Burris Appointment is a Go…

(CNN) — Illinois’ highest court validated the appointment of Roland Burris to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant U.S. Senate seat Friday, ruling that the Illinois secretary of state does not have to sign off on it.

The court’s opinion states that “no further action is required by the secretary of state or any other official to make the governor’s appointment of Roland Burris to the United States Senate valid under Illinois law.”

In a victory for embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who appointed Burris to the Senate seat, the Illinois court stated that “no explanation has been given as to how any rule of the Senate, whether it be formal or merely a matter of tradition, could supersede the authority to fill vacancies conferred on the states by the federal constitution.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday that he was waiting for a ruling from the Illinois high court on whether Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White needs to sign Burris’ certificate of appointment.

Aides to Reid said his lawyers were reviewing the ruling, particularly a passage that suggests an alternative way to authenticate Burris’ certificate.

Majority Whip Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, said that he still thinks White’s signature is required on Burris’ certificate.

… Continue Reading

Is Rahm Emanuel in Deeper With Gov. Blagojevich…

December 18, 2008

President-elect Barack Obama’s incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had a deeper involvement in pressing for a U.S. Senate seat appointment than previously reported, the Sun-Times has learned. Emanuel had direct discussions about the seat with Gov. Blagojevich, who is is accused of trying to auction it to the highest bidder.

Emanuel talked with the governor in the days following the Nov. 4 election and pressed early on for the appointment of Valerie Jarrett to the post, sources with knowledge of the conversations told the Sun-Times. There was no indication from sources that Emanuel brokered a deal, however.

A source with the Obama camp strongly denied Emanuel spoke with the governor directly about the seat, saying Emanuel only spoke with Blagojevich once recently to say he was taking the chief of staff post.

But sources with knowledge of the investigation said Blagojevich told his aides about the calls with Emanuel and sometimes gave them directions afterward. Sources said that early on, Emanuel pushed for the appointment of Jarrett to the governor and his staff and asked that it be done by a certain date.

At least some of the conversations between Emanuel and Blagojevich were likely caught on tape, sources said.

After Jarrett took herself out of the running in mid-November, Emanuel submitted a list of suitable names to the governor’s camp that didn’t include her name.

Emanuel, who has refused to comment on the issue, is not accused of wrongdoing.

In portions of conversations released in a criminal complaint against Blagojevich, he can be heard complaining that Obama wouldn’t give anything in return for a Jarrett appointment.

Chicago Sun Times

Is Rahm Emanuel The “Advisor”???

Rahm Emanuel never misses Obama’s news conferences.  Well, he did today. So what does that say?  Emanuel claims to be listening to his two children performing in a concert with their school.

Then he gives the reporters this:

A Sun-Times reporter pressed him to comment about whether he was the emissary named in the criminal complaint.

“You’re wasting your time,” Emanuel said. “I’m not going to say a word to you. I’m going to do this with my children. Dont do that. I’m a father. I have two kids. I’m not going to do it.”

Asked, “Can’t you do both?” Emanuel replied, “I’m not as capable as you. I’m going to be a father. I’m allowed to be a father,” and he pushed the reporter’s digital recorder away.

So what has happened to mister calm, cool, and collected?  Sounds to me like the Obama Administrations Chief of Staff may have some questions to answer.

December 11, 2008
No one in the Obama campaign or administration has been charged with any wrongdoing. Obama said this morning that none of his staff has had a hand in any dealmaking on his Senate replacement.

BY FRAN SPIELMAN AND ABDON M. PALLASCH Staff Reporters

President-elect Barack Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, refused to take questions from reporters this morning about whether he was the Obama “advisor” named in the criminal complaint against Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The complaint states Blagojevich wanted a promise of a high-level appointment or some other reward for Blagojevich in exchange for Blagojevich naming Obama’s friend Valerie Jarrett to replace him in the U.S. Senate.

Emanuel was uncharacteristically absent from Obama’s news conference this morning. He was spotted two hours later in the lobby of Chicago’s City Hall. He was there to listen to his two children performing in a concert with their school, Anshe Emet.

A Sun-Times reporter pressed him to comment about whether he was the emissary named in the criminal complaint.

“You’re wasting your time,” Emanuel said. “I’m not going to say a word to you. I’m going to do this with my children. Dont do that. I’m a father. I have two kids. I’m not going to do it.”

Asked, “Can’t you do both?” Emanuel replied, “I’m not as capable as you. I’m going to be a father. I’m allowed to be a father,” and he pushed the reporter’s digital recorder away.

Blagojevch was caught on tape saying that he wanted the Obama advisor in question to know what Blagojevich wanted in exchange for the Jarrett appointment.

Blagojevich said, “He asks me for the fifth CD thing, I want it to be in his head.” Emanuel represents the 5th Congressional District in Illinois.