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After his lawyer explicitly said he wouldn't do it, embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich decided to go ahead and appoint President-elect Barack Obama's replacement today- from Politico;Setting up a clash with Senate Democrats, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced Tuesday that he would appoint former state attorney general and comptroller Roland Burris to fill out President-elect Obama's term in the U.S. Senate.This is ridiculous, of course, and that's why I name Burris the "Would-Be Senator." Why? Because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has already made it clear any choice would immediately be dealt with by the newly-muscular Democratic majority;
Saying Illinois should not be "deprived" of the representation of two senators, Blagojevich introduced Burris as "someone with unquestioned integrity." The governor defended his decision to make the appointment as part of his gubernatorial responsibility to fill Senate vacancies.
Reid said in a letter to the governor: "Please understand that should you decide to ignore the request of the Senate Democratic Caucus and make an appointment we would be forced to exercise our Constitutional authority under Article I, Section 5, to determine whether such a person should be seated."And just to cap off this post, here's the appropriate section of the Constitution he cited;
Based on this, it looks pretty clear to me that the Senate at large will be able to handle unseating any candidate sent to them from the corrupt Governor. Which leaves the question; why did he do it?Section 5. Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each House may provide.
Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.
Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.
Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
