January 10, 2009
Posted: January 10th, 2009 04:37 PM ET
From CNN Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash
Burris was in Washington this week and visited Capitol Hill.
(CNN) - A senior Democratic congressional source tells CNN the document Illinois secretary of state Jesse White stamped Friday "could" allow them to seat Roland Burris, but they're spending the weekend examining the law and Senate rules. "We have the parliamentarian, Senate legal counsel and the secretary of the Senate looking at that issue right now," says the aide. "[Senate] Rule II says six things are required - name, date of appointment, date the certificate was signed, state, signature of the governor, and signature of the secretary of state. So now we have all six elements on two separate pieces of paper - they are looking at whether that works." A Burris associate tells CNN while he had considered returning to Washington on Monday, that is no longer the plan. This associate said it is possible that Burris attorneys could file a federal lawsuit in US District Court on Monday, but that option is also up in the air as they watch and wait. (Updated after the jump with new details on Burris plans) "We need to first see what happens, if anything, this weekend," said the Burris associate. Earlier, White had declined to sign the appointment certificate, siding with some Senate Democrats who say Burris should not be seated because of the cloud over Blagojevich. The embattled governor appointed Burris to fill the open Senate seat that the Democratic governor has been accused of trying to sell. Despite reports Saturday that indicated White signed the certificate of appointment, White's office said a second document was simply stamped to acknowledge they had received the certificate. Even if the Senate does accept the document as valid, Senate Democrats still plan to take the matter up in the Senate Rules Committee so they can investigate, and to have a full Senate vote on the issue before Burris could be seated. Update: The Burris associate now says that Burris is still not planning to go to Washington, DC on Monday, though the option is still on the table. The source says it's also possible he could also come on another day next week. "We will wait and see what happens this weekend and then make a final decision," said the Burris associate. Filed under: Roland Burris |
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