “Roland Burris Almost Certain To Be Seated, Legal Scholars Say” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/30/roland-burris-has-lock-on_n_154322.html
And bitching about “why so many conservatives and republicans want to see Burris seated” is irrelevant. What the hell does that have to do with the legal question of whether Burris should be seated? Well, I guess it matters if you’re more concerned with your party than the Rule of Law.
Maybe you would like to take a bet on whether the Illinois Supreme Court will issue a writ of mandamus forcing Illinois Secretary of State White to sign the certification? $50 to the winner’s favorite charity?
Finally, Jane certainly asks the right questions:
“...How will it look if the Sergent at Arms bars Burris from the Senate floor, but did nothing to Harriet Miers and Karl Rove when they defied Senate subpoenas?
...How does it look to be screaming about Burris's "taint" when they did nothing for decades about Ted Stevens, and gave him a standing ovation even after he'd been convicted? Or for that matter, their inaction with regard to Larry Craig?
How does it look now that Reid is manipulating Senate procedure to exclude Burris, but simply shrugged his shoulders over Samuel Alito, warrantless wiretapping and the Military Commissions Act?....”
I think that even Tanbark would have to admire the fact that Burris is willing to FIGHT. Maybe he can lend one of his balls to Reid.
No, Blago doesn't finally have the right to appoint anyone he wants. We have two different ideas on that. As expressed in the U.S. constitution, and in the Illinois law you quoted.
And that is no explanation, nor is it a reason for holding off on this appointment while the legislature of the state whose laws you are quoting, decides on the fitness of Blago to remain in office and make appointments. And if you think it is, then you have no right to be dissing ANYONE's legal sense.
I ask again, what harm will come from waiting while the laws of the State of Illinois are being adhered to?
As I pointed out, the committee which was studying the question of Blago's actions has just reported to the entire House that Blago should be impeached. They will vote on that soon. Perhaps as soon as tomorrow. And with every step this takes, it makes it that much more ridiculous for you people to try to rush through Burris' seating.
And Hamsher's question about the Sgt. at Arms, is vastly different from Burris' case, since, whatever we think of Miers and Rove, neither one of them was about to be impeached by the Illinois legislature, nor were they the direct subject of a federal prosecutors investigation.
But let's turn that around: how will it look if Burris is sitting in the Senate when the man who appointed him is forced out of office and indicted by Fitz? And if he was taken into the Senate while anyone not living on Mars knew this was about to happen?
And Hamsher's foolish comparison about Miers and Rove, and yours about Steven's, Craig, and Alito, all come under the same asinine heading; that being:
"Hey there was plenty of dirty politics when Bush was president. What's wrong with some more?"
If you guys keep on lowering the bar, soon we'll be underground, starting with the mid-terms, and probably ending with Obama's being a one-term president.
And if you think that the asshats like Limbaugh, etc. teaming up with you to try to stampede this unprincipled shit, Burris, into the Senate, is "irrelevant" then you haven't been paying attention to the tactics and motives of some of the people you've been using as an excuse for putting Burris in that seat.
One. More. Time.
Where is the harm in letting the state of Illinois' investigation of Blago (and Burris has yet to answer that subpoena) take their course?
Let's cut to the chase here on one thing; Blago richly deserves the bashing he's taking, but THEN;
depicting the hack he's chosen to help him hammer on the democrats (and he IS a hack, or he wouldn't have traded his opinion of Blago for the appointment) as some poor, sinned-against victim, is just arrant horseshit.
Cripes I'm over here job searching and realizing those many years locked away in a dungeon really fucked me over for the current job market..... and we go Jane flopping around cheerleading blogo! I STILL maintain the blago arrest and fitz inability to indict, for some reason, is directly connected to the clintons. Same with the sudden investigation of mr squeeky clean Obama supporter Richardson. HRC2012 is in full swing and going swimingly with the hill blogs doing their bestest to keep on the right side of issues. Which explains Jane's big flipper act here.
Now, for this whole business. Blago won for sure. Both burris and that other house rep guy MAKING this about race and planting some such nonsense in the sun times the other day to accuse Reid of racist motives. Reid denied this and called blago a liar and HEY FITZ do you got THAT on tape?
So, reid said it required the signature of White. big deal. Told Franken same thing. How is ONLY burris shows up without it? Because blago KNEW that visual of a black man being turned away would soften the rhetoric and with that house rep guy blathering away on hardball about very true experiences of racism, however UNRELATED to this instance they were. Yes, blago and those two really really are all kings of ethical behavior indeed.
Regardless of what they now are claiming.... the original requirement was White's signature and it still is. Added was that burris testify against blago and stop sucking his dick.
Blago accomplished getting people like Jane to ligitimize him. Thanks jane, good work. Gah. He also succeeded in introducing the race card where it wasn't the case at all. He also succeeded in getting Jesse White to eat his hat. Yum.
So blago's cute little game was just so much fun, wasn't it? gah.
The ONLY reason this isn't getting deep sixed in rules committee is because Obama didn't ask difi if it was okay if we actually have a democrat head the intelligence thingeee.
What a bunch petty bullshit alla that was. Now... why in HELL hasn't blago been impeached!?!?!?!
Wow.... I just saw this and it's a TWOFER!!!
Jane has now not only aligned herself with blago.... but now with Sarah Palin!!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/08/palin-caroline-kennedy-ge_n_156335.html
Way to go jane! *rolly eyes*
Breaking news:
Blago impeached.
114 for.
1 against.
Roland! How's your day going? :o)
as expected by those who believe in the Rule of Law:
Court opens way for Burris to take Obama's seat
(Reuters) – The Illinois Supreme Court on Friday ruled Democrat Roland Burris' appointment to the U.S. Senate valid, which could move him a step closer to taking President-elect Barack Obama's vacant seat.
The court said Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White does not have to certify Gov. Rod Blagojevich's appointment proclamation and that "no further action" by any state officer was required to seat Burris in the Senate....
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090109/pl_nm/us_usa_congress_burris;_ylt=AtuHq8jXqVakdFeL9LhIM04a.3QA
Ummhmmm...and with Blago being one step closer to being removed from office, you're still flacking for the unprincipled liar that he's using to fuck over the democrats.
Good job.
Just another reason why I am convinced that every state government, and the especially the Federal Government, is in dire need of an enema. The "culture of corruption" that the Dems tried to paint the Republicans with is starting to peel.
It is apparent to this man that we have a systemic problem running through our politicians, from both sides of the aisle... as much as I believe that term limits in Congress are not what was intended, I'm torn that perhaps that is exactly the answer for career politicians who serve themselves except on election years...
sorry Tanbark, but supporting the Rule of Law in the Age of Bush is not the same thing as "...flacking for the unprincipled liar that he's using to fuck over the democrats."
Dear Mr. Blagojevich,
Did you know that there is now an occupation called "professional barber?"
A friend.
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