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| Sen. Tombstone fights to keep tainted seat | |
| 2009-02-28 | |
Weighing in for the first time on Madigan’s mid-week opinion, Burris lawyer Timothy W. Wright III said her opinion is “incorrect” and federal election laws trump the attorney general’s argument. “Sen. Burris’ position is clear: The General Assembly will violate clearly established federal law if it creates a special election,” Wright wrote Madigan in a letter released by Burris’ office Friday. Asking Madigan to reconsider her opinion, Wright went on to note the potential cost of a special election, estimated at as much as $50 million. “I encourage you to take a second look at your analysis before the General Assembly wastes millions of dollars on an unlawful election,” Wright wrote. The move marks the clearest sign yet that Burris is poised to wage a legal battle against any legislative efforts to wrest away his position amid growing calls for his resignation. Gov. Quinn has been pushing for a special election, but Democrats at the Statehouse have been reticent to take up a cause that could well trigger a racially-tinged backlash against the party for helping unseat the U.S. Senate’s only African-American member. Senate Democrats placed two bills that would provide for special elections in a subcommittee Thursday, which is the legislative equivalent of putting the idea on ice. In the House, Democrats are split on the question and House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) has ignored repeated Republican attempts to push special-election legislation. The attorney general's office said Burris' lawyers' argument is flawed. "The legal analysis in his letter does not apply to the current circumstances," Madigan spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler said of Wright's letter. "Because President Barack Obama vacated the U.S. Senate seat, the 17th Amendment controls and allows the vacancy to be filled by an election as the Legislature may direct." | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #8 Sad but very true Richard. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-02-28 11:58 |
| #7 Is Burris the ONLY ONE in Illinois who has read the US Constitution? Quinn has flip flopped on special elections so often it is hard to keep track of todays position, the Dems KNOW they will not only loose a special election but are looking at an election slaughter in the next election, and the Chicago Inner City Dems want a Senate seat as an Affirmative Action Perq... And this mentality is now running the United States! |
| Posted by: Clineck Smith6591 2009-02-28 11:56 |
| #6 "The lower the Dem bow goes on the waterline, the better the Republican chances for victory" In Illinois, the bow would have to be about 300-fathoms deep for the 'Machine' not to work it's "Election Majik". |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2009-02-28 11:39 |
| #5 “…a cause that could well trigger a racially-tinged backlash…” Funny…the “One” person that could persuade Rollie to pack his bags hasn’t commented yet. I’ll say it again…AG Holder was spot on. “Cowards”! |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2009-02-28 11:11 |
| #4 Fred, You left me no choice. I just had to google "Avignon Illinois" and this is what I got. Small world, eh? |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2009-02-28 10:17 |
| #3 Perhaps they could hold a special election and come up with an anti-senator who could vote from Avignon? |
| Posted by: Fred 2009-02-28 09:29 |
| #2 Gov. Quinn has been pushing for a special election, but Democrats at the Statehouse have been reticent to take up a cause that could well trigger a racially-tinged backlash against the party for helping unseat the U.S. Senate's only African-American member. Could also "trigger" a Republican victory. Hang on Senator! The lower the Dem bow goes on the waterline, the better the Republican chances for victory. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-02-28 08:13 |
| #1 Gov. Quinn has been pushing for a special election, but Democrats at the Statehouse have been reticent to take up a cause that could well trigger a racially-tinged backlash against the party for helping unseat the U.S. Senate's only African-American member. So they admit that skin color trumps the law and justice. And they also admit that Blacks bloc-vote on the basis of skin color, i.,e. that blacks are racist. Interesting. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2009-02-28 01:20 |