MADISON - ST. CLAIR RECORD

To the editor:

The saga (and absolute childish antics by Harry Reid, Dick Durbin, and others) continues.

The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled, and I stand corrected on a technical, but irrelevant, point. Because they have ruled that the Blago appointment is not a "commission," Jesse White, who does indeed have a duty to countersign "commissions" issued by the executive, is not required to sign the Burris appointment. So be it and accepted.

But, the Court also ruled that (1) a signature on the appointment is not required for Burris to take his rightful seat and (2) White has, according to his duty, registered the appointment. After all, as correctly stated by the Illinois Supreme Court, "the only purpose a signature and seal could possibly serve in this case is an evidentiary one. It would confirm that the appointment had, in fact, been made. At this point, however, there is no question at all that the Governor did, in fact, make the appointment."

If Harry Reid and Dick Durbin don't believe what every other human on the planet knows is true, all they need do, as Justice Karmeier says, is request a certified copy and it should be forthcoming because the Secretary of State does have that duty.

One final point. Justice Karmeier notes that "no explanation has been given as to how any rule of the Senate, whether it be formal or merely a matter of tradition, could supercede the authority to fill vacancies conferred on the states by the federal constitution."

I would add that, in my opinion, there cannot possibly be any such explanation. The United States Constitution does not require the signature of Jesse White and all actual "requirements" of the Constitution have been fulfilled by Illinois, Governor Blagojevich and Senator Roland Burris.

It is outrageous that anyone in Washington, D.C., would continue to block this appointment. I call upon our sitting Senator Durbin to get out of the way, stop violating the U.S. Constitution and cease blocking our right to representation by two senators. It is disgusting to think that our sitting Senator, who has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution, is illegally blocking this valid appointment. Doesn't he know that the Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land, to be honored above any so-called traditions?

Tad Armstrong
Edwardsville