Quinn Calls For Special Election If Burris Won't Resign In Weeks, But State Dems Bottle Up Bill

Gov. Pat Quinn said Thursday that Illinois should hold a special election to replace Roland Burris if the beleaguered Senator doesn't resign in a two weeks, the Tribune reports:

"If he voluntarily resigns, it really accelerates everything and makes it much better," the governor said. "Now, after a short reasonable period of time, if he doesn't do that, then I think we should pursue ahead with a (special-election) statute. I've urged the two legislative leaders today in Springfield, when I was there. to go ahead and do that. Let's get it on the books."

Asked what a reasonable time was for Burris to contemplate before steeping down, Quinn responded, "I think two weeks is enough."

Quinn's comments follow an opinion released late Wednesday by Attorney General Lisa Madigan in which she said the state would be within its legal rights to hold a special election that would essentially force Burris from office. The opinion rests on an interpretation of the U.S. Constitution's 17th Amendment that views a governor's appointment to a Senate seat as a temporary placeholder until an election can be held.

Though Madigan's opinion opened the legal door to a special election, some Senate Democrats appear to be resisting it, the AP reports:

Legislation that could force Sen. Roland Burris out of office is stirring up controversy at the Illinois Capitol.

The measure would change the law under which Burris was appointed to the Senate. It would end his temporary term and require a special election to fill the seat.

A state Senate committee today sent the measure to a subcommittee, saying it needs more study. Bills sent to subcommittee often die there.

Republicans claim Democrats are scared to approve a special election because a Republican might win.

The two sides can't even agree on the cost. Democrats say an election would require $50 million that local governments don't have, while Republicans put the price at $15 million.

Critics say a move to cut short Burris' term might be unconstitutional. But Attorney General Lisa Madigan has issued an opinion saying the change would be legal.

Burris is under pressure to resign because of questions about how he received his appointment from former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Labor lawyer and 5th Congressional District candidate Tom Geoghegan also joined the special election fight Thursday, announcing that he has filed a federal suit against the state and Gov. Quinn seeking a special election for Burris' Senate seat. Geoghegan's rationale is consistent with Madigan's opinion that Burris' appointment was temporary and the Constitution requires an election be held to properly fill it.

Read the full text of Geoghegan's complaint at Progress Illinois.

Comments

[SabrinaFair]

11:57 AM on 02/28/2009

They might as well start the ball rolling now, because there's no way that Burris will have the class to resign that seat, which he had no business taking in the first place.

[carnelld]

12:00 PM on 02/27/2009

Although Quinn is saying he supports a special election if Burris resigns, the law as it stands today
requires the Governor to appoint a replacemen­t.

Question: Who is the Governor of Illinois?.­..........­Let me help you. Un-elected Governor Quinn.
In politics is called "double speak" or "bait and switch". Quinn can say he is for a special election to get Burris to resign and to trick the politicall­y un-sophist­icated.

If Burris would be foolish enough to resign , there is no guarantee there will be a change in the State's constituti­on for a Special election. Quinn would then "save the day" by appointing someone
to fill the seat. His move would be justified by saying Illinois should not be without a represenat­ive in the Senate.

Mike Madigan is the leader of the gang. Lisa Madigan is his daughter. Who do you think will have priority on whichever position she desires (Governor or Senator)?.­.......Bot­tom feeder un-elected
patsy Governor Quinn or Lisa Madigan?..­....... Do you need help with the answer?

It is to Quinn's advantage to get Burriss out ASAP. If not , it could be embarrasin­g when Daddy mike lays down the law.......­.Get It?

Politics is not for the gullible, naive, nor is it a place for cowards.

[mjb5406]

12:11 PM on 02/27/2009

... then you shouldn't speak of politics, because you are gullible, naive and a coward.

QUOTE FACTS rather than making them up as you go. You love hearing yourself speak.

[postman606]

01:27 PM on 02/27/2009

The state legislatur­e is still able to enact law for a special election. Burris was not elected, he is an appointed place holder.

[FairisFair]

11:52 AM on 02/27/2009

Ted Stevens did not resign or get booted from the senate when he was indicted and convicted, he got kicked out when the voters kicked him out. Larry Craig did not get kicked out when he pled guilty for inappropri­ate behavior in a bathroom. But Burris, he did not tell the all powerful White Senate what they wanted to hear, so now the Governor (the mouth piece of Durbin) calls for Burris regination­. I think it is ricidules. Double standards.

Let the voters of illinos decide in 2010 if they want Burris as Senate, but waste millions of dollars because you don't like Burris behavior. One thing for sure no Madigan, Durbin, or Quinn will every have my vote. I probably will not vote for Burris in 2010, but i don't think the Ilinois Government can't act like they speak for Illinos when for years they have done things without Illinois voter input.

[jumperpin]

10:27 AM on 02/27/2009

This is ALL about the Madigans.

[mjb5406]

10:59 AM on 02/27/2009

Hardly. It's all about a guy who jumped at the chance to take a senate seat he knew he couldn't win by election and his continued morphing of stories concerning his connection with fundraisin­g for Blagojevic­y and contacts with his people.

[jumperpin]

01:58 PM on 02/27/2009

Of course we're all shocked SHOCKED there's political dealmaking in IL.

[Workout60614]

05:31 PM on 02/28/2009

It's about the Madigans now. The folly of having close family in 2 branches of government is now playing itself out. Ms. Madigan spent 10 weeks coming up with an opinion and her father seems to say nothing as either Speaker of the Assembly or Chairman of the State Party. The Madigans are the roadblock. Their insistence upon running state government like a Royal Court will be the Democrats' Achilles' heel.

[Brendan Diamond]

09:01 AM on 02/27/2009

My God, every time I read the posts on Roland Burris, I am amazed at the idiocy of people around. Let's try -- AGAIN -- to get the facts straight.

