Quinn wants new election

CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said Thursday that if embattled U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., doesn’t step down within the next two weeks, he wants lawmakers to send him a bill to set up a special election that could effectively remove Burris from office.

Quinn, appearing on “The Steve Cochran Show” on Chicago radio station WGN-AM, said he spoke to the top two Democrats in the General Assembly today about the possibility of moving ahead with the legislation, which would take advantage of a clause contained in the U.S. Constitution’s 17th Amendment.

Quinn’s actions follow a legal opinion issued last night by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who said she believed the state could enact a special-election law that would effectively force Burris from office. Under the Constitution, a governor’s appointments to fill Senate vacancies should be considered temporary until an election is held, she said.

But under current state law, appointments to Senate vacancies last until the next federal election, which is scheduled for next year. Burris was appointed by former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to fill the vacancy left by President Barack Obama. The appointment came three weeks after Blagojevich’s Dec. 9 arrest on federal criminal charges of allegedly trying to sell the Senate seat for personal or political gain.

Last week, Quinn called for Burris to resign, joining other leading Democrats who say he can no longer effectively represent the state after he revealed more extensive contacts with Blagojevich allies than he had originally testified to before the Illinois House panel weighing Blagojevich’s impeachment.

Quinn had proposed legislation that would allow him to name a temporary caretaker to the Senate vacancy, subject to a Burris resignation, followed by a quick special election.

But Burris has made clear he does not intend to resign.

“I think the optimal course is if the senator, upon reflection, talking to his family and friends, especially the people of Illinois, comes to realize that being U.S. senator at this time is not an avenue of service for Roland Burris,” Quinn said.

“If he voluntarily resigns, it really accelerates everything and makes it much better,” the governor said. “Now, after a short reasonable period of time, if he doesn’t do that, then I think we should pursue ahead with a (special-election) statute. I’ve urged the two legislative leaders today in Springfield (Ill.) when I was there to go ahead and do that. Let’s get it on the books.”