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LA TIMES: Roland Burris must go
LA Times ^ | February 19, 2009 | OpEd

Posted on 02/19/2009 10:33:56 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

If Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) had been appointed by any governor other than Rod R. Blagojevich, his dissembling on whether he tried to raise funds for his benefactor might not be fatal. But when the governor is recorded saying of the open seat that "I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing," any appointee of his had better be beyond criticism and totally forthcoming. Burris is neither, and he should step down.

Burris' explanations of his contacts with Blagojevich's aides and fundraisers have shifted as often as changes in the weather. [snip]

It doesn't matter whether there was a quid pro quo behind Burris' appointment. By failing to level with investigators and the public, he has forfeited all credibility. He should resign to make way for an untainted appointment by Gov. Pat Quinn, who would have chosen a new senator in the first place if Blagojevich had had any sense of shame.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: 111th; chicagocorruption; corruptdems; cultureofcorruption; democratscandals; obamasenateseat; resignation
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Burris won’t go voluntarily and I don’t see the Senate impeaching and removing him. He could be a festering sore until the 2010 elections.


21 posted on 02/19/2009 10:45:00 AM PST by Non-Sequitur
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To: pallis
This guy Burris sounds like he is almost as corrupt as 0.

Almost? He was in the Chicago Machine before Obama learned to pick his nose.
22 posted on 02/19/2009 10:45:29 AM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Yeah, he voted on the Democrat Party apparatus stimulus package that loots middle America so now it’s safe to come out to oppose him.


23 posted on 02/19/2009 10:47:04 AM PST by Obadiah (Party - my house - on December 22, 2012!)
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To: Cicero

I agree. Sow as much discord among these Rats as you can. How dare they try to remove the only Black Senator! Burris will not be easy to remove. I hope he fights this and refuses to step down. If it comes to a vote in the Senate they will need 2/3’s to remove him. I would advise all Republicans to vote, “present.” Let them remove the thorn in their side themselves.


24 posted on 02/19/2009 10:48:17 AM PST by WildcatClan (Iam fimus mos ledo ventus apparatus)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

They expect the Senate to punish a perjurer???


25 posted on 02/19/2009 10:52:56 AM PST by NonValueAdded (May God save America from its government; this is no time for Obamateurs)
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To: Cicero
As someone pointed out on an earlier thread, he Burris served his purpose. He was the 60th vote on the Porculus bill.

That theory has been debunked elsewhere. The Senate requirement for cloture is 60% of active members. There were 99 active members (since the contested Minnesota is still vacant), so that means 60 votes were needed. But if Burris had resigned or never been appointed, and the Illinois seat was also vacant, then 60% of 98 active members is 58.8.

In other words, with Burris in the Senate, his vote helped reach the 60 mark needed for cloture. Without Burris in the Senate the Democrats would have had one less vote but they'd only have needed 59 votes for cloture. So Burris' presence or absence as a member of the Senate was irrelevant to the passage of the Stimulus bill.

26 posted on 02/19/2009 11:03:26 AM PST by dpwiener
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To: w1andsodidwe
"The Rats are really scared of this one."

They really are. There must be more, a lot more, to the story for this 'resign' pile on, as to the only black Senator to boot. I think too that it will be Freepers waiting for Fitzmas this year (or probably next as fast as Fitz moves)...

27 posted on 02/19/2009 11:11:49 AM PST by eureka! (Dear Lord: Some epiphanies for some of the 'rats now in charge, particularly BO? Please...)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Roland, Rod, Rahm, Barack. The Agitator General should put up a wall of separation between the smart criminals and the ones too stupid to know that they’ve done anything wrong. /sarcasm


28 posted on 02/19/2009 11:16:50 AM PST by PGalt
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To: dpwiener

Do you have evidence for that? Everything I’ve read says you need 60 members. I just did a google search for “senate cloture 60% of active members” and came up with this:

http://www.google.com/search?q=senate+cloture+60%25+of+active+members&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=utf8&oe=utf8

All the articles appear to call for 60 votes.

In the past, they have wheeled people in for the vote, and there was talk of bringing Teddy in from the hospital to vote.

Of course, all these people could be wrong, but I’d like to see the evidence.


29 posted on 02/19/2009 11:25:55 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: dpwiener

Even so, 59 is not 60% of 99.


30 posted on 02/19/2009 11:30:28 AM PST by Mr. Lucky
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

99% of the Dems make the other 1% looks bad.


31 posted on 02/19/2009 1:14:34 PM PST by Loyal Buckeye
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To: muawiyah

What are we gonna do? Stick up for Burris? We should run him out, and then run out Ted Kennedy, and every other shyster on those grounds.


32 posted on 02/19/2009 2:48:45 PM PST by ROTB (GOD sez "You will not envy your neighbors' [anything]." Cut it our with class envy you Communists!)
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To: duckman

Dunno.


33 posted on 02/19/2009 2:49:10 PM PST by ROTB (GOD sez "You will not envy your neighbors' [anything]." Cut it our with class envy you Communists!)
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To: Uncle Hal

Possibly entertaining ping?


34 posted on 02/19/2009 2:50:00 PM PST by ROTB (GOD sez "You will not envy your neighbors' [anything]." Cut it our with class envy you Communists!)
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To: ROTB
Teddy is a sick man. We have it on good authority he will be replaced soon. Why waste any more effort on him.

The deal with Burris is simple ~ if the Democrats in Illinois can find a more suitible person to be Senator that person will get a year and a half headstart on a re-election campaign.

35 posted on 02/19/2009 6:34:03 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: Mr. Lucky
Even so, 59 is not 60% of 99.

But 59 is 60% of 98. Remember, the Minnesota Senate seat remains vacant while Coleman and Franken fight it out in court. So if Burris' Illinois Senate seat was also vacant, there would only be 98 active Senators, and only 59 votes would be needed to end a filibuster.

36 posted on 02/20/2009 5:32:09 PM PST by dpwiener
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