Burris refusal calms Quinn
WON'T STEP DOWN | Gov: No special election
Gov. Quinn appeared to soften his stance on a special election Monday after Sen. Roland Burris refused to relinquish his Senate seat.
"Sen. Burris made it very clear he has no intention of stepping aside. If Sen. Burris doesn't step aside, then we cannot have a special election," Quinn said after speaking at a Casimir Pulaski event Monday in Chicago. He earlier delivered the message to West Side African-American leaders.
(AP file)
Quinn has faced criticism from some Burris loyalists for calling on the senator last week to resign and expressing support for legislation establishing a special election that effectively would cut Burris' term short.
Despite support over the weekend from black ministers, Burris has not been able to quell criticism from within the Democratic Party over allegations that he misled a House panel while under oath over circumstances about his appointment by impeached ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Republicans have beaten the drum nonstop for a special election to replace Burris, who is now the subject of an ethics probe in the U.S. Senate and a perjury investigation by a Sangamon County prosecutor. But top Statehouse Democrats have resisted that push.
Quinn's camp insisted Monday that the governor is not backing away from supporting special-election legislation but instead wants to "move on" from the political drama given Burris' refusal to give up the seat.