Despite cost, special election is needed

We're going to do something today that we wish former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and current Sen. Roland Burris would do: Admit a mistake.

Our mistake came on Dec. 12, three days after the former governor's arrest by federal agents, when we said Illinois "did not have the luxury of time nor the funding for a (special) election that could cost $31 million" to find a replacement for President Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.

We agreed with then-Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn that Blagojevich should do the right thing and resign as governor and allow Quinn, who would then move up to governor, to make an appointment to the Senate seat.

But, as we all know now, Blagojevich - weeks before he was impeached and removed from office - gave the vacant Senate seat to Burris. With the cloud hanging over Blagojevich, it seemed highly unlikely anyone would accept a nomination from him. But Burris - with an ego that apparently knows no bounds - gladly accepted the post and said in sworn testimony that he had limited contact with one Blagojevich aide about the seat.

Fast forward into February and now we learn Burris talked with several people close to Blagojevich and tried, but failed, to raise money for him before getting the appointment. The last week has seen Burris try to defend himself and then stop talking altogether when the questions got too rough. There have been numerous calls for his resignation and, in this space on Thursday, we, too, said he needed to explain himself fully or resign.

We find now that we once again agree with Quinn, now the governor, who said Friday Burris should resign and a special election should be held to pick a successor.

We don't believe the public will accept anyone who isn't duly elected by the people, given the political shenanigans we've all had to endure. Quinn likes a proposal submitted by state Rep. Jack Franks, a Marengo Democrat, that would let the governor appoint a temporary Senate replacement until a special election occurs. We would go one step further and again call for Quinn to make that temporary appointment by consulting with the special panel he's already pulled together to help clean up state government.

Some Democrats have concerns that the seat, won by Democrat Obama in 2004, could be lost to a Republican in a special election. If that happens, it happens. Frankly, state Democrats have only themselves to blame.

What of our concerns about time and cost? We lost the time element with the latest Burris fiasco. And the hefty price tag still weighs heavily. But that issue unfortunately takes a back seat if we are to regain trust in our politicians and the political process.

"In a democracy, you don't say we don't have the voice of the people heard because it costs too much," Quinn said.

The ball is now in Roland Burris' court. It's time for him to admit his mistakes.