Reid: We Won’t Seat Burris If Blago Appoints Him

The Senate Democratic Caucus will refuse to seat former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris if Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) appoints him to the U.S. Senate, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said today, reacting to a Chicago Tribune report that Blagojevich intends to do so.

Reid, along with the other 49 Democrats in the Senate, sent a letter to Blagojevich earlier this month making it clear that any appointment would be rejected.

“It is truly regrettable that despite requests from all 50 Democratic Senators and public officials throughout Illinois, Gov. Blagojevich would take the imprudent step of appointing someone to the United States Senate who would serve under a shadow and be plagued by questions of impropriety,” Reid said today in a written statement issued by his office, on behalf of the Senate Democratic leadership.

“Under these circumstances, 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,” Reid said.