Senator??? Burris

[festus]

Apparently Roland Burris (filling in for BHO from IL) is being considered for federal purgery charges because he gave 3 seperate accounts of his involvement with Blago and Associates. MOre to come...keep an eye on the news.
BTW his vote was the deciding vote on the Spending Package.


Sunday, February 15, 2009
GOP may seek Burris perjury probe
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) | Raising fresh questions about his appointment to Congress, Sen. Roland Burris admitted in a document released Saturday that former Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich's brother asked him for campaign fund-raising help before the governor named Mr. Burris as Illinois' junior senator.

The disclosure reflects a major omission from Mr. Burris' testimony in January when an Illinois House impeachment committee specifically asked if he had ever spoken to Robert Blagojevich or other aides to the now-deposed governor about the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama.

State Rep. Jim Durkin, the impeachment committee's ranking Republican, told the Associated Press that he and House Republican Leader Tom Cross will ask Sunday for an outside investigation into whether Mr. Burris perjured himself.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada also said he was reviewing the disclosure, the latest twist for Senate Democrats in Washington who only consented to seat Mr. Burris on the condition that there were no "pay to play" promises exchanged in the appointment.

Mr. Burris issued a statement Saturday saying he voluntarily gave the committee a Feb. 4 affidavit disclosing the contact with Robert Blagojevich because "there were several facts that I was not given the opportunity to make during my testimony to the impeachment committee."

The affidavit, released by Mr. Burris' officeafter it was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, said Robert Blagojevich called him three times - once in October and twice after the November election - to seek his fund-raising assistance.

Robert Blagojevich's attorney said his client believes one of the conversations was recorded by the FBI.

Mr. Burris, a Democrat like the ex-governor, said he told Robert Blagojevich he would not raise money because it would look like he was trying to win favor from the governor on the appointment. But he said he did ask Robert Blagojevich "what was going on with the selection of a successor" to Mr. Obama in the Senate, and "he said he had heard my name mentioned in the discussions."

It's the second time Mr. Burris has changed his story. In an unsolicited affidavit to the impeachment committee Jan. 6, Mr. Burris said he had only one limited conversation with the governor before accepting the Senate appointment.

Then, appearing before the committee Jan. 8, he said he told former Blagojevich aide-turned-lobbyist Lon Monk last summer that he would be interested in the post in the event Mr. Obama won the presidency and the seat became open.

The governor appointed Mr. Burris, a former state attorney general, to the seat on Dec. 30, three weeks after federal agents arrested Mr. Blagojevich on a complaint accusing him of trying to trade the appointment for campaign cash or a high-paying job. The state legislature removed Mr. Blagojevich from office.

Senate Democrats in Washington initially said they would not seat anyone appointed by Mr. Blagojevich, but they eventually relented. One condition of their acceptance was Mr. Burris' testimony before the Illinois House committee.

A spokeswoman for Mr. Burris said he would not make himself available for interviews Saturday.

State House impeachment committee Chairwoman Barbara Flynn Currie, a Democrat, said she was planning committee action but that seeking an outside investigation now would be premature.

The affidavit discloses for the first time that Mr. Burris thinks he likely told former Blagojevich advisers Doug Scofield and John Wyma of his interest in the post at a fund-raiser in June and later asked about it when he spoke to Blagojevich chief of staff John Harris, who was arrested with the governor on Dec. 9.

Mr. Scofield, Mr. Wyma and Mr. Harris were among the Blagojevich associates Mr. Burris was asked about in his Jan. 8 testimony by Mr. Durkin, the panel's top Republican. In response, Mr. Burris said he had spoken only to Mr. Monk.

"This wasn't a couple of questions that I can understand someone may forget; it goes way beyond that," Mr. Durkin said Saturday. "To say that he wasn't given the opportunity to explain himself is a load of BS."

[Boomboy007]

Just when I think I've got my blood pressure back down, you have to go and bring reality crashing back in around my ears.

Why can't you just give me a few days to listen to BO's sweet, melodious voice........ so soothing........ so reasonable....... so...... so....


Hey!!! How did I wake up in the Soviet Union???

[wolfhunter]

Burris: "Oh, yeah. Now that I've put the US in billions of dollars of debt, I remember talking about a Senate seat with the Blago family. But, now that I'm a seated Senator, it will cost the taxpayers millions to do anything about it."

[festus]

State's Attorney Investigating Burris Testimony to House Impeachment Panel
U.S. Sen. Roland Burris is being investigated for possibly lying to the House panel investigating impeachment charges against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, for whom the senator now admits he tried raising funds.

FOXNews.com

Tuesday, February 17, 2009


A state's attorney in Illinois is investigating whether U.S. Sen. Roland Burris lied in testimony he gave to the state legislature before it impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

"The matter is under review by this office," the office of the state's attorney in Sangamon County, Ill., said in a two-line statement Tuesday that noted it had received panel documents from Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan.

The news comes after the senator again disclosed fundraising conversations.with the ex-governor's brother. Speaking to reporters in Illinois on Monday night, Burris said the brother, Rob Blagojevich, called him in October on "a routine fundraising call" and asked him if he'd be willing to help the governor raise cash.

Burris said that he asked how much cash he wanted raised and was told $10,000 to $15,000, according to a transcript of Burris' remarks to reporters printed by The Chicago Tribune.

Burris said he couldn't help at the time but told Rob Blagojevich to get in touch later. After President Obama's election, Blagojevich called back and asked again. Burris said he told him no one wanted to contribute to the governor.

