Illinois Gov: Burris Should Resign

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Congress

(AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is calling on Sen. Roland Burris to resign.

"Under the current circumstances, where our state needs a strong voice in Washington on so many different issues, I don't think it's in the public interest or the common good to have a U.S. senator who has to spend an undue amount of time going over and over matters on how he obtained the office," Quinn said at a news conference today.

Burris was appointed to the Senate by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the man whom Quinn replaced after Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office following corruption charges.

Blagojevich appointed Burris to the seat while still in office but after charges were filed against him. Democrats first vowed not to seat Burris, but they eventually relented amid assurances from Burris that he had not acted improperly.

(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Burris has since acknowledged, however, that he had contact with multiple Blagojevich associates about his interest in the seat. He also said he tried to fundraise for the embattled then-governor while being considered.

The revelations prompted calls for a perjury investigation of Burris, since they appear to contradict his testimony before the Blagojevich impeachment committee on January 8th and an affidavit three days prior. They have also led to calls for his resignation from state legislators, two House Democrats, and Chicago pastors.

Burris insists that he has done nothing wrong.

Quinn said he is asking his "good friend" to step down and "put the interest in the people of the Land of Lincoln first and foremost ahead of his own."

(AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

The governor said it "takes a great deal of fortitude and courage" for someone to step aside in a situation like this, telling reporters "people will recognize that" if Burris resigns. He said it was a mistake for Burris to accept the appointment.

Burris should "act as quickly as possible for the best interests of Illinois," he added. "This should not be a matter that takes weeks."

Quinn also said state lawmakers should empower him to appoint a temporary successor and that a special election should be held to fill the seat.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs addressed the Burris situation in his press briefing Friday afternoon.

"It might be important for Senator Burris to take some time this weekend to either correct what has been said or begin to come up with an explanation that satisfies," he told reporters.

Sources close to Burris told Politico that "there is no way" the 71-year-old senator will resign. He has been in office for 36 days. If he were to resign or be forced to leave office soon, he would become one of the shortest-serving senators in U.S. history, as NPR notes.

Two-thirds of the Senate membership must vote in favor for a senator to be expelled from the legislative body. The last time that happened it was following the Civil War, when senators were expelled for supporting the rebels.

UPDATE: Late this afternoon, Burris' Interim Chief of Staff, Darrel Thompson, released a statement acknowledging that he was leaving the job early.

"Though my tenure was relatively brief, I enjoyed and valued my time with Senator Burris, his entire staff and his other advisors," he said in a statement. Thompson will return to his role as a senior adviser to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. It is not clear who will replace him.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by spinproof February 22, 2009 3:46 AM EST: Now you call me racist because you don't understand what it is.

Posted by vranger at 11:14 PM : Feb 21, 2009

A lot of racism is rooted in upbringing, bad habits and insensitivity and in worst case scenarios just plain hate. Racism plain and simple is injecting race into conversations where it doesn't belong or fit. The Poster that pointed out that Sen. Burris had set Blacks back 20 years crossed the line and so was the Poster mentioning it would be another 20 years before another Black President. Referencing race in these Post was meant to press buttons, the intent was not positive. Yes I did mention Pres. Obama was Black and White and that his Black side took the blame for what the Poster saw was a problem, the point I was making was, since Pres. Obama is both Black and White why didn't the Poster say it would be another 20 years before we have another "White" President? Why did Pres. Obama's "Black" side have to take the negative hit? You do see my point!; Reply to this comment


by spinproof February 22, 2009 3:31 AM EST: Enron's tentacles ran so deep into Washington's political establishment that 71 sitting senators and nearly half of the current House of Representatives received Enron money during the last decade, including some who are now investigating the company's bankruptcy."

Posted by vranger at 11:27 PM : Feb 21, 2009

Drag Democrats into the Enron scandal all you want but when it was all said and done it was the Republicans who benefited from Enrons money the most gaining control over the entire government; the House, Senate and Presidency for 6 long years ramming Legislation down the Democrats throats without even a hint or whisper of bipartisanship! Republicans are only interested in bipartisanship now because they are the Party out of power and have no choice. You're right we may never know how deep the Enron scandal really was. Maybe someone will write a tell all book one day.; Reply to this comment


by vranger February 22, 2009 2:27 AM EST: By the way, here's the TRUTH (I know you don't grasp that concept, but others will) about Enron. As reported closer to the time that this whole subject actually MATTERED ROFL:

"The debacle that was Enron was years in the making and will probably never be fully unravelled no matter how much time is devoted to investigating it.

Enron traded so much money and influence through its lobbying efforts for so many years among both Republicans and Democrats, in federal as well as in state governments that neither party can rightly take the moral high ground in decrying the scandal. As The San Francisco Chronicle reported in 2002: Enron's tentacles ran so deep into Washington's political establishment that 71 sitting senators and nearly half of the current House of Representatives received Enron money during the last decade, including some who are now investigating the company's bankruptcy."

Oh, but your precious Democrat officials took money from Enron? Can't be true, no matter how many unimpeachable sources report it. If it doesn't fit into your little head, obviously its not true. ROFLMAO

Yes, I'm laughing AT you. ;-); Reply to this comment


by vranger February 22, 2009 2:14 AM EST: Spin, you haven't a clue.

