Burris ignores calls to quit, presides over Senate -- GOPUSA

Subscribe | Mobile | RSS | Contact

Comment

E-mail

Burris ignores calls to quit, presides over Senate
By HENRY C. JACKSON
Associated Press
February 26, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sen. Roland Burris went back to work Wednesday, giving a speech on the Senate floor and presiding over a body he's been told by many that he should quit.

Burris gave a two-minute speech from the Senate floor in support of a voting rights bill, then presided over the Senate for an hour, a tradition for freshmen. He spent another hour with the Senate gavel later in the evening.

"Allow these 600,000 residents to become full citizens," Burris told a virtually empty Senate chamber as he spoke in support of a bill that would give a congressional seat to the District of Columbia.

Engaging in the mundane task of presiding over the Senate was the latest sign Burris is hunkering down despite calls for his ouster.

Earlier in the day he announced that Brady King, a former aide to Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., would be taking over as his chief of staff, and that Jim O'Connor, an Illinois political operative, would be his communications director.

Burris has been under fire since new revelations about how he was appointed to fill the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. Burris was appointed by disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was impeached and driven from office after he was accused of trying to sell the Senate seat. Burris has changed his story multiple times.

Burris arrived for his duties on the Senate floor alone, walking quietly to his seat. He narrowly missed an encounter with Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., who on Tuesday told Burris he should resign. Durbin left the floor moments before Burris arrived.

Burris looked around once he got to his desk, waving eagerly at Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., who rose to get a piece of candy. Lieberman motioned for Burris to wait a minute then walked over and spoke with him briefly.

After his speech, Burris slumped into his chair. He glanced at a briefing book and then looked at his watch several times. Just before 5 p.m. he passed a note to Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who was presiding before him, then gestured that he would like to take over.

Merkley quickly obliged without speaking to Burris.

Once he took the seat of the Senate President, Burris looked a little bored. He fidgeted with his microphone, clasped his hands and rocked back and forth.

When his time was up, he gave his replacement, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, a pat on the back and exchanged pleasantries before walking out a side door.