Illinois leaders shocked at Blagojevich's move to name Burris

Valerie Schremp Hahn and Kevin Mcdermott

Dec. 31, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Illinois state leaders were generally incredulous at the news Tuesday that their embattled governor made an appointment to the U.S. Senate seat he is accused of trying to sell.

"This is just typical Rod Blagojevich behavior," said state Rep. Thomas Holbrook, D-Belleville. "Confrontational, combative, when there's no gain to be made."

Blagojevich named former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to the seat, and Burris accepted.

Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Highland, put some of the blame on the state's Democrats for postponing the idea of changing state law to fill the vacancy by special election, in part because the U.S. Senate has said and continued to say Tuesday they won't seat any appointment that Blagojevich tries to make.

"Anything other than a special election is a travesty of justice," Stephens said. "Anyone who endorses this process is as guilty as Blagojevich is. This is a time for Democratic leaders to stand up and say, for once, we're going to do the right thing."

State Sen. William Haine, D-Alton, said that the state doesn't have time for a special election, but it is up to the governor to respect what the people of the state want.

"He should refrain from it and defer his authority until these allegations are cleared up," Haine said. "He says he has a defense. The impeachment process is going to be an opportunity to make that defense.

"It's simply beyond my belief that the governor would act as if there isn't any problem."

Haine said he likes Burris and has worked well with him in the past, but he said Burris should not have accepted the appointment: "He is enabling this delusional governor. There's a certain point where ambition has to take a back seat to public responsibility."

Rep. Daniel Beiser, D-Alton, agreed, saying, "Anyone, not just Roland Burris, anyone under these circumstances should not have accepted an appointment from the governor."

The appointment isn't likely to help Blagojevich with members of the Illinois House impeachment committee, which has been gathering evidence in the past few weeks for the governor's possible removal because of the criminal charges and other issues. Many members of the committee have made it clear they're furious at the negative national attention Blagojevich has brought on Illinois.

"He's certainly within his rights ... but there will be some angry members of the committee," said state Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, a committee member.

Blagojevich's latest move comes in defiance of top officials throughout Illinois, including the state's senior U.S. senator, Democrat Dick Durbin, who had publicly warned that it would be catastrophic for Blagojevich to make a Senate appointment while under criminal charges related to those Senate appointment powers.

State Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Gillespie, an impeachment committee member, said: "It's just another example of the governor not listening. Once again, he thumbs his nose and says he'll do as he pleases."

vhahn@post-dispatch.com -- 314-340-8228

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