Washington – The cloud of political corruption hanging over the state of Illinois threatens to cause a storm in Washington when the US Senate opens its new session on Tuesday.

Former Illinois attorney general Roland Burris, 71, will arrive in Washington on Monday, calling himself the new senator from the state to fill the seat being vacated by president-elect Barack Obama.

But Democratic Senate leaders don’t see it that way after the state’s governor who made the appointment was caught in a broad corruption probe.

“I am going there to be seated. I am the junior senator from Illinois,” Burris insisted at a press conference as he prepared to leave Chicago.

Senate leaders have refused to acknowledge any appointment made by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who was caught last month allegedly trying to sell the seat. But despite the outcry, the governor moved to name a replacement.

Federal agents arrested Blagojevich on December 9 on numerous corruption charges, including a plot to solicit bribes from potential candidates to replace Obama.

Blagojevich later named Burris to the post, even as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other Democrats said any Blagojevich candidate would not be viewed as credible and vowed they would not seat the successor, even though he has not been implicated in any wrongdoing.

Burris insists that the appointment is legitimate because Blagojevich remains the governor and retains the power to appoint a replacement senator. No one has alleged that Burris is involved in any wrong doing, and he maintains he is qualified for the position.

“What has been done here is legal. I am the junior senator from Illinois and I wish my colleagues in the press would recognize that,” he said Monday.

But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid maintains that the Senate is justified in not seating Burris because it has the power to determine its membership.

The appointment could also be tripped up on a further technicality. It appeared the document signed by the governor certifying Burris as senator lacked a crucial second signature by the state’s attorney general.

“As long as Blagojevich has done the appointing, it’s really a tainted appointment,” Reid said in an interview Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press.

“This is not dealing with the appointee. I think everyone that I’ve talked to said that Burris is a good guy. We’re talking about a cloud over anyone that comes from the state of Illinois, being appointed by Blagojevich,” he said, adding that the body would welcome Burris if the governor steps down and he is then appointed by a new governor.

Burris’ supporters have insisted that denying him the position smacks of racism. He became the first African-American to win Illinois statewide office in 1978, when he was elected comptroller. He later went on to serve as attorney general.

Congressman Bobby Rush raised the issue at the press conference at which Blagojevich appointed Burris last month, saying he didn’t think any senator would want to deny a lone African American from being seated. Obama’s departure leaves the Senate without any black members.

Reid dismissed any such allegations, calling them a distraction to the real issue. “Anyone to suggest anything racial is part of the Blagojevich spin to take away from the corruption that’s involved his office in Illinois.”

Reid was to meet with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell later Monday to discuss how to deal with the situation. Senate leaders were also to meet with Burris later in the week. (dpa)