Statement by Common Cause President Bob Edgar on Gov. Blagojevich’s appointment today of successor to President-elect Obama’s Senate seat

Common Cause supports Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s plan to delay certification of Gov. Blagojevich’s appointment of former state attorney general Roland Burris because of the serious allegations about whether Blagojevich attempted to sell Obama’s seat to the highest bidder. Until Blagojevich is either convicted of a crime or cleared, his appointee will be tainted.

Common Cause believes the Illinois Legislature should immediately vote to set a special election to fill the seat as soon as possible, perhaps the same day as a special election to replace Rahm Emanuel in the US House. The matter of who succeeds President-elect Obama to represent Illinois in the US Senate is a matter for the people of Illinois or the Illinois Legislature to decide, not the US Senate.