Wednesday, January 07, 2009

White Accuses Senator Reid Of Making Him The Fall Guy

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White's refusal to perform the ministerial duty of affixing his signature to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's appointment of Roland Burris to the Senate is the basis Senator Harry Reid is using to refuse to seat him in the Senate. White complains to Illinois reporters that the Senate Democrats are making him the fall guy:

"They could have seated him without my signature; my signature is not required," he told WGN-720AM's John Williams.

The Senate barred Burris Tuesday, saying he lacked proper credentials in that his appointment was not signed by White.

But White said today that "my signature is mostly ceremonial, rather than a point of law."

"They played a little bit of a game with him [Burris] yesterday," he added.Asked by Williams if he had been made "the fall guy," White responded: "You're absolutely correct."

When will this circus ever end?

UPDATE: Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has punted the appointment back in Reid's lap. She filed a response today on behalf of the Secretary of State indicating what we already knew--the Secretary of State is not legally required to sign the governor's appointment of Burris. Madigan says that's a requirement being imposed by the Senate, not Illinois law, and that's something the Senate cannot do in her opinion.

UPDATE II: Now Obama wants a deal to seat Burris. Of course he does. His political future is hanging in the balance with the outcome of everything that happens with this governor at this point and he knows it.

10 comments:

Covenant60 said...

This is just the latest example of how the Democrats care absolutely NOTHING about the rule of law. NOTHING. No matter what the law prescribes, if it doesn't allow what the Democrats want, they feel as though they can just ignore it.

Blago is a legitimately elected Governor. He has not been removed from office, nor has his powers been diminished in any way. The law provides that a US Senate vacancy is filled by his appointment. He has exercised that power, as the law permits.

That Harry Reid thinks that he has the power to not seat a lawfully selected US Senator speaks to the height of his arrogance... which is the child of his deep and profound ignorance and incompetence.

To think that people like him and Pelosi (another giant) are going to run things for a couple years is quite frightening.

If anyone is deserving of being booted out of the Senate, it is Harry Reid...for he has no respect for the law and does not think the law binds him to anything.

Gary R. Welsh said...

WGN had a good story last night about how Democrats were totally silent about all of the other actions the governor has taken over the past month, including signing bills and handing out a lot of grant money. How can his appointment power in this case be void but his other acts as governor be valid?

Covenant60 said...

Good point. The Democrats just follow the laws they are OK with, and circumvent or ignore the rest.

The Democrats just can't bring themselves to stop playing politics with the law. What they should say is this..... "The law requires that Burris be seated as a US Senator. As much as we may not like it, the law requires it. And we have pledged our fealty to the law, not to our own political desires."

That the law is held in such low regard (no regard in fact) by the governing party in this country is very dangerous.

IndyPaul said...

"That the law is held in such low regard (no regard in fact) by the governing party in this country is very dangerous."

This comment is far better suited for the current administration and the Republican party. To name a few examples: illegal wiretapping; meddling in the independence of the Justice Department, i.e. U.S. Attorney controversy; manipulatuion of intelligence and dishonesty in the run-up to the Iraq war; and outing a CIA operative in retaliation for pointing out a bit of that dishonesty. This list doesn't even get into the politics of corruption and greed amongst the Congressional GOP, i.e. Ambramoff.

That the Senate's simple act of engaging in its constitutional right to assure the integrity of returns would elicit such a strong comment in the face of profligate Republican abuses displays a lack of understanding of the rule of law.

Patriot Paul said...

Burris is not yet "Senator" Burris. In fact, he is not even 'Senator-elect' Burris. I don't know Illinois law, but my understanding is that the Secretary needs to sign off on the matter only as resulting from an election. But Burris is not elected; only appointed and requires no signature because it is an executive appointment, and he should be called 'Senator-appointed' and be sworn in as 'Senator' and duly seated. These Democrats are mocking the law?

Darren Lenard Hutchinson said...

Obama is making Reid the fall guy. This was definitely his idea. Reid does not have such passionate interest in the next senator from Illinois. And Huffington now reports that Obama called off the fight against Burris.

Darren Lenard Hutchinson said...

Michael - you think caring "nothing about the rule of law" is a party-specific issue?

M Theory said...

Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi do not care about the people in this country. They care only about politics. Not once have I seen either one of them put us first.

Covenant60 said...

Darren..

yes.

IndyPaul said...

Darren: I do too.