Progress Illinois

The House impeachment committee resumed work today and at center stage were the juicy details of former Illinois Inspector General Zaldwaynaka Scott’s previously confidential report on some dubious political hiring.

It turns out that Gov. Blagojevich apparently used the Department of Employment Security as a dumping ground for political hires, until Scott stepped in to stop it in 2004. Politically connected folks weren’t only leapfrogging over more experienced candidates, some went on to collect undue salaries and vacation time for jobs they were unqualified to fill, the report revealed.

While committee members seemed sincerely outraged, they also looked restless and ready to wrap up the proceedings. It’s pretty clear that they’re ready to deliver an impeachment recommendation to the full House for a vote.

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Today some of Illinois’ top political columnists gave Gov. Rod Blagojevich tongue -in -cheek props for his brazen decision to appoint Roland Burris to our vacant U.S. Senate seat. Editorial boards across the state took a more serious tone, though, renewing their calls for the governor’s removal and attacking Burris’ judgment for participating in this circus.  Read some excerpts below ...

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Yesterday, Sen. Dick Durbin recorded a statement in response to Gov. Blagojevich's appointment of Roland Burris to Illinois vacant U.S. Senate seat.  He describes it as an "act of political defiance" and asserts that the selection "is going nowhere."  Listen:

Internal mp3

Transcript below:

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There's been a lot of talk today about Secretary of State Jesse White's announcement that he will refuse to certify Roland Burris' appointment to the U.S. Senate. For instance, during an MSNBC appearance this afternoon, Burris was asked about the matter.  He responded: "Secretary White is a very good friend of mine. I talked to him this morning and I think he will rethink his position once he understands that his authority his really perfunctory." Watch it (full video here):

But having listened to White's press conference this morning, it seems clear that he understands the perfunctory nature of his role in this process.  Speaking to reporters, he didn't suggest that his refusal to sign the "certificate of appointment" laid out under U.S. Senate Rule II will obstruct Burris' appointment.  To the contrary, he said that, regardless of whether he signs, Blagojevich "can still send his recommendation on to the Senate in Washington and it would be up to them to determine whether they want to seat [Burris] or not."  Watch it (full video here): 

Notice how White said that he will be "asked" to sign the document -- not required.

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The following statement was just released by President-Elect Barack Obama:

Roland Burris is a good man and a fine public servant, but the Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago that they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat. I agree with their decision, and it is extremely disappointing that Governor Blagojevich has chosen to ignore it. I believe the best resolution would be for the Governor to resign his office and allow a lawful and appropriate process of succession to take place. While Governor Blagojevich is entitled to his day in court, the people of Illinois are entitled to a functioning government and major decisions free of taint and controversy.

No huge surprise there.

In a statement this afternoon, State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias lambasted Gov. Blagojevich's selection of Roland Burris to succeed Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate:

The question here is not whether Roland Burris would make a good Senator. The question is whether Blagojevich should have the right to make the appointment. Regardless of whether he wanted to appoint Mother Theresa or Abraham Lincoln, I believe Blagojevich lost that right when he allegedly attempted to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder. He abused his power and should lose his appointment power. ... In the best interest of the people of Illinois, I encourage Secretary of State White to refuse to certify the appointment.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky had a similar response.  From WBEZ:

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Here's the full video of the press conference in which Gov. Blagojevich announced the Burris appointment:

Transcript below.

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Wow.  Just out from the Tribune:

Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected today to name former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.

The action comes despite warnings by Democratic Senate leaders that they would not seat anyone appointed by the disgraced governor who faces criminal charges of trying to sell the post, sources familiar with the decision said.

Burris announced his interest in the seat at a December 13 press conference.  And he didn't pull any punches with regards to the governor.  He described Blagojevich's alleged efforts to sell the Senate appointment as "pretty appalling" and "just reprehensible."  He also endorsed Attorney Gen. Lisa Madigan's effort at the time to get the Illinois Supreme Court to remove the governor from office, describing Blagojevich as "incapacitated."  Here's video, via CBS2:

Burris also made clear at the presser that he is only interested in filling out the rest of the current term and would not run for reelection in 2010.

UPDATE (11:54 am): Blagojevich is going to make a statement at 2 p.m.

UPDATE II (12:16 pm): Politico's Ben Smith reports that an aide to Harry Reid said the Senate Majority Leader views the Burris appointment as "unacceptable." 

UPDATE III (12:30 pm): Meanwhile, on MSNBC just now, Lynn Sweet said that someone close to Burris had told her that he is not ruling out running for reelection in 2010.  

UPDATE IV: (1:08 pm): CF is reporting that Secretary of State Jesse White's office will not certify the appointment.

UPDATE V (1:25 pm): Harry Reid released the following statement:

It is truly regrettable that despite requests from all 50 Democratic Senators and public officials throughout Illinois, Gov. Blagojevich would take the imprudent step of appointing someone to the United States Senate who would serve under a shadow and be plagued by questions of impropriety. We say this without prejudice toward Roland Burris's ability, and we respect his years of public service. But this is not about Mr. Burris; it is about the integrity of a governor accused of attempting to sell this United States Senate seat. Under these circumstances, 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.

UPDATE VI (1:47 pm): From the AP:

White says he won't certify anything Blagojevich does to fill the Senate seat once held by President-elect Barack Obama.

White issued a statement today saying he can't accept any paperwork from Blagojevich on the Senate seat "because of the current cloud of controversy surrounding the governor."

The fifth day of the Illinois House's impeachment hearing is underway, with Blagojevich attorney Ed Genson holding forth before the committee.  Moments ago, he used the Obama transition team's report of contacts with the governor's office to argue that, because the Obama camp says they were not involved in any "quid pro quo" discussions with Blagojevich regarding the vacant U.S. Senate seat, he cannot be accused of wrongdoing in this case. "There's nothing in that affidavit but talk," Genson told the committee members, echoing his first press conference two weeks ago.

Today's agenda appears to be largely reserved for Genson's presentation in defense of his client.  As the State-Journal-Register reported, he kicked off the day by requesting that certain Obama aides be subpoenaed by the committee -- a request that committee chairwoman Barbara Flynn Currie turned down.

You can listen to the proceedings via WUIS or watch streaming video via CNN.