I'm in, DAMMIT!

Reid: Ain't NO Nigger Man Comin' To Mah House

WASHINGTON – Roland Burris tried to take President-elect Barack Obama's Illinois Senate seat Tuesday but failed in a scripted piece of political theater staged just before the opening of the 111th Congress.

"Mr. Burris is not in possession of the necessary credentials from the state of Illinois," declared Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

Burris, 71, earlier confirmed that Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson had informed him in a private meeting that his credentials lacked a required signature and his state's seal.

He said he had been advised that "I would not be accepted, and I will not be seated, and I will not be permitted on the floor." He spoke to a crowd of reporters who had followed him across the street for a news conference in a cold and steady rain outside the Capitol.

The former Illinois attorney general said he was "not seeking to have any type of confrontation" over taking the seat that he was appointed to by embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But Burris also said he was considering a federal lawsuit to force Senate Democrats to seat him.

It was a distraction for majority Democrats eager to project an image of progress with Obama on an economic stimulus package estimated to cost as much as $800 billion.

Democrats and Obama have said that the corruption charges against Blagojevich would strip credibility from anyone he appointed to the seat.

Blagojevich denies federal accusations that he tried to sell Obama's seat.

In a written statement following Tuesday's action, the governor said allegations against him shouldn't be held against Burris, whom he called a "good and decent man."

"The people of Illinois are entitled to be represented by two senators in the United States Senate," Blagojevich said.

That Erickson turned away Burris was no surprise; Senate Democrats had warned that if Burris showed up to be sworn in on Tuesday without the signature of the Illinois secretary of state, he would be turned away. That's just what happened.

A mob of reporters awaited him outside the Senate's North Door, where Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer and a throng of officers escorted him through security and up to Erickson's office on the third floor.

There, more reporters waited. Burris went through another metal detector and into Erickson's office, nestled between the elevators and the press gallery.

Twenty-one minutes later, he left. A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid confirmed that Burris had been rejected.

Burris left the building, escorted by Gainer and his officers.

An attorney for Burris, Timothy W. Wright III, said that "our credentials were rejected by the secretary of the Senate. We were not allowed to be placed in the record book. We were not allowed to proceed to the floor for purposes of taking oath. All of which we think was improperly done and is against the law of this land. We will consider our options and we will certainly let you know what our decisions will be soon thereafter."

Asked what his options were, Wright said there could be a court challenge and Burris also would continue to talk to Senate leaders.

Some of Burris' supporters have bemoaned the fact that Democrats would stand in the way of the Senate gaining its only black member. Burris himself downplayed the issue of race, telling reporters: "I cannot control my supporters. I have never in my life, in all my years of being elected to office, thought anything about race."

"I'm presenting myself as the legally appointed senator from the state of Illinois. It is my hope and prayer that they recognize that the appointment is legal," he said earlier on CBS' "The Early Show."

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus said Tuesday that Burris should be seated.

"A lot of people want to talk about race or the governor and his problems, but the bottom line is you have a sitting governor who has certain legal rights and authorities and he's made an appointment," said Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md. "This is an issue that goes beyond race."

It's OVER!

My Offbeat DNC

Who Owns Tulsa?

Mmm Eye See Kaaay Eeee Why?....Mmm Oooh You Sssss Eeeee!

From all your friends on the City Council: Have a good time in Orlando, Jack!

Thanks for the inspiration to Councilors Martinson, Wescott, Christianson, and Eagleton! It was their idea. NOT mine, I SWEAR!

Recall Daddy in da HOUSE!

10 S. Yale fallout: Recall Daddy in da HOUSE!

Non-sequiturs EXPOSED:
1) Take the initiative to keep your people informed, NO matter how harsh;
2) Review #1.
3) See #2.

Eric Gomez up close and personal:

Real UGLY. Real QUICK.

By MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 53 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Scrambling to find ways to punish Russia for its invasion of pro-Western Georgia, the United States and its allies are considering expelling Moscow from an exclusive club of wealthy nations and canceling an upcoming joint NATO-Russia military exercise, Bush administration officials said Tuesday.

But with little leverage in the face of an emboldened Moscow, Washington and its friends have been forced to face the uncomfortable reality that their options are limited to mainly symbolic measures, such as boycotting Russian-hosted meetings and events, that may have little or no long-term impact on Russia's behavior, the officials said.

Good grief, who blasted whom, FIRST? Go nail that IDIOT!

Small Guy Getting SCREWED: Part Two

Last Tuesday, Council hauled a Mr. Wil Wilkins in front of UED committee. Fast forward to this Tuesday morning's UED meeting, I'm pretty much done with the sad sob story of Small Guy Getting SCREWED. But, I'm glad I stay a bit after the Fregonese PlaniTulsa presentation to catch this tidbit from Wescott: People, if you've heard what Tulsa Development Authority has said today, all of their resolutions are MEANINGLESS.

I'm DONE. You guys should catch the rest of the story on TGOV.

Hop to it!

For something completely different for your grocery shopping or loitering, check out the Jackalope. It's a great place to hang out on a lazy afternoon, power schmoozing with owner Scott Smith. I am blogging at a nice, cool, and cozy corner nook in the store. If you have an urban vegetable garden, with extra crop, consider making arrangements with Scott to consign it next season.

Stop by and check out their speedy wi-fi, hang out, and buy some coffee.

It's 1300 and Do You Know Where Your Councilor is?

If it's Thursday, they are usually at endless round of meetings. Most are opened to the public. I sat in on one round of meetings last Thursday.

At 1300, 7 August, I listened in on the Sinking Fund Task Force meeting. These are guys who want to protect YOUR money from excessive settlements of lawsuits against the City.

In short, there are two periods, pre-Magee and post-Magee. Several years ago, Arvin Magee made out with over $14 MILLION, sucking the life blood out of City Hall. Nobody paid attention to minimizing the damage, before the case went to jury. Even when it got to the jury, every genius at City Hall kept passing the buck, until the jury stuck it to 'em.

Fast forward to post-Magee, EVERY genius in City Hall pays attention to just every lawsuit exceeding the price of a well-equipped Lexus, including City Council.

Here's the rub, according to Louis Bullock, the hammer for the Black Officers' Coalition: Does City Council really want the political fallout of making a bad call on a settlement? I think NOT.

Surprised! Surprised!

Last night's Council meeting got real UGLY, real QUICK. More than 100 angry North Tulsans showed up to totally diss the high-rise for the homeless at 10 S Yale. Even Roscoe got in on the action. He totally muffed it at the mike.

After about the 10th Angry White Guy, I left, thinking, Council will cave, like the 41st Tulsa Transit station a few years back. Well, SURPRISE! Surprise!

John Eagleton: The mentally ill and working poor people “need all the help they can get. I will not turn a blind eye to them.”

This is just another typical case of the "well-intentioned," out-of-touch oligarchy set in this crap-ass town doing good, WITHOUT getting the rest of us in on the debate, UP front. Good grief, just tell us what's going on and let the chips fall where they may. Somewhere in this debacle is a middle ground.

But, then again, the City needs to get the riff-raff away from Downtown to make room for the hoity-poity, or the tooty-FRUITY, to roam, drunk, late at night, without getting hassled for a buck. Whatever. I give up.

Way to go, guys!