In light of the news that Diane Feinstein has broken with Senate Democrats and called for Roland Burris to be seated, I just want to note for the record, she's absolutely right. (Jane Hamsher and Digby have been making the case to seat Burris persuasively for a week).
The law is the law. Blagojevich is the sitting governor, invested with the statutory authority to appoint Obama's senate replacement. The federal complaint filed against him does not vitiate that power. If, and this is a huge if, there was some allegation that Burris himself had purchased the his own appointment from the guv, then I think the Senate would be within authority to use its "seating" discretion not to seat him. But no one's even alleging that. So those opposed to seating Burris have to make an affirmative case stronger than hand waving about Blagojevich's "taint."
This entire spectacle has convinced me even more thoroughly that Reid really is a disaster as Senate majority leader and needs to go.
Chris Hayes
In light of the news that Diane Feinstein has broken with Senate Democrats and called for Roland Burris to be seated, I just want to note for the record, she’s absolutely right. (Jane Hamsher and Digby have been making the case to seat Burris persuasively for a week).
The law is the law. Blagojevich is the sitting governor, invested with the statutory authority to appoint Obama’s senate replacement. The federal complaint filed against him does not vitiate that power. If, and this is a huge if, there was some allegation that Burris himself had purchased the his own appointment from the guv, then I think the Senate would be within authority to use its “seating” discretion not to seat him. But no one’s even alleging that. So those opposed to seating Burris have to make an affirmative case stronger than hand waving about Blagojevich’s “taint.”
This entire spectacle has convinced me even more thoroughly that Reid really is a disaster as Senate majority leader and needs to go.
UPDATE: Do I get results or what? Just a few minutes after posting, the AP reported that the Senate will seat Burris. Clearly, Harry Reid reads Capitolism.
Chris HayesTwitterChris Hayes is the Editor-at-Large of The Nation and host of “All In with Chris Hayes” on MSNBC.