Illinois Senator turned away at Capitol

[Bob Gutermuth]

"Each house shall be the judge of the elections..." sounds to me like it gives the houses permission to decide who can be a member. This privilidge has been enacted rarely, but each house still has the power. Remember the Adam Calyton Powell case back in the late 1960's early 70's?

[Eric Johnson]

Bob-

It was the Powell case I referenced. The Supremes said that (in a nutshell) that the houses of Congress can not create additional qualifications for membership. This means that the Senate can look at Burris's credentials and accept or reject only on the basis on the Constitutional qualifications, not rules that have been created by the particular house.

The Bilbo case is interesting history and I appreciate you reminding me so I could look it up. I knew there was a case in the 40's but couldn't find it. Theodore Bilbow was a Democrat from Mississippi. He wasn't actually refused his seat. The Republicans tried to stop him but were persuaded to move the issue to a committee. His credentials remained on the table while he returned home to seek treatment from oral cancer. They were still on the table when he subsequently died. What's really interesting is that this was to be his third term!

Eric

[Bob Gutermuth]

Tabling the seating of Bilbo was a compromise reached after he alleged that he had been bribed by one of his opponents.http://www.menforpalin.com/index.php.../comments/207/

[Eric Johnson]

No. That was when he was in the state legislature.

After that, he was elected the the US Senate. It took a term for them to figure out just how little they wanted him around. The second term they resorted to giving him really minor committee posts and the like. When he ran for the third term and won, they'd had enough and tried to block his being seated. One or more Senators hit on the idea of sending his credentials to a committee and he went home. He died before any action was taken on the credentials.

Eric

[Pals]

This is just so embarrassing. For those of us downstate it is just flat infuriating--we have for so long had Chicago politics shoved down our throats--why people down here don't get out and vote is beyond me. Has anyone talked about Burris's companies that received over 400 grand in state contracts? Oh wait, let me put my rosy glasses on--I am just sure there was no backroom deals.............what a load of crap.