* UPDATE: 4:06 PM - The usual…

At a news conference Friday, about a dozen black activists said — despite the legal cloud over Blagojevich — the governor has the legal right to appoint Burris and Burris is highly qualified.

William Walls of the Committee for a Better Chicago warns that, if Secretary of State Jesse White doesn’t certify the appointment and Sen. Dick Durbin doesn’t support Burris, activists will work to defeat them in upcoming elections.

Dock Walls got, what, 50 votes for mayor of Chicago? Whatever.

* UPDATE: 3:46 PM - Roland Burris has filed a motion this afternoon with the Supreme Court asking it to accelerate its decision on whether Secretary of State Jesse white has to certify Burris’ appointment to the US Senate. Read it here.

…To clarify a bit, Jesse White originally had seven days to respond to Burris’ first complaint. That put the date at January 7th, which is a day after the US Senate is sworn in.

* 11:37 am - The Illinois House returns to town Wednesday at 4 o’clock. Members have been told to expect to remain in town through January 14th. Here’s the memo…

To: All House Members
From: Michael J. Madigan, Speaker of the House
Re: House Session Update – January 2009

Please be advised you should plan to return to Springfield on Wednesday, January 7.

On Monday, January 5, lawyers for both caucuses will be in U. S. Federal Court regarding a motion by the U. S. Attorney’s Office to release certain tape recordings to the Illinois House Special Investigating Committee. The House may be called to vote on a House Special Investigating Committee report recommendation this week. The Committee is scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday, January 6 at 1 p.m., Room 114 State Capitol Building.

Members should plan that the House may be in Session on the following dates:

Wednesday, January 7 4 p.m. Session
Thursday, January 8
Friday, January 9
Saturday, January 10
Sunday, January 11
Monday, January 12 previously scheduled
Tuesday, January 13 previously scheduled

* In other news, I’ve checked with a couple of different Champaign County sources, and Lawrence Perlman is not a registered voter there. Perlman is a co-petitioner on Roland Burris’ lawsuit filed at the Illinois Supreme Court to force Jesse White to certify his US Senate appointment. The suit claims that Perlman is an Urbana resident and is registered to vote.

Oops.

* The Burris suit appears to be a mess in other ways. Burris claims, for instance, that Secretary of State White’s refusal to certify has no bearing on his Senate appointment whatsoever, then demands that the Supremes do something about it anyway. Why? Here’s the reasoning…

His failure to do so may cast doubt in the minds of the public as to the legitimacy of Burris’ appointment, all to Petitioners’ damage and in derogation of their rights.

In other words, Burris’ feelings are hurt.

* More goofiness from our Senator-designate…

Shortly after Blagojevich’s arrest, Burris said the charges outlined “appalling” and “repr