Blagojevich to Name Obama Senate Replacement

Updated 1:30 p.m. Eastern

Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois will name Roland Burris, a former state attorney general, to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the United States Senate, someone with knowledge of the governor’s plans confirmed on Tuesday.

Mr. Blagojevich, who faces federal corruption charges including allegations that he tried to sell Mr. Obama’s former senate seat for a high-paying job or money, had not been expected to try to fill the seat. As recently as ten days ago, his lawyer, Edward Genson, said he would not attempt to make an appointment, since Senate leaders had indicated they would not accept anyone whom the beleaguered Mr. Blagojevich had appointed.

Mr. Burris, 71 and a Democrat, is a longtime political player in this state, who has run for governor before, including mounting a primary challenge against Mr. Blagojevich. Mr. Obama backed him over Mr. Blagojevich in that race.

An aide to Mr. Obama said Tuesday that the news came as a surprise. The president-elect, who is vacationing in Hawaii, had no immediate comment.

The Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times reported the planned appointment on their Web sites today, saying that Governor Blagojevich would hold a news conference in Chicago at 2 p.m. Central time (3 p.m. Eastern) to make the announcement.

Mr. Blagojevich was arrested on Dec. 9 in the federal corruption case, prompting national and local political leaders of both parties to call for his resignation. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, warned him that he should ”under no circumstances make an appointment,” and Senator Dick Durbin, a fellow Democrat and the senior senator from Illinois, said that “no appointment by this governor could produce a credible replacement.” The Senate has the power to refuse to seat an appointed new member.

Mr. Burris is now senior counsel at the Milwaukee-based law firm of Gonzales Saggio & Harlan; a capsule biography of him is posted on the firm’s Web site.



New York Times