Do not enter
Originally uploaded by DimitryB
Despite being the duly appointed senator from the State of Illinois, Roland Burris was turned away by the Senate today, being told his credentials were not in order. As Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution reads, “Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members,” the Senate is empowered to say that Burris’ credentials, which do not bear the seal of the State of Illinois, nor the signature of the Secretary of State of Illinois, are not yet valid.
I did some looking around, but I can’t find the last time the Senate refused to honor someone’s credentials. Do you know?
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The last time was one Mississippi senator Theodore G. Bilbo in 1947.
Bilbo sounds like much more of a scary fellow than Burris. Kind of a shame they’ll be linked in history because of it.