Crap and Traitor Mark Kirk out of Illinois Senate race – or is he?
With Blago crook Roland Burris announcing today what a quitter he is, and isn’t going to run for the Illinois senate seat in 2010, the “republican” who was expected to make a run at the seat, Cap and Trader Mark Kirk is apparently withdrawling his name too. Or is he? according to Roll Call: “Kirk Says He’s Still Mulling Senate Race.”
Democrat