Burris: I’m a United States Senator

Roland Burris is already declaring himself a senator, even as Senate Democrats talk about blocking his appointment and as Illinois lawmakers want him to back home.

Burris, the choice of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) to fill President-elect Obama’s old seat, told reporters Monday in Chicago that he will go to Washington this week despite opposition from Senate leaders and a subpoena from state lawmakers.

“I’m a United States senator,” he said. “They cannot stop me from doing my senatorial duties.”

The Illinois House of Representatives committee considering the impeachment of Blagojevich has called on Burris to testify Wednesday, but Burris said he will go to the Senate on Wednesday instead. Asked how he can do both, he first joked, “I am the magic man.” Then he said that he would try to appear before the committee in Springfield on Thursday.

He also said he wasn’t bothered by any plans by senators to block him.

“No, I’m not bothered by that, because the appointment’s legal,” he said. “Why don’t you all understand that what has been done here is legal? Those — I mean, that’s legal. I am the junior senator from Illinois, and I wish my colleagues in the press would recognize that all the drama — and, you know, it makes — I guess it keeps you all in a job, is that right now?”

Burris deflected questions about whether he would try to strike a deal with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to allow him to assume the seat, saying that he doesn’t “negotiate through the press.”

“Well, I will sit down and talk to Mr. Reid,” he said. “I mean, that’s what I’m going to tell him. I’m here to take my seat.”