Riley was alluding to a Chicago Sun-Times story Saturday indicating that Reid called Blagojevich on Dec. 3, shortly before the governor was arrested on corruption charges, including the allegation that he'd tried to sell Obama's Senate seat to the highest bidder.
In the call — which was presumably taped by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who'd tapped the governor's phones in the course of the investigation — Reid reportedly argued against appointing Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., Rep. Danny Davis or state Senate President Emil Jones, all of whom are black, in favor of either state Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth, who is Thai-American, or Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who is white.
“If Mr. Reid and others are offended by his presence, I’m left with no answers,” Riley said. “Sen. Burris is a former attorney general, former comptroller, he has impeccable credentials. Why wouldn’t a man of that character be an asset to the Senate?”
Reid spokesman Jim Manley acknowledged that his boss talked to Blagojevich but deflected a question about Riley’s suggestion that race was a factor in Reid's preferences.
“Look, the fact is, that if Gov. Blagojevich would do the r*ght thing and resign, the new governor, if he saw fit, could appoint Congressman Jackson, Congressman Davis, Emil Jones or Roland Burris,” Manley said.
Reid’s aides wouldn’t say so, but the Senate leader’s concern over the three Chicago-based African-Americans seems centered on whether they could win statewide reelection in 2010."
There is nothing at all wrong about the Gov. and Reid discussing the politics of appointments. There is no chance that Jackson Jr. would win an election because of zero support in downstate Illinois. It is entirely reasonable to make such political considerations. Had McCain carefully thought though, researched, and discussed his goofy choice of Palin, perhaps McCain would be the President elect. McCain did not do so because he wanted to avoid political discussions. He failed to do so because he was incompetent, impulsive, and reactionary.
What is illegal in the Governor's (of Illinois) is graft. But there was no discussion by Reid of offering or soliciting anything of value in his political choice to avoid Jackson et. al. Reid's conversations were audited by the U.S. Attorney, and Reid is not in the indictment because he did nothing wrong.
Tammy Duckworth is a disabled veteran with political experience, having lost a race to a Congressman who, in the most recent election, had my nephew, Tim, as his campaign manager. Duckworth would play much better in southern Illinois than the Cook County candidates in the next election. These are legitimate considerations.
Joined: 17 May 2004 Posts: 1405 Location: Michigan
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 06:53 pm Post subject:
You are much more blunt than Reid about the discussion - what ever it is is apparently on tape and not illegal.
The decision of the governor was also apparently legal and the attempt to prevent the seating by Reid of the governors appointment is politics run a muck and perhaps not legal.
The best decision was to have a special election or to abide by the current governor's decision as it does not appear in his best interests (in his mind) to resign.
The whole thing is surreal in nature.
BTW you have the opportunity to address me by my name however I do not have the same pleasure with you.
That was me! I cleared my cache to see if Connect was loading correctly after an update and then I forgot to log in. Isn't strange to respond to somebody when they hide behind a tree?
Larry, if the the best y'all can do is Al Franken, failed comedian, watch out for the mid-terms and the next elections. Be fun to see who screws up the most, democrats or republicans. Saw today where the cajun said the democrats are in for a string of scandals. Be fun to watch, it's getting off to a good start. Politics as usual.
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Joined: 17 May 2004 Posts: 1405 Location: Michigan
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:43 pm Post subject:
"Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Senate Rules Committee, told reporters Tuesday evening that Burris should be seated.
"If you don't seat Mr. Burris, it has ramifications for gubernatorial appointments all over America," the California Democrat said. "Mr. Burris is a senior, experienced politician. He has been attorney general, he has been controller, and he is very well-respected. I am hopeful that this will be settled."
In a piece of political theater, Burris, 71, tried and failed Tuesday to take Obama's seat."
I really don't really know what the problem is. Blago is still the governor, he has not been indicted nor convicted of a crime, and Burris seems to be an upright guy. What is Harry's problem/
Ah, these Senators are clever. They found a Senate rule that has been applied since about 1886 or 1910 that says that a person will not be seated as a Senator by a Gubernatorial appointment unless there is credible evidence that the appointment document was signed by the Governor and the Secretary of State from the Senator's state. Sometimes the document was slow to arrive due to slow trains. A telegram confirming that it was properly signed and that it was in the mail was usually good enough. Now the mail is faster.
As fate would have it, the Governor did not get the Secretary of State's signature on the appointment document. By the time the Governor does get the signature three things will happen. First, Hell will freeze over. Second, the Governor will be impeached. Third, the former Governor will be in prison. Impeachment proceedings begin Friday. We know that Secretary of State Jesse White has said he will not sign the document, but he does not like being the fall guy in this situation. http://tinyurl.com/727xo8 Feel his pain.
Now the real reason that Burris is not getting the seat is that he was appointed by the Director of Scumbag College, and anybody associated with Scumbag College would be unelectable in 2010. I suspect a deal will be reached that he be seated as Senator for two years with a promise that he not run for Senate in 2010.
Joined: 17 May 2004 Posts: 1405 Location: Michigan
Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 06:19 am Post subject:
Democrats misstepped in handling Burris matter
Jan 7 08:34 PM US/Eastern
By CHARLES BABINGTON
Associated Press Writer
Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, phoned Reid last week to express concerns about the legal basis for barring Burris, and warned that the Democratic solidarity was crumbling.
On Monday, Obama and Reid spoke. Obama "conveyed the sense that if Burris has the legal standing to be seated, he should be, sooner rather than later," said a transition official who could speak only on background because the conversation was private.
The Congressional Black Caucus was preparing to vote unanimously to support seating Burris.
On Wednesday, everything seemed changed. Reid warmly received Burris in his Capitol office, then told reporters he was waiting for the Illinois Supreme Court to decide whether the Illinois secretary of state had to sign off on Blagojevich's appointment.
"I think it's a pretty easy hurdle to get over," Reid said of the remaining impediments to seating Burris.
A reporter asked whether Blagojevich had outmaneuvered him.
No, Reid said, recounting the governor's arrest, vulgar language and wiretapped descriptions of the empty Senate seat as a gold mine to be sold.
"How are we supposed to react?" Reid asked, a bit plaintively. "We've acted in a very reasonable way."
I watched the press conference Wednesday where he said that after he testifies and gets the Surpreme Court issue of the table his papers would meet the requirements and no promises were made about his election (not reelection) in two years (my paraphrase). Of course any agreement would be unenforceable and perhaps not even legal. Who would say he would break his promise and who cares some one else could run against him in the primary - example Liberman.
Edit
PS
I just noticed I said much the same as Phil in another post.
It is really a fiasco. Burris should have been seated when the governor was in power, not charged with anything, not under incictment, nor convicted. Now he he has been impeacheched by the state legislature. The senate fiinally gets around to seating Burris after this.
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Larry, if the the best y'all can do is Al Franken, failed comedian, watch out for the mid-terms and the next elections. Be fun to see who screws up the most, democrats or republicans. Saw today where the cajun said the democrats are in for a string of scandals. Be fun to watch, it's getting off to a good start. Politics as usual.