"So when the brother called me back, I said, 'Well, look, Rob ... I can't raise any money from my friends.' I said, 'Maybe my partner and I, you can talk this over and see, could we go to some other people that we might be able to talk to that would help us out if we give -- because we give a fundraiser in the law office, nobody going to show up. We'll probably have a thousand dollars for you or something to that effect,'" reads the transcript.

Burris then goes on to say that during the October conversation he raised a question about the Senate seat with the governor's brother, but at no other time did they discuss it.

But right after that, Burris said that in a later conversation, he told him that he and his law partner assessed the situation and Burris told him, "Look, you know, I'm interested in the Senate seat. I can't raise any money for him."

Those remarks and additional statements by Burris over the last few days have prompted a Democratic state representative to call for the committee that recommended Blagojevich's ouster to reconvene so it can ask Burris to shed more light on his talks with Blagojevich aides.

Rep. Jack Franks told FOX News he is also asking the U.S. Senate ethics committee to review Burris' less-than-complete testimony to the Illinois House panel and has called on the junior senator to resign in light of a recent admission he spoke with former Blagojevich's aides about his appointment to the seat.

"By not telling us those issues, and by waiting almost a month to file an affidavit, I think he's really opened up more questions than he has answered, and I want him back at our committee so we can ask those questions," Franks said. "I don't think he should have ever accepted the appointment, and I think he should resign."

The idea of the panel reconvening has not picked up steam, however, as Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said any further meeting by the House or any committee on the subject of Burris' testimony "would be inappropriate."

On Monday, Burris denied that he was trying to dupe the panel when he testified on Jan. 8 about contacts he had with Blagojevich's office over the Senate seat vacated by President Obama. Burris filed an affidavit on Feb. 5 amending his testimony and noting that he spoke with six of the former governor's aides and allies, including Rob Blagojevich, who on three different occasions asked him to fundraise for the governor. Burris has said in each instance that he refused.

Burris explained the omission in his original testimony as a byproduct of his limited time to answer questions.

The senator has said he welcomes investigations by prosecutors and the Senate ethics panel and has already been in touch with the state's attorney in Springfield.

A reading of the testimony shows Burris had several opportunities to offer Rep. Jim Durkin, the top Illinois House Republican on the panel, an elaboration of his comments. Rep. Jil Tracy also questioned Burris after Durkin and got no additional information despite pointed inquiries.

Franks and Durkin say Burris deliberately misled the committee to ensure that he would be appointed to the Senate seat. He was sworn in Jan. 15. They speculated that the only reason why Burris came clean a month later is that he realized that federal prosecutors had him on tape talking to Blagojevich's brother, Rob.

"His affidavit two days ago said that 'I spoke with Rob Blagojevich because he called me up about raising money, but I would not do it because it was inappropriate.' Now he's even changed from his affidavit," Durkin said. "He should resign, resign, do it quick, let's get this over."

"When I see it in retrospect, there's no reasonable explanation for what Senator Burris did. He knew exactly why he was coming to our committee. He knew what was expected of him and what we wanted to hear," Franks said.

Durkin said he disagrees with Franks' call for Burris to be brought before the impeachment panel, saying that under the Illinois Perjury Statute, individuals who are brought in on a continuing hearing or trial are absolved of criminal prosecution if they admit to a prior false statement.

"I've heard as much as I want to hear from Roland Burris," Durkin said. "Bringing him in ... this gives him an out and that's wrong. We should stop this right now."

Franks said he has sent a request for an ethics committee review to the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Reid's spokesman said no referral has been made to the ethics panel, and the senator was waiting for the Illinois Legislature to look into Burris' testimony.

FOX News' Steve Brown and Trish Turner contributed to this report.

[HK4U]

Can any good thing come out of IL?

[astute]

Like I said in another post. There are really stupid people in this world

[festus]

Illinois Governor Asks Burris to Resign, Calls for Special Election
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said it was a "mistake" for Burris to accept a Senate appointment from his predecessor who was impeached and ousted last month by Illinois lawmakers.

FOXNews.com

Friday, February 20, 2009

0 x
in order to recommend a story, you must login or register.
12 Comments | Add Comment
Photos

Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn speaks at a news conference Monday in Chicago. (AP Photo)

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn called on fellow Democrat Roland Burris to resign his U.S. Senate seat Friday, joining a growing chorus of politicians and newspapers.

The Democratic governor said it was a "mistake" for Burris to accept a Senate appointment from his predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, who was impeached and ousted last month by Illinois lawmakers. The announcement comes as Burris falls under criticism for amending his account of how he came to be appointed to the Senate.

"I would ask my good friend Senator Roland Burris to put the interest of the people of the land of Lincoln ahead of his own and step aside," Quinn said at a news conference Friday.

Quinn called Burris an honorable man but said there's a shadow over his service in the Senate.

Quinn said a new senator should be chosen by special election to fill the seat once held by Barack Obama.

Burris initially said there was no discussion of him doing any favors in exchange for the appointment. But Burris later acknowledged he did discuss the vacant seat with Blagojevich's friends and allies. He claims he was asked to raise money for Blagojevich but couldn't find anyone willing to contribute.

Burris has stopped speaking publicly and answering any more questions about the evolving story of his Senate appointment.

A spokeswoman for the embattled senator said he has visited a veterans medical center in Chicago Friday morning and he is scheduled to privately tour a naval training center.

[Scarecrow]

Can any good thing come out of IL?

the answer seems to be... NO!