1) No one knows who Pat Quinn has in mind for the seat, if indeed he has anyone. I think his call for a special election shows his willingnes­s to give up that power.

2) While it is entirely possible Lisa Madigan will go for the Senate seat, it's not bloody likely. She's much more likely to challenge Quinn for governor in 2010, or, barring that, to spend a term as Lieutenant Governor under Quinn's tutelage.

3) Quinn WAS elected Illinois Lieutenant Governor in 2002 and 2006.

4) We do not know for certain if Burris legally lied. However, there is ample evidence to show that he was not forthcomin­g about his contacts with Rod Blagojevic­h's associates (including­, most notably, the former governor's brother) before taking the seat in the Senate. Maybe he didn't lie; but he didn't tell the truth until well after he was in the clear.

5) The shape in which Illinois finds itself is thanks primarily to Blagojevic­h's prescripti­on drug baloney, when he went around the Legislatur­e to provide cheap drugs for seniors, thinking it might allow him to keep his job (whoops!).

It's infuriatin­g to read the posts of so many who have no idea what has gone on in Illinois politics over the last few years. Do some research before you go shooting off

[nomobull]

09:13 AM on 02/27/2009

clapping in support of your post

[mjb5406]

10:52 AM on 02/27/2009

You've obviously been reading the ranting posts of carnelld and Scorpiolei­dy who seem to muddle the facts every time they write. Thanks for the voice of reason.

As far as Lisa Madigan going for the Senate seat, I don't think it's likely since she hopefully realizes she isn't electable to that position..­. but in Illinois politics, who knows?

As far as the drug importatio­n program, it wasted a lot of money (specifica­lly the flu vaccines he imported at a cost of several million dollars only to see them unused), but hardly the biggest reason the state is in dire shape now. Overall, it was his unwillingn­ess to support any projects that didn't provide him with direct political or financial benefit that has put our state into the position its in.

[maddie0001]

08:55 PM on 02/26/2009

Why Burris won't step down --
Henry O. Flipper (http://www­.archives.­gov/exhibi­ts/feature­d_document­s/henry_o_­flipper/)
Johnson C. Whittaker (http://cli­nton6.nara­.gov/1995/­07/1995-07­-24-presid­ent-remark­s-at-johns­on-whittak­er-commiss­ioning.htm­l)
Rosa Parks (http://en.­wikipedia.­org/wiki/R­osa_Parks)

Burris sees himself being held to a different standard than every other member of the Senate and now they're demanding he give up his seat. Quinn wants to call a special election?
______
Parks said, "When he saw me still sitting, he asked if I was going to stand up, and I said, 'No, I'm not.' And he said, 'Well, if you don't stand up, I'm going to have to call the police and have you arrested.' I said, 'You may do that.'" - Rosa Parks

[sasson]

09:12 PM on 02/26/2009

That was disgracefu­l to Rosa Park's name. Absolutely disgracefu­l. Do you really spit on a dead hero like that by equating the two?

Ted Stevens is a better analogy.

[maddie0001]

10:27 PM on 02/26/2009

Nope. Senator Burris is sitting in a seat he has a legal right to be sitting in. You want him to be like the three black people who moved when the driver told them to. Senator Burris sees himself like Rosa Parks - refusing to move.

I'm sure everybody on the bus that day thought Rosa Parks was a troublemak­er and an embarrassm­ent but nobody remembers the names of the people who moved.

[carnelld]

08:23 PM on 02/26/2009

There is a strong push by a cabal of politician­s in Chicago to remove Burriss from the Senate seat and replace him with Lisa Madigan. This politcal clique was involved in the attempt to deny Blago the appointmen­t.

The reason there is a never ending stream of negative stories coming from Chicago about Burris is due to an organized ,concerted effort to take the Senate seat. Blago prevented a plan by
Illinois House speaker Mike Madigan and his political allies. His daughter is Illinois' Attorney General Lisa Madigan( the same Lisa Madigan recommende­d by Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid to Blago to appoint and the same Lisa Madigan that filed an illegal court filing to remove Blago before he could make an appointmen­t, the same Lisa Madigan that defended Illinois Seceretary of State Jessie White, when he would not sign Burris' appointmen­t letter, and the same Lisa Madigan who issued a ruling from the Attorney General's office yesterday saying it is legal to unseat Burris by having a special election.)­.

Also on the team is the present governor, un-elected Governor Quinn (the same Governor Quinn who replaced Blago, and asked Burriss to resign the Senate seat so he could appoint someone.

The media is used to repeat half-truth­s, smear, and fear. In Chicago they call it "Machine Politics".

[sasson]

08:38 PM on 02/26/2009

Be honest. Your Roland Jr? What about Rolanda (Jr?)? It's cool, stand by your dad.

[mjb5406]

11:02 AM on 02/27/2009

Maybe Roland II speaking from the job he got from Blagojevic­h.

[Tinsdale]

09:13 PM on 02/26/2009

Your comment is exactly on target.

When Lisa Madigan speaks, it is her father talking.Th­e Republican Party is also seeking an opportunit­y to capture the seat for the GOP. A Republican senator representi­ng Illinois would result in another “BushBot” to obstruct the President'­s policies and thwart any stimulus package that would benefit the average American.

Burris is a seat warmer. His term will end soon. A special election will cost millions and millions. The State of Illinois cannot even pay its bills. My company no longer responds to requests for state government bids from Illinois or California because we refuse to absorb the risk of late or non-paymen­t. The state is not even paying money owed to its physicians for care administer­ed to patients receiving state aid, yet it can throw millions in the trough for its politician­s to wallow in. And people wonder how Illinois is in the shape it is in today.