Reid: Road could be rough for Burris

Roland Burris spoke with bystanders along State Street on Wednesday after leaving a Chicago television studio. (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON - Senate majority leader Harry Reid said US lawmakers aren't likely to seat Roland Burris as long as Rod Blagojevich, the Democratic governor of Illinois who is facing corruption charges, remains in office.

Reid said the Senate has the authority to deny a seat to Burris, the man Blagojevich picked to replace President-elect Barack Obama as a senator from Illinois. Speaking today on NBC's "Meet the Press," Reid said he and Democratic Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois plan to meet with Burris on Wednesday, the day after the US Senate convenes.

"We're going to visit with him," Reid said. "We would hope that in the meantime, Blagojevich, with the impeachment proceedings that are ongoing against him, would do the right thing and step down."

It will be "very difficult" for Burris, a former Illinois attorney general, to become a US senator by way of the Blagojevich appointment, Reid said.

He stopped short of ruling out the possibility of seating Burris altogether. "I'm an old trial lawyer. There's always room to negotiate," he said.

The Illinois House of Representatives may vote as soon as this week on whether to impeach Blagojevich, a Democrat who was charged Dec. 9 with trying to sell Obama's Senate seat for as much as $1 million. Lieutenant Governor Patrick Quinn, a Democrat, would succeed Blagojevich in the event of the governor's removal or resignation.

If Quinn replaces Blagojevich and wants to appoint Burris "or anyone else" to the Senate seat, "that would be fine," Reid said.

Burris, 71, has lost bids in a series of Democratic primaries ranging from Chicago mayor to governor and US senator. His most recent campaign was an unsuccessful race for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2002, which he lost to Blagojevich. Burris then served as vice chairman of the governor's transition team.

Durbin said no one has questioned Burris's integrity or personal background. "It's a question about the process," Durbin said yesterday on ABC's "This Week."

Meanwhile yesterday, Burris sought spiritual and political support yesterday at a South Side Chicago church, according to the Associated Press.

Burris took the stage at New Covenant Church to a crescendo of drums, organ music, and applause from hundreds of supporters, including black leaders.

"The appointment is legal," he said, thanking those gathered at the prayer service. "That is all there is. I don't know what all the confusion is about."

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