During the impeachment “debate” this morning, one of the speakers mentioned that people have been “Blagojeviched”. Have you?

The annual International Eat A Tasty Animal for PETA day is Sunday, March 15, 2009.

With PETA’s latest lame attempt at trying to “guilt” us into becoming vegans, I think that this year’s IEATAPETA day should be devoted to “Sea Kittens” of all kinds. PETA is also trying to get schools with names like Whitefish and Spearfish to rename themselves Sea Kitten…

Let’s have Fish and Chips, scallops, lobster, salmon, crab legs (especially those giant ones from Alaska), Maryland Crab Cakes, Cedar plank Tilapia, Orange Roughy, Tuna, Shark, Abalone, Sushi, and, of course, Catfish.

Let’s get a Sea Kitten Recipe Carnival going! I’ll host here and we can publish on March 1st so people can have 2 weeks to decide and shop for what they’ll have on IEATAPETA day.

Let’s have a deadline of 2/25 to get the recipes/links to your blogpost recipe so I can get them assembled for the 1st. Send to seakittens *at* musing-minds *dot* com.

The vote was 114-1.

Lone nay vote was Milt Patterson (D-32nd).

Senate trial could start as soon as Wednesday and could last two weeks according to Speaker Mike Madigan (D).

Rich Miller at Capitol Fax Blog is live blogging the debate.

Not much of what I’d call a “debate” it’s a lot of speechifying with bipartisan support of impeachment so far.

Rep. Mendoza(D), “It’s amazingly fitting that Governor Blagojevich face impeachment today of all days. On his self admitted hero Richard Nixon’s birthday. Their common bond of impeachment will unite them in history’s dark annals of corruption, but even Nixon displayed more integrity than Blagojevich by resigning before he was impeached.”

Governor Blagojevich’s sister-in-law, Deb Mell (D-IL 40th), won’t be voting on his impeachment. New representatives aren’t sworn in until next week.

A Lake County Illinois Grand Jury refused to bring charges against a store clerk who shot a robber.

The Peoples Market was robbed at gunpoint about 7pm. The robber took the money and went outside to his getaway vehicle, a bicycle. The clerk grabbed a gun from under the counter and went to the door to see which way the robber went. At that time, the robber rode the bike past the door and the clerk shot him because the clerk thought the robber had his gun in his hand and the clerk felt his life was in danger. (source)

A radio version of this story also noted that the robber’s accomplice got away with some of the money. The accomplice has not been identified.

The Illinois House imeachment committee voted 21-0 to send the vote to the House floor. It was sent down tonight for voting tomorrow morning.

More at The Captiol Fax Blog, including links to the exhibits online and what happened with Burris’ testimony.

There were no cell phone cameras, still cameras, TV cameras allowed when Burris went to be seated. He was turned away because Secretary of State Jesse White’s signature was not on the Certificate of Appointment. Presser about to start. Will update.

Statement:

Members of the media, my name is Roland Burris, the junior Senator from the state of Illinois. I presented my credentials to the Secretary of the Senate and advised that, uh, my credentials were not in order and I would not be accepted and I would not be seated and I would not be permitted on the floor and therefore, uh, I am not seeking to have any type of confrontation. I will now consult with my attorneys and we will determine what our next step will be. Thank you all very much  and God bless each and every one of you. Thank you. My, my attorneys will speak to you.

Lots more at The Capitol Fax Blog.

Thanks, Roland, for giving me an earwig… Heart’s song Magic Man…

When asked in a presser today how he can be on Capitol Hill and at impeachment hearings in Springfield on Wednesday, Burris said:

Well I am, I am the magic man.

When asked about his supporters pulling the race card he said:

I have never in my life and all of my years I’ve been elected to office thought anything about race. I’ve been elected four times in the state of Illinois and the great people of Illinois have seen the qualifications and the commitment Roland Burris has and race has never been a concern of mine.

When one looks at his Tomb in Chicago’s Oak Woods Cemetery, we see an entire section as follows:

Trail Blazer

First African-American in Illinois to become:

Illinois Attorney General 1991-95

Illinois State Comptroller 1979-91

Vice-President of Continental Illinois
National Bank 1964-73

National Bank Examiner U.S. Treasury Dept
(First Black in the Nation) 1963-64

President of the National Association of
State Comptrollers 1981-82

President of the National Association of
State Auditors, Comptrollers and
Treasurers 1985-86

S.I.U. Exchange Student to University of
Hamburg, Germany 1959-60

Photo Credit Politico.com Click for original

He’s never thought anything about race in all his life?

That’s the Seal of the State of Illinois above the Trail Blazer on the tomb by the way.

Update: Eric Zorn reprints his March, 2 1998 column regarding Burris’ “white boy” comment made about his Democratic Gubenatorial Primary rivals…

Burris: I look forward to serving our 13 million people with all of the crises that we have in this state and in this nation. And Illinois is need to have a full complement of representation and that’s what I’m seeking to do.

Q: What do you expect to happen upon your arrival in DC?

Burris: Well, I’m hoping and praying that I will be seated.

Q: Have you had any contact with the Obama Administration?

Burris: No I’ve not. None whatsoever. My people tried to reach out to reach out for them and, uh, {unintelligible. – Burris was turning around and looking at people behind him at the airport}

Q: How do you feel about your supporters bringing race into this issue here?

Burris: You know, I cannot control my supporters. I have never in my life and all of my years I’ve been elected to office thought anything about race. I’ve been elected four times in the state of Illinois and the great people of Illinois have seen the qualifications and the commitment Roland Burris has and race has never been a concern of mine. Certainly as a matter of fact, {interrupted to get closer to the microphones: Q: Sir? B: Oh, is there a problem? I have, um. I’m trying to talk to the young lady.} As a matter of fact I have looked upon the state of Illinois as the only state in the nation, think about this, that has elected four blacks statewide. Two United States Senators and two constitutional officers and now they have an appointed individual who is also black as United States Senator.

Q: Mr. Burris. Who do you plan to meet with and to do what you call these negotiations in Washington?

Burris: Well, I will be in touch with our senior senator, Dick Durbin, and hopefully he will have things outlined for me and set up there and we will proceed from there. I understand that he has a schedule for me from Harry Reid the majority leader and we will see what takes place there.

Q: Are you scheduled for Wednesday?

Burris: Wednesday, that’s correct.

Q: You’ve been subpoenaed to appear before the House Impeachment committee.

Burris: We’re handling that as well.

Q: How are you going to do that?

Burris: Well, I am, I am the Magic Man.

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