Senate Dems Postpone Seating Al Franken

When the 111th Congress convenes in a few minutes (noon today) the U.S. Senate will be a few seats short. Both Roland Burris and Al Franken had planned to be seated today, but that’s not going to happen:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid yielded to Republican threats and agreed on Monday not to immediately seat fellow Democrat Al Franken, whose razor-close victory in Minnesota faces legal challenges.

Senate Republicans had planned to disrupt the opening of the new Congress on Tuesday by blocking Franken’s swearing-in.

And in another ugly fight, Senate Democrats vowed to block, at least for now, the seating of fellow party member Roland Burris whose appointment by embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich carries a whiff of political scandal.

As Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader, correctly pointed out yesterday to the press, Franken can not be seated without an election certificate. Minnesota won’t produce said certificate without the resolution of all associated litigation which is being submitted by Norm Coleman’s team. Ergo, Franken can not be seated today.

Now that whole Roland Burris mess is another story that’s still unfolding.

Update: Yes, Burris was also blocked mainly due to the lack of Illinois’ secretary of state’s signature on his appointment. Video of Burris’ resulting press meeting below.

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