After digging themselves into a hole, Majority Leader Harry Reid and Majority Whip Richard Durbin caved into the inevitable: Roland Burris will be seated as the junior senator from Illinois.
In a joint statement, the Democratic leaders said:
He is now the senator-designate from Illinois and, as such, will be accorded all the rights and privileges of a senator-elect.
Accordingly, barring objections from Senate Republicans, we expect Senator-designee Burris to be sworn in and formally seated later this week. We are working with him and the office of the Vice President to determine the date and time of the swearing-in.
Accordingly, barring objections from Senate Republicans, we expect Senator-designee Burris to be sworn in and formally seated later this week. We are working with him and the office of the Vice President to determine the date and time of the swearing-in.
The Obama-Biden Transition Team also released a statement:
As the President-elect has said repeatedly, he knows Roland Burris and has high regard for him. He looks forward to working with Senator Burris and the rest of the United States Senate to rebuild our economy and meet the great challenges of our time.
Like the old-school rapper Pigmeat Markham, Reid and Durbin made a mockery of the rule of law. They foolishly thought they were the judge.
Rep. Maxine Waters, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, told CQ Politics:
They could not stand up against the law. Burris would have won in the courts.
For now, the circus has left town. But the clowns are still here.
