Senate bars access to Blagojevich appointee

Wednesday 07 January 2009

Print
A A A
Latest in Americas
The film director, the ex-lovers' tiff, and a brush with the law that came straight out of Kafka
Obama targets Santorum to confuse Republicans
Drug smugglers make wrong turning
The $88m apartment: now the oligarchs take Manhattan
Underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab begins life term
Honduras prison blaze: 'I will set this place on fire and we are all going to die'
Niagara Falls stunt to go ahead
Santorum is party's poor relation – with a salary of $1m
Man charged with murdering wife on honeymoon dive weeps in court
Gordon Ramsay is spat out by his Canadian restaurant
News in pictures
News in pictures
On Facebook
From the blogs

Why David Cameron owes unemployed single mothers an apology

How would you describe an unemployed single mother, with moderate depression, who can't afford new s...

Can we shop our way out of a recession?

The idea that a lot of shopping translates into a healthy economy is dubious. On the three prior oc...

How social networking made public vanity acceptable

When did it become acceptable to brag about oneself publicly?

‘French beer is unknown. We must change that’

Stereotypes die hard. ‘The Very Hungry Frenchman’, the BBC’s current television series following che...

Suggested Topics

The man named by the scandal-plagued governor of Illinois to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the US Senate failed to gain entry yesterday when the chamber's secretary rejected as incomplete his credentials for the seat.

Roland Burris, a Democrat appointed to the seat by Rod Blagojevich, said afterwards: "I am not seeking to have any type of confrontation. I will now consult with my attorneys and we will determine what my next step will be."

Mr Blagojevich, a Democrat, was arrested last month on charges that he tried to sell the seat that Mr Obama vacated, charges the governor has denied. When Mr Blagojevich later named Mr Burris to fill the seat in the Democrat-controlled Senate, the move immediately hit obstacles. The secretary of state in Illinois has refused to certify the appointment, which is required under Senate rules.

Mr Burris has asked the Illinois Supreme Court to order that the certificate be signed.

Comments

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
SPONSORED FEATURES

Free trial of new Independent iPad app

Get your daily dose of the best of British journalism, sponsored by American Airlines

Subaru XV Posh Nosh Prizes & offers
Business videos

Win a family adventure for four in the new Subaru XV

Enjoy a three-nights family adventure at Slaley Hall Resort, Northumberland courtesy to Subaru XV

iPad app Posh Nosh Prizes & offers
Business videos

Amazing restaurant offers

Three glasses of free champagne and a special menu at 46 top London restaurants.

iPad app Subaru XV Prizes & offers
Business videos

Latest Independent competitions

Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.

iPad app Subaru XV Posh Nosh
Business videos

Commercial thought leaders

Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.

iPad app Subaru XV Posh Nosh
Prizes & offers
Career Services

Day In a Page

So long Sarkozy: Inside the tiny town that will topple the French president

Inside the tiny town that will topple Sarkozy

The tiny town of Donzy is France's political weathervane finds John Lichfield.
A class act: Claire Foy on criticism, tumours and embarrassing sex scenes

Claire Foy: Criticism, tumours and embarrassing sex scenes

Her luminous good looks made the actress the star of Little Dorrit and Upstairs Downstairs
A new leaf: Mark Hix sings the praises of spinach

A new leaf: Mark Hix sings the praises of spinach

Spinach is the versatile superfood that will keep you strong and healthy throughout the winter months.
Hollywood ate my novel: Novelists reveal what it’s like to have their book turned into a movie

Hollywood ate my novel

Novelists reveal what it’s like to have their book turned into a movie
How you can force companies to behave themselves

How you can force companies to behave themselves

Buying even a single share in a firm gives you the right to question its practices
Lost in the landscape: Wilderness and wildlife in Australia’s Top End

Wilderness and wildlife in Australia’s Top End

This sparsely populated region is home to creatures that are both fantastic and formidable
48 Hours: Marrakech

48 Hours: Marrakech

From the ancient medina to the Palmeraie, Morocco's Rose City offers a warm escape from the cold of winter.
Bear with Bern for Swiss skiing

Bear with Bern for Swiss skiing

Stephen Wood arrives at the gateway to the Bernese Oberland with plenty of respect for the slopes and the city's ursine inhabitants.
Dawn of the age of wireless medicine

Dawn of the age of wireless medicine

New technology means doctors will soon be able to regulate and monitor drug intake remotely – as long as patients remember to swallow their chips
Pete Doherty: I was a bit unhinged

Pete Doherty: I was a bit unhinged

Former Libertine talks frankly and exclusively about Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse, his baby daughter and why he paints with his own blood
Brown makes £1m since leaving No 10 (but Blair's still the leading earner)

Brown makes £1m since leaving No 10...

... but Blair's still the leading earner
The West Bank's Bobby Sands

The West Bank's Bobby Sands

Khader Adnan's two-month hunger strike has made him a hero among Palestinians outraged by Israel's policy of arbitrary detention
Hey, You've got to hide your drug away

Hey, You've got to hide your drug away

Paul McCartney has given up smoking dope. Simon Usborne charts a career of highs and lows
The 50 Best lights

The 50 Best cheap eats

The top spots for breakfast, lunch and dinner
MI5 helped US in fruitless search for Charlie Chaplin's Communist past

Investigating Charlie Chaplin

MI5 helped US in fruitless search for star's Communist past