IL-SEN: Burris to be Seated

A joint statement from Sens. Reid and Durbin:

The secretary of the Senate has determined that the new credentials presented today on behalf of Mr. Burris now satisfy Senate rules and validate his appointment to the vacant Illinois Senate seat. In addition, as we requested, Mr. Burris has provided sworn testimony before the Illinois House Committee on Impeachment regarding the circumstances of his appointment.

We have spoken to Mr. Burris to let him know that he is now the senator-designate from Illinois and as such, will be accorded all the rights and privileges of a senator-elect.

Accordingly, barring objections from Senate Republicans, we expect Senator-designee Burris to be sworn in and formally seated later this week. We are working with him and the office of the vice president to determine the date and time of the swearing-in.

As we had outlined to Mr. Burris, a path needed to be followed that respects the rules of the Senate. We committed to Mr. Burris that once those requirements were satisfied, we would be able to proceed. We are pleased that everything is now in order, we congratulate Senator-designee Burris on his appointment and we look forward to working with him in the 111th Congress.

The Hill adds:

The Democratic leaders released their statement after a meeting between Burris’s attorneys, Senate lawyers and Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson, who had rejected Burris’s certification papers last week. Burris’s attorneys submitted two separate documents that they say fulfill an 1884 Senate rule that all senators must have certification signed by their states’ governors and secretaries of state.

Erickson issued a statement saying Burris’s papers "appear to contain all the essential elements" of the Senate rule.

Remember last night, when Sen. Durbin said, "This thing changes by the day. We’ll have to wait and see"? That waiting and seeing itself has now changed.

This was never really about the certification requirement in this age of video, as could be real no question as to whether Burris was the Governor's actual choice. The question was as to the genesis of that choice. Given that there's nothing in the joint statement about referring this to the Rules Committee for further investigation as to the nature of Burris' selection, either Reid and Durbin are satisfied that Burris has been chosen without taint, or perhaps there just aren't enough Senators who believe such an investigation is appropriate under Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution.

Our long brief-but-constitutionally fascinating Senatorial nightmare bad dream upset stomach may be over.