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.

Technorati tags: Chicago chicago sun times Blagojevich Illinois Politics corruption Illinois Democrats senate Roland Burris crime impeachment Barack Obama Obama