Democrats Scramble for Deal to Seat Burris

Deal or no deal? Democratic sources this morning told the AP that Senate leaders had reached a deal to seat Blagojevich appointee Roland Burris, who was turned away by the Senate secretary when he showed up, flanked by lawyers, yesterday. Two senior Democratic aides tell Politico that report is “wrong,” though Burris met for 45 minutes this morning with Harry Reid and Dick Durbin, and seating him seems to be gaining momentum.

“There’s a growing sense that there is a pretty flimsy basis to deny what is clearly a legal appointment,” Russ Feingold said today, seconding Dianne Feinstein, who argued yesterday that denying Burris’ appointment would undermine all gubernatorial appointments. (More Roland Burris stories.)