Senate Democratic leaders moved Monday to formally accept Roland Burris as President-elect Barack Obama's Senate successor, hoping to move beyond the spectacle that emerged around Burris's appointment by the scandal-plagued Illinois governor.

The Illinois House voted overwhelmingly Friday to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich, an action that sets up a Senate trial on whether he should be thrown out of office for allegedly trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat.