Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Pay to play: Burris promised campaign check for Blago

Two words for you, Senator Burris: Resign now.

Five words for you, Governor Patrick Quinn: We want a special election.

Well..well...well. It looks like there's a smoking gun tape that probably has Sen. Roland Burris (D-Blagojevich) very nervous, as the Chicago Sun-Times exclusively reports this afternoon.

In a November conversation caught on an FBI wiretap, Roland Burris promised Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother that he'd write the governor a campaign check by mid-December, Burris’ lawyer said today.

That was about a month before Rod Blagojevich appointed Burris to the U.S. Senate.

But lawyer Timothy Wright told the Chicago Sun-Times today that his client never sent the check because he believed it wasn't a good idea given Burris' interest in the U.S. Senate seat appointment. Wright said Burris' decision not to send the check had nothing to do with Blagojevich’s Dec. 9 arrest.

More...

Burris did not mention a promise of a check in a Feb. 4 sworn affidavit that Burris submitted to an Illinois House panel investigating Rod Blagojevich's impeachment. That affidavit sought to supplement Burris' testimony before a House panel, where Burris only mentioned having contact with Lon Monk with regard to the appointment.

According to Timothy Wright, Burris' attorney, the amount of that check was to be $1,500. Big money? No. But it's still pay-to-play.

Within hours of Blagojevich's December 9 arrest, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) called for a special election to decide who would be Barack Obama's successor in the Senate. But Durbin backed off his call almost immediately.

While still lieutenant governor, Patrick Quinn called for a temporary appointment by the governor--he's governor now--followed by a quick special election.

I favor Durbin's initial stand.

We want a special election!

UPDATE: 7:05pm CDT: It's a smoking gun, for sure. Remember, not only is the US Senate Ethics Committee investigaging Burris, so is the Sangamon County State's Attorney--for perjury.

CBS 2 Chicago has a transcript of the conversation between Burris and Robert Blagojevich.

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3 comments:

Buckaroo Banzai said...

Are you frakkin' kidding me? Why is the FBI not dragging his ass out of the Senate as we speak?

Levois said...

Personally I'd rather see the 17th Amendment repealed. :P

Stix said...

The Magic Man has some explaining to do.

http://stixblog.com/2009/05/26/ruh-ro-magic-man-is-in-trouble/