Blagojevich’s Next Move
It’s probably not a good thing for a potentially-tainted politically appointee–in this case, former IL AG Roland Burris, the guy whom Blagojevich appointed to replace Obama–to be engaging in discussions of precisely what kind of tool he is on the same day he’s appointed.
"I am not a tool of the governor. I’m a tool of the people of Illinois," Burris told the Tribune Tuesday evening. "If I was worried about the taint [of Blagojevich], I would never have accepted that. I don’t have any taint from Gov. Blagojevich."
As you’ve no doubt gathered, Blago’s move to name Burris as Obama’s replacement puts a lot of pressure on Senate Democrats to refuse to seat Burris (here’s the always-interesting John Kass on the race politics involved).
But it also puts more pressure on Fitzgerald to come forward with his case in the near future.
Remember that Fitz has 30 days to indict Blagojevich, or until January 6. He could, if he needed to, ask for an extension (in which case we’d only see the request but not the justification for it, which would probably remain sealed). But with this latest move from Blago, if Fitz does so, it will be against the background of Senate Democrats trying to make the legally touchy case that they can avoid seating Blago’s choice. If nothing else, Blagojevich’s move yesterday may have been an attempt to try to get Fitzgerald–for the second time–to reveal his cards before he otherwise intended to.
And, of course, it adds to the pressure on the legislative impeachment committee. While the committee wrestles to decide how legalistic they want to get with their inquiry, Blago is making very public moves to establish that he retains the full power of governor. While from my limited review, it looks like few are backing Blago’s move, this does give Blago some momentum in the face of the committee’s deliberation.
One more detail. Remember that Blago’s defense attorney, said, two weeks ago, Blago would not appoint anyone. Yet even a week ago, Blago was offering the seat to Danny Davis.
Yet Burris was the second of two post-arrest finalists for Blagojevich when the governor offered him the job Sunday night. U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, a black congressman from the West Side, said he was offered the post by a Blagojevich representative a week ago and told the governor’s office Friday he declined the offer.
Davis had said he would reject a Blagojevich appointment because the governor had "lost his moral authority" and would rather see "a governor who is not tainted" make the appointment. But on Tuesday, Davis said he would support Burris’ selection.
I have no idea whether Genson subsequently endorsed Blago’s political strategy of going ahead with the appointment (I would imagine Genson tracked any conversations about the appointment closely). But Blago sure seems intent on ratcheting up the pressure.
So, do you think Fitz will Indict Blago before the Impeachment Committee can report to the full State Legislature?
The First Rule of Unintended Consequences… Punt.
A fair-catch called for by Fitzy.
First and ten, ball on Chicago’s one yard line.
Hike.
And you picked a fine day or your day off….
I’m Reid, Obama and Pelosi, I’m making clear to the Illinois legislature that they’d f’g better well impeach Blago by this time next week. I’m Fitz, I’m bringing in the GJ tomorrow and Friday, too. Indictment Monday. And, I’m looking at a bail hearing (to get Blago off the street) on an emergency basis. Frankly, I’m a little surprised Fitz didn’t ask for a condition of Blago’s bail to be that he would not appoint anyone to the Senate seat and other offices. Even if he didn’t get it initially, he could go back and ask again.
Great take. How can Illinois use redacted tape transcripts for an impeachment without Blago’s attorney hollering to the heavens their right to unredacted documents, and rightly so, is beyond the pale. Blago has tied up the Illinois government, the DoJ and the Senate while causing Obama to stick his foot in his mouth. This would be fun were we living in more certain times; but hey, take your entertainment where you find it.
OT- You see (TPM) Gonzo considers himself one of the casualties in the war on terror? Next, he’ll be looking for a Purple Heart.
I did read that in the journal and it made me want to heave. Through my girl I met her exhusband who was a federal lawyer for a long while. Nice fellow and a smart one. We talked about the Fredo problem in the department of Justice. He used the kind of words a ftballer does to describe a rare mook on the oppo that doesn’t mind kicking your face when he thinks no offcial’s looking.
Al Gonzales should keep his mouth shut at this point in his life don’t you think!
This comment should have had a ’spew alert’ warning.
Or maybe he’s really after an Oscar nomination for “Best Beside Manner by an Administration Official”?
Maybe Blago can join Abu Gonzo for a Pity Party this New Year’s Eve. They could even invite John Bolton, Donald Rumsfeld, Kyle “Gosh, I’m Only the Aggregator” Sampson… the list is endless, no?
My reading of Sections 3 and 5 of Article I and the 17th Amendment to the Constitution suggests that the Senate is going to have to seat Burris.
The language in Section 5 would not seem to address irregularities in appointments, but rather only ‘elections and returns’, and the ‘qualifications’ standard would only seem to apply to age, citizenship and correct state of domicile.
To prevent this, the Illinois state legislature should have met in emergency session to strip Blago of this power.
thank you for saving me the time doing the research – I suggest that since there is nothing that legally restricts the governor’s power in effect at the time he made the appointment, an appointment lawfully made cannot be retroactively undone even if he were subsequently impeached. Smooth move Blago.
Fitz is asking for more time.
The Senate should seat Burris.
Obama has pissed off LBGTs with his selection of Rick Warren. Is the African-American part of the Democratic coalition going to be told to pound sand too? This time, of course, by the all-white Democratic Senate Caucus. By the time of the Inaugural, the entire Democratic coalition will likely be fractured if Roland Burris isn’t seated.
Seat Burris. Move on to the people’s business. Get going.
No more fiddling.
This makes a lot of sense to me.
AFAIK, it takes away the last bargaining chip, Blago has.
