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Blagojevich, defiant, makes pick anyway

 

Published 12/30/2008 by Domenico Montanaro at First Read

From NBC’s Cherelle Kantey, Ashley Codianni and Domenico Montanaro During a chaotic news conference in Chicago that injected race into the selection of a successor to Barack Obama ’s former U.S. Senate seat, embroiled Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced his pick for the vacant Illinois U.S. Senate seat. “The people of Illinois are entitled to have two United States senators represent them in Washington, D.C,” Blagojevich said, Unfettered by the cloud of controversy surrounding his ongoing investigation. “As governor, I am required to make this appointment. If I don't make appointment, then people of Illinois will be deprived of their appropriate voice and vote in the U.S. Senate.” Confident in his selection, he appointed the relatively obscure former Illinois attorney general and comptroller Roland Burris to the seat. Burris, who ran against Blagojevich in 2002 for governor, dismissed any inquiry about current allegations against his appointee. “This is an appointment done by the governor ... (link)

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