House Panel Blocks Special Election To Oust Burris

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Efforts to remove Roland Burris from the U.S. Senate hit yet another roadblock Wednesday in the Illinois Legislature.

A House committee rejected two different bills that would have canceled Burris' Senate appointment and set up a special election to replace him. One bill was sponsored by a Democrat and the other a Republican, but the vote on both was 7-4 against passage.

A Senate committee rejected similar legislation last week, so there is almost no chance the Democrat-controlled General Assembly will approve a special election.

But Rep. Jack Franks, D-Woodstock, said he hasn't given up. He said he'll file a motion to release his bill from committee even though it was voted down. He argues it's important to let voters choose their senator instead of settling for the man appointed by disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Critics say Burris was tarnished by accepting the appointment after Blagojevich, who was accused of scheming to benefit from his power to name President Barack Obama's successor in the Senate.

Burris has repeatedly changed his story about his contact with Blagojevich's friends and aides before being appointed. He now acknowledges he was asked to raise campaign money for Blagojevich and made an unsuccessful attempt to do so.

The bills are HB365, HB2503.

Comments

[Maezeppa]

Leave Burris in place. He's going to vote the right way every time, and he won't run again. Not a big deal.

[sistatolljaso]

yes, spoken like a true lib er terd. Can't even recognize his own hypocrisy. No big deal when democrats are corrupt. L MA O. This is why liberals eventually self destruct when voters give them the opportunity to lead. No different than the repubs. Even your own constituency will tire of hypocrisy like Maezeppa's.

[Intelligentia]

We have McCain and others in the Senate right? Was he not found in yatch with a criminal? Blagojevich appointed Burris based on a legal exercise of his executive power. So what Burris agreed to raise funds for him. Do you know how many federal, administrative, state and municipal judges who paid for their appointments? Please, leave your religion alone when it comes to Burris. For me, Burris must be there, just to justify that I am not paying my taxes to pay for salaries of only one group and their aides to occupy the Senate! Until Burris is convicted for a crime, he is better than most of the corrupt nonentities we have in Congress making laws for me.

[Okieborn]

Oh Well !!! LOL !!!

[mphalen]

Just give it up. Burris has less than two years to serve. The only way to get Burris out would be if the U.S. Senate decided to get rid of him. We can't impeach him and even if he is arrested, indicted, convicted and sent to prison, he is still a member of the Senate until the Senate decides to vote him out. And the Senate is not going to get rid of him short of committing murder. They let Sen. Vitter off the hook even though he was found soliciting prostitutes. They gave Ted Stevens a standing ovation when he returned from his criminal conviction. And as a citizen of Illinois I see no reason to get rid of him. As long as he votes along with the President, he's fulfilling his duty to the citizens of Illinois. We do not want a republican in that seat because the republicans have been wrong for the last 8 years, and they show no evidence of changing their evil ways..

[mjb5406]

As a fellow citizen of Illinois, I respectfully disagree with your statement that "As long as he votes along with the President, he's fulfilling his duty to the citizens of Illinois." Unfortunately, blindly following a President is what got us into the pickle we're currently in (remember Bush?). Yes, I support President Obama and am a Democrat, but, contrary to what some people think, he's not a miracle worker, is NOT the Messiah, and WILL make missteps. In that case, I would rather have a Senator who will challenge Obama, advise him as to why his decisions may be in error, and work with the President. There is a HUGE difference between "working with the President" and simply being a YES man. Burris is an opportunist (not to mention a narcissist) and will do whatever is politically expedient instead of what may be good for the citizens of Illinois or even the country.