How does rejecting Burris tell AAs to pound sand? (For that matter, when did Rick Warren get a cabinet appointment? Last I’d heard, he was just going to make a speech that nobody would have noticed or remembered if not for the big and somewhat self-defeating stink made over it.)
Been having a hard time following this reasoning. Does this mean there’d better be a melanin-enhanced person named to Obama’s seat, or he’ll and the Dems will lose the Black vote? The Black Caucus is hinging on Roland Burris, who was relatively unknown until yesterday?
I think Obama, by nature of his own complexion, will be able keep Black Dem voters together and excited, provided he starts getting some good legislation through once he’s actually Prez. Burris seems to be of little consequence in the big scheme of things.
By making this pick Baggo makes it impossible to pick a white candidate for the seat later. Also he knows that nobody on his list of candidates can be chosen. Plus nobody with the slightest taint of corruption can be chosen.
Blaggo has limited his opponents moves almost to the point where they can’t make another move.
Thats the whole point of the game of Go, that and having more pieces on the board turn your color at the end.
After years of Bush its nice to read about smart and sneaky corrupt politicians again.
Bush’s sense of entitlement his the rules don’t apply to me I don’t need to come up with a good lie irked me.
Blaggo is a Merit not a Legacy Crook!
I wish Harry Reid would get a bit of the Blago. You know, something called audacity.
This story is drifting out of Shakespeare and into musical comedy. Roland Burris: What Kind of Tool Am I?
Rolandeo and Joliet
“To tool or not to tool, that is the question.”
He is not a willing tool or connected criminally but he is a unknowing catspaw. Why did Congressman Bobby Rush stand next to Blaggo and Burris at the Press conference?
Is Bobby ok with Daley?
Is Fitz wondering just who wants his investigation tanked?
Because the move to appoint Burris seems to be a way of putting pressure on Senate Dems to kill the investigation.
Whats Blaggo’s next likely move?
Blago made the last move, it is not his turn.
477 hrs & 54 min
He cheats he has nothing to loose and he is betting that the Senate Dems are to weak to stop him.
I don’t think this appointment had anything to do with filling a senate seat. Rather it is IMHO a future defense for Blago. See I appointed someone and it was squeaky clean.
477 hrs & 37 min
Its not about filing a seat Baggo wants to put pressure on the Senate he wants them to make the investigation gone or he wants them to assure him that he will be taken care of once he is out of prison.
Bobby Rush suggests that Blaggo is only the first domino who could fall in this investigation.
Bobby Rush is supporting this move why what does he have to hide?
Why would he risk Obama and Daley going after him in the next election thats political suicide? Unless Daley was on board but didn’t want his fingerprints on anything Daley is more important to Bobby Rush getting reelected than Obama is.
Does the Fitz investigation lead to Bobby and da Mayor?
Blago has more balls than the entire Senate, plus the IL legislature to boot.
I love Fitz but he might have screwed up a lot of things by going too soon.
If the Democrats can give Joe Lieberman the chair of a committee for which he has not held even one hearing on anything of substance, and after he openly campaigned for John McCain, I say there is no good reason not to seat Burris. Keeping this going only benefits the GOP in the long run. Seat him and let’s move on. Odds are he won’t win the election in 2010 anyway. The Senate cannot constitutionally refuse to seat him, without invoking the “we decide who gets in and who doesn’t” clause. The people of Illinois elected Blagojevich, the 17th amendment gives him the right, and Illinois law gives him the duty, to appoint a replacement, so until he is out of office there is no legal way to stop this, other than have the US Senate substitute their judgment for the judgment of the people of Illinois. Is that really a road the Democrats want to go down?
Fitzgerald has asked for a 90 extension because of all the new material he needs to go through.
Also I would point out re the race angle that Jesse White an African-American and the Secretary of State, has said he would not accept the paper work for the nomination. I don’t think anybody in Illinois thinks this is about race.
Blaggo wants it to be and Congressman Bobby Rush as an ex Black Panther has Cred he can use to try and make it one.
And if Daley is involved then the Chicago Political Machine can crank out a protest pretty quick.
It all depends on the stakes involved how far this goes.
Interesting — an Illinosian thinks that this is a replay of the Eugene Sawyer situation:
Didn’t know Blago’s wife was so connected.
Yes, and watching that bizarro press conference yesterday with the Bobby Rush ramblings, I think this is probably correct. It was especially odd at the end with Blago shouting out something to the effect of, “Yeah! You can ask questions, but you heard the man…don’t lynch him [Burris]!!”
The whole thing was an act of theater. No honesty happening anywhere there.
And Blaggo is who in this play?
Blago is perhaps Ald Mell only unlike Mell he is going to prison. Burris will retire be forced out thats a given but will da Mayor’s son who is in Iraq last I heard be able to jump to a Senate seat with no other office under his belt?
Is the Fix in is Blaggo getting a deal? I don’t see him taking one for the team?
Obama should publicly ask Burris to turn the nomination down.
That would be Brilliant:)
Blago’s wife is Mell’s daughter, but as I understand it there has been a significant rift between Mell and Blago. How does this fit in to all the scheming?
477 hrs & 10 min
I enjoy your countdown clock. Time the human construct, yet eternal in the universe someway somehow, we’ll find out in the hereafter if were lucky enough.
A safe and pleasant new years eve to all who write the comments and posts on here. You are kind people, the best kind of kind. Small joke.
Me? I’m going to the beach to throw sand at the waves tonight. My son who lives here for a good bit now is busy, but offered to come with. I’ll be doing this ritual alone. Goodbye, Marie, yet nevr a good bye.