It was a shocka to learn that an Illinois machine politician may have been less than entirely forthcoming on whether he did, or did not, actually purchase Illinois machine politician Barack Obama’s recently vacated US senate seat from an Illinois machine politician who was himself under federal investigation for corruption.
I know.
But if, as now seems likely, Roland Burris’ failure to pay taxes on the seat causes him to withdraw from public office ( it’s eminently possible I’m conflating this with any of several other public men who have lately graced the newspaper pages), a Weekly Standard’s writer with the delightfully euphonious name of Noemie Emery has a modest suggestion to set the universe back into its proper inclination: Give the seat to Caroline Kennedy:
1. The seat she wanted and didn’t get was being vacated by Hillary Clinton, a president’s wife who ran for the Senate in New York, though she was born in Illinois and was First Lady of Arkansas, before living for eight years in Washington. Illinois thus offered New York a senator. Since Caroline is a president’s daughter who lives in New York, (and lived as a child in Washington), it makes perfect sense that New York should pay back the favor by offering Caroline in return to the state of Obama and Lincoln. You could call it a new form of interstate commerce. Or, turnabout being fair play.
There are six more, equally valid reasons!
Which, when you think about it, makes about as much objective sense as any of the rest of this.
Not so much different, all that trading Senatorial seats and all, from the arranged marriages of Europe, whereby one petty kingdom could align with another petty kingdom.
It didn’t really matter whom they married, or were married too, as those involved were all elite members of the aristocracy and were going to be lording it over someone, somewhere, anyway.
Sort of like the Democrats, no?
Let’s sell the seat on Ebay and give the money to California…
And a compelling speaker too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dJ5nAoFYaM
It’s her due as America’s little Princess…and besides Illinois, that bastion of political purity, is clearly entitled to the honor. Best
The great thing about this is that Sen. Burris didn’t actually give a bribe or anything of value to Gov. Blagojevich. What happened seems to be this:
1) Burris, figuring that President Obama was going to win, made it be known that he wanted the Senate seat that was about to be freed up.
2) Blago called up Burris and asked him if he’d do some fundraising for him.
3) Burris tried and failed; apparently nobody wanted to give Blago any money.
4) After a while, Blago appointed Burris anyway.
5) The Illinois General Assembly asked Burris whether he had bribed Blago. Burris said “No.” They also asked him if he’d talked to anyone associated closely with Blago about such things. Burris again said “No.”
6) Burris was seated in the Senate.
7) Burris submitted some amendments to his remarks noting that he had, in fact, talked to a few people closely associated with Blago, including Blago’s brother. He also told the story about trying and failing to raise money for him.
So if Burris falls, it won’t be because he bribed his way into the Senate seat. It’ll be because he lied under oath about trying and failing to raise money for Blago. Whether helping someone raise funds constitutes a bribe is not so clear to me. Politicians raise money for each other all the time, and the money would go exactly where Burris said it would have. It would at least have been a quid pro quo, and I’d say that’s not right, even if it’s not illegal. Perjury, however, does seem quite clear.
I continue to be unsurprised by what Sen. Burris says. Living here can make one immune in a way, sadly.
Perjury’s a nasty thing, as Bill Clinton and Scooter Libby can attest to.
The man always struck me as sorta pathetic. One of those perennial candidates that nobody wants to vote for but occasionally has such weak opposition that he wins a post. Usually one term. He’ll hang in there kicking and screaming until the bitter end having and benefited from a grotesque playing of the race card on his ascension we may be spared one on the return trip. Who knows Blago might put in a good word, or a thousand?
I don’t think the guy actually paid to play, his chief crime now being demonstrable stupidity, in itself hardly disqualifying to the Senate but, in the context of his arrival, likely to prove fatal.
If Obama could keep AF One you think he’d take it back?
Greetings:
“less than entirely forthcoming”
Who does Senator Burris think he is Attorney General Holder?
Sometimes it is just so shameful being from Illinois. I just keep reminding people that these folks are from Chicago. There’s a whole lot of the rest of Illinois that just doesn’t subscribe to this. Chicagoland is just that…a land unto themselves. Sheesh. Its just so embarrassing.
OldT6Flyer/
“…his chief crime now being demonstrably stupid…”
You noticed.
tankerswife/
Being born and raised in Illinois and of age 64 I’ve got a looonnng list of tales about Illinois’ politicians under my belt.
About the last honest one was a HS classmate of mine, Gov. Jim Edgar (R) who was a goody two shoes even in HS.
(Although his brother Fred, 2yrs ahead of me was a good-natured hell-raising polar opposite)
Shall I regale you of Gov. Otto Kerner, he of the famous Kerner Commission, a Fed Judge and a BG in the Army Reserve who ended his days in the Fed. Pen for taking kick-backs from Arlington Park racetrack owners? I still have a framed certificate hanging on my wall with his signature designating me an “Illinois State Scholar” for winning a Nat. Merit Scholarship. It’s not everyone that can have an award personally signed by a con doing time in Fed stir, nosiree.
Or remember “Shoebox” Paul Powell, the Sec of State unfortunate enough to die in his hotel room in Springfield while the legislature was in session in 1970? All they found was $800,00 in cash in shoe-boxes under his bed (and in safes, lockboxes etc. all over the room) plus 12 cases of whiskey–and 2 cases of creamed-corn–that’s all–LOL., nothing to see here, move right along…
Of course living in New Orleans as we do, I’ve seen the best corruption man can devise at both ends of the old Illinois Central (which I used to ride to & from college while at LSU for my first 2 yrs–at one time or another all three trains–City of New Orleans, Panama Ltd–the sleeper–and the milk-run La Louisianne) The daily double, if you will. As I think I mentioned one time here previously, all I have to do is move to NJ to to hit the trifecta. (LOL–although I’m sure there are a few other jurisdictions that can claim to be medal contenders as well)
Vx re:10 – I think even the Democratic Leadership is picking up on that…at least a few are.
Seems like you have a corrupting influence wherever you go – or are you just drawn to it like a freak show you can’t help but look at even if you know you shouldn’t….?
Virgil;
Here in Doity Joisey we know the HBO series The Sopranos was not fiction, but document.
Lying under oath…
Not paying taxes…
Calling Americans cowards…
Chicago political machine…
Stimulus bill…
Housing bailout…
Auto company bailouts…
Higher taxes…
Yes, the country is getting what it voted for.
Virgil – living in New England my whole life – I can bring up the name Kennedy and pretty much trump anyone. That being said, I also live in CT so we have Chris Dodd to recommend us.
Paul Powell! He was Secretary of State when I got my first drivers’ license. Back then you didn’t fill out your checks for licences, licence plates, etc. to “Secretary of State” – no, you filled them out to “Paul Powell”. IIRC they found shoeboxes full of those checks, too, in his house when he died.
I was born in Massachusetts and then moved to Illinois, so I’ve pretty much seen the full spectrum of this kind of thing. The Kennedys are much smoother at it – they tend not to get too many stains on their shirts when they’re slopping out of the trough.
We have a new slogan in my state:
“Illinois: Where our Govenors make the license plates.”
It seems to never end. Burris won’t resign without kicking and screaming his way out the door, but it would be the right thing to do.