Seat Burris, Says Rogue Sen. Feinstein

Calif. Dem's dissent follows on heels of Panetta CIA complaint
By Gabriel Winant,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 7, 2009 9:28 AM CST
Seat Burris, Says Rogue Sen. Feinstein
Illinois U.S. Senate Appointee Roland Burris arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Dianne Feinstein is breaking Democratic ranks on the issue of of seating Roland Burris as the replacement for Barack Obama, reports the LA Times. “If you don't seat Mr. Burris, it has ramifications for gubernatorial appointments all over America,” the California senator warned yesterday. Majority Leader Harry Reid wasn't buying, telling Politico, “That’s not valid, her statement. I told her that. OK?”

But the Democratic resistance to Burris may be cracking, as the former Illinois attorney general meets with Reid today. Politico notes that Feinstein's backing of the Burris appointment may be positioning for a gubernatorial run, coming on the heels of her criticism of Barack Obama’s appointment of Leon Panetta to run the CIA. Feinstein’s rebellions are significant, in part, because she is the outgoing chair of the Rules Committee, which oversees senatorial credentials, and incoming chair of the Intelligence Committee.
(More Dianne Feinstein stories.)

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