Now you call me racist because you don't understand what it is. You have no information about me, just your pathetic little fantasies.

No one but YOU said Obama's white or black side did anything ROFLMAO. I could care less if he was green. Well, actually he IS green, that's why he's nothing more than a puppet for the DNC.

However, you and your twisted lies are not worth the time it took to type this.

Crawl out of your hole and look the truth in the face occasionally, You'll be shocked.; Reply to this comment


by spinproof February 21, 2009 10:07 PM EST: Posted by vranger at 04:44 PM : Feb 21, 2009

So in conclusion, because "individual" Roland Burris screwed up, the entire Black Culture gets set back 20 years, blame the entire Black Culture for Roland Burris's mistakes? I don't think so! Its well known Pres. Obama is half "Black" and half "White" but when he does anything wrong, his "Black" side did it! LOL Pres. Obama's "White" half is completely innocent! LOL Give me a break! Race has nothing to do with it, its the individuals responsibility and in trying to imply group associations, try and tell that to a Judge in a Court of Law who will hold you personally responsible for your actions, group arguments will not save you in Court!; Reply to this comment


by spinproof February 21, 2009 9:32 PM EST: NEITHER of those comments is racist.

Senator Burris.... setting black people back 20 years.
Posted by blog_fever2 at 03:11 PM : Feb 20, 2009

By the time the dust settles on the Obama nation, it will be at least that long before we have another black president.
Posted by snDKzyaa

Posted by vranger at 04:44 PM : Feb 21, 2009

I totally disagree with you, only a racist would think those 2 Post were not racist and maybe thats one of the problems with racist, they don't know they are being racist! Kind of like pigs don't know pigs stink! There is no reason or justification to refer to an Americans race or culture when discussing moral and ethical topics unless you're trying to put the entire race or culture down! What and individual has done has nothing to do with his race or culture, you may be able to imply race or culture when groups are involved but not individuals, its racist! In both cases, Pres. Obama nor Sen. Burris being "Black" added anything to the information, nothing!; Reply to this comment


by spinproof February 21, 2009 9:22 PM EST: Posted by vranger at 04:41 PM : Feb 21, 2009

If the Steele matter was an open and shut case as you claim it is, Steele would not still be under an ongoing investigation. The guilt by association tag applies to Republicans too, not just Pres. Obama, so why is Steele hanging out with criminals and making them his Campaign Chair? Oh yes I remember now, Republicans are exempt! LOL When the Steele matter is resolved and closed and the investigation ends then you can claim his innocence, until then, I don't think so, nice try though! Steele tried to give his sister $37,000 from his campaign funds claiming she performed a service and expected her to kick it back to him under the table and got caught, stop trying to spin it! LOL; Reply to this comment


by spinproof February 21, 2009 9:14 PM EST: Posted by vranger at 04:31 PM : Feb 21, 2009

The money Enron funneled to Republican Candidates is well known, Enron was never fully investigated since those who were responsible for investigating Enron were the ones who benefited from Enron's money! In addition, the whole reason Enron was even created in the first place was to funnel this money! Your superficial and surface views and lack of depth shows just how gullible and shallow you are. Obviously you took puppet AG Alberto Gonzalez's word that the Enron matter was fully investigated and resolved. ROTFLMAO!; Reply to this comment


by vranger February 21, 2009 7:48 PM EST: (sorry, the cut and pastes got stuck in the wrong place in the post below)

Fine, then let me stick what I consider racism in your face:

These 2 Post below is what I'm referring to:

Senator Burris.... setting black people back 20 years.
Posted by blog_fever2 at 03:11 PM : Feb 20, 2009

By the time the dust settles on the Obama nation, it will be at least that long before we have another black president.
Posted by snDKzyaa - spinproof
___________________________
Once again your ignorance knows no bounds. NEITHER of those comments is racist. They both bemoan the circumstance of black politicians (yes, they are black) who the poster feels are not setting the best examples.

If the posters had said that they were disgraced or doing a bad job BECAUSE they were black, that would have been racism. NEITHER comment says that.

And guess what, its OK to have a negative opinion of the job someone is doing, or how they got that job, no matter what their race is. The circumstance of that race being black is irrelevant.; Reply to this comment


by vranger February 21, 2009 7:44 PM EST: These 2 Post below is what I''m referring to:

Senator Burris.... setting black people back 20 years.
Posted by blog_fever2 at 03:11 PM : Feb 20, 2009

Spinproof
_____________________________

Once again your ignorance knows no bounds. NEITHER of those comments is racist. They both bemoan the circumstance of black politicians (yes, they are black) who the poster feels are not setting the best examples.

If the posters had said that they were disgraced or doing a bad job BECAUSE they were black, that would have been racism. NEITHER comment says that.

And guess what, its OK to have a negative opinion of the job someone is doing, or how they got that job, no matter what their race is. The circumstance of that race being black is irrelevant.

By the time the dust settles on the Obama nation, it will be at least that long before we have another black president.
Posted by snDKzyaa at 03:40 PM : Feb 20, 200 These 2 Post below is what I''m referring to:

Senator Burris.... setting black people back 20 years.
Posted by blog_fever2 at 03:11 PM : Feb 20, 2009

By the time the dust settles on the Obama nation, it will be at least that long before we have another black president.
Posted by snDKzyaa; Reply to this comment