Burris Plans To Head to The Senate Tuesday

Governor Rod Blagojevich's controversial decision to appoint former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to fill President-elect Obama's vacant Senate seat is far from being approved, yet the appointee has plans to attend the opening day of the 111th Congress, CBS News' Allyson Ross Taylor reports.

(AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Burris will travel to Washington, D.C. Monday night and has plans to head to the Hill for moving in day. Burris will not be officially seated before the Senate approves the nomination and Democratic senators, led by Majority Leader Harry Reid, said in a letter Tuesday "anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic Caucus." Burris will most likely not be sworn in or seated Tuesday though that may not stop him from showing up.

This afternoon, Chicago Breaking News reported, Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan asked state lawmakers to return to Springfield Wednesday for a possible vote to impeach disgraced Governor Rod Blagojevich. If Blagojevich is removed from office before the Burris situation is resolved, CBS News' Director of Political Coverage Steve Chaggaris explains, it is expected that the Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn will name is own appointee.

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