CHICAGO — Brushing aside charges that he tried to sell Illinois' vacant U.S. Senate seat, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich appointed former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris to the post Tuesday in defiance of Senate leaders who said they would not admit anyone the governor selected.
The governor's action amounts to an abrupt about-face for Blagojevich, who had said after his Dec. 9 corruption arrest that he favored a special election for a successor to President-elect Barack Obama.
But the governor said at a news conference announcing his selection of Burris that he had to make an appointment because the state's General Assembly refused to approve a special election.
Senate Democratic leaders say that it is not Blagojevich's choice for Obama's replacement, but rather the tainted governor himself, that prevents them from accepting Burris.
"This is not about Mr. Burris. It is about the integrity of a governor accused of attempting to sell this United States Senate seat," several senators said in a statement issued Tuesday. "Anyone appointed by Gov. Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic Caucus."
"Roland Burris is a good man and a fine public servant," Obama said in a statement issued Tuesday, "but the Senate Democrats made it clear weeks ago that they cannot accept an appointment made by a governor who is accused of selling this very Senate seat. I agree with their decision, and it is extremely disappointing that Gov. Blagojevich has chosen to ignore it."
Blagojevich maintains that he is innocent in the corruption scandal and says that his nominee should stand on his own merits.
"Please don't allow the allegations against me to taint this good and honest man," Blagojevich said in introducing Burris.
Blagojevich's move appeared designed to trump fellow Democrats who control the Senate. His choice of Burris, the first African American elected statewide in Illinois, presents senators with the difficult prospect of saying no to a black replacement for Obama, who was the nation's only black senator.
That point was driven home at the news conference by Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.), who said it was a matter of national importance that an African American replace Obama in the Senate.
"Let me just remind you that there presently is no African American in the Senate," Rush said. "I would ask you to not hang or lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointer. . . . Roland Burris is worthy."
