Burris: "We ARE the senator."

And he intends to be in Washington on Tuesday for the swearing in.

Roland Burris, being Roland Burris, put it to me this way Friday when we talked: "We are the senator."

And we, that is he, the former Illinois attorney general, told me that he will try to avoid making a scene when he comes to the Capitol on Tuesday to claim the seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. Burris is arriving in town Monday night.

As my face likes to say: "nom nom nom."

Burris is expected to try and take his seat, but the sergeant-at-arms, an old Illinois chum of Burris', is ready to keep him from it in a "businesslike" fashion.

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are considering some kind of temporary Senator-lite position for the Illinois junior senator:

Pending final resolution, it's possible Burris will get some office space, a limited staff and maybe even be put on some kind of payroll. Though the senators may allow him on the floor, to hang around in the back, Burris could not vote or sit behind one of the desks in the Senate chamber.

Later: And jcp just won Comment of the Year, suggesting that Senate Democrats are treating Burris like 3/5 of a Senator. For funsies I sent that one along to Bobby Rush's office.

posted by Gabriel Malor at 12:52 PM

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