The Many Moods of Dick Durbin

Burris ties him up in knots

By STEVE RHODES

Updated 9:45 AM CST, Mon, Jan 12, 2009

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January 12, 2009: "U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Sunday it was likely that former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris would be seated as the state's newest senator this week after a legal review of new paperwork regarding the Senate appointment," the Tribune reports. "Durbin said on Face the Nation that it was 'point-blank' wrong to think the Senate would await Blagojevich's removal to keep Burris from being seated."

January 10, 2009: "I think it's best to suspend activities in the filling of that vacancy until that impeachment trial in the Illinois Senate is concluded," Durbin said.

January 12, 2009: "I want to do this in a fair and quick way."

January 12, 2009: "While arguing he wants the matter resolved quickly, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) insisted Sunday that Democratic leaders still have the right to refuse the appointment of former Illinois attorney general Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama," Roll Call reports.

January 9, 2009: "The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that no law requires Secretary of State Jesse White to sign the appointment made by Governor Rod Blagojevich of Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the Senate. Despite this, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said that he is still opposed to seating Burris.

“'There has never in the history of the Senate been a waiver of the requirement that the secretary of state’s signature be part of the appointment process – never,' Durbin said at a news conference."

January 12, 2009: “Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) suggested Sunday evening that Democratic leaders may not require that a Senate panel review the appointment of Roland Burris before he is sworn in as the next senator from Illinois. ‘This thing changes by the day,’ Durbin said. ‘We’ll have to wait and see.’”

January 8, 2009: "Under the developing scenario, Burris's appointment would still have to be reviewed by the Rules Committee if he got the required countersignature. If the Senate panel were to recommend he be seated, the full Senate would then vote."

December 31, 2008: "U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, called Blagojevich's action 'an act of political defiance'. Durbin added, 'This effort today will lead nowhere'."

January 8, 2009: "'This was a positive meeting. It moved us forward,' Assistant Senate Democratic Leader Dick Durbin said after a 45-minute session with Burris and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the US Capitol."

December 9, 2008: "No appointment by this governor under these circumstances could produce a credible replacement," Durbin said as he called for a special election to fill Barack Obama's seat.