Let voters decide if Burris should stay

Roland Burris should face the voters, and he should do it now. Both Sen. Burris and United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made his testimony of his relationship with former Gov. Rod Blagojevich before the House Impeachment Committee a precondition to him being seated by the U.S. Senate. We now know that Sen. Burris did not testify truthfully, and he changed his testimony after he had been seated. That is equivalent to not answering all of the questions truthfully on an employment application, and then filing an amendment to it after you have been hired.

What he did is wrong, and he should step down. In most businesses, he would be fired for what he did, but unfortunately, in this case there is no way to fire Mr. Burris.

If he wants to serve the people honestly and faithfully, Mr. Burris should step down.

In the meantime, the Illinois Legislature should pass, and Governor Quinn should sign into law, HB 2503, which calls for a special election for vacancies in the United States Senate.

This bill should be called for a vote, passed, and signed into law by Governor Quinn on an emergency basis.

It is time to put an end to this sordid chapter in Illinois political history and let the people decide who will represent them in Washington. Mr. Burris, in his ambitions to be named to the U.S. Senate, didn't answer important questions truthfully. Democratic leaders, both in Illinois and Washington, in their frantic desire to keep the seat in the Democratic column, have shown why this decision is best left in the hands of voters. Early on, many Illinois Democrats said Illinois should have a special election for the United States Senate. But they succumbed to party pressure and acquiesced to the appointment of Mr. Burris. It was a mistake. Let's have an election and do it right.

Tom Cross

House Republican Leader

Oswego