Politics

Durbin: Race A Factor In Burris Being Seated

By Brian Montopoli

March 2, 2009 / 11:41 AM EST / CBS News

(AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Senior Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin suggested over the weekend that race was a factor in Sen. Roland Burris being seated by the U.S. Senate.

"My colleague from Illinois, Congressman Bobby Rush, made strong statements along those lines," Durbin, pictured below, said on WGN-AM 720, according to the Chicago Tribune. "They were painful and hurtful, and it became part of this calculation."

(AP (file))

Burris was appointed to his Illinois Senate seat by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who made the appointment following his arrest on corruption charges. The Democratic Senate leadership initially vowed not to seat Burris, since he had been appointed by Blagojevich.

The former governor, who was impeached and removed from office, was accused (among other charges) of trying to essentially sell off the Senate seat, which had previously been occupied by President Obama.

The Senate leadership eventually relented and sat Burris after he assured lawmakers and the Blagojevich impeachment committee that he did not have improper contact with Blagojevich while being considered for the seat.

(CBS)

Burris has since acknowledged, however, that he tried to raise money for Blagojevich while being considered and had contact with multiple Blagojevich associates at that time, prompting calls for him to step down and for a perjury investigation.

At the press conference at which the Burris appointment was announced, Rush warned lawmakers not to block the appointment of the man who would be the Senate's only black senator.

He added that senators should not "hang or lynch" Burris for Blagojevich's alleged misdeeds. That sort of language, Durbin suggested Sunday, helped pave the way for Burris to be seated.

Durbin has vowed, despite Burris' troubles, to "try to work with him as well as I can."

"His vote still counts, his signature is still necessary for critical appointments," Durbin said, according to the Tribune. "I will be working with him whenever there's the need for both Illinois senators to be involved in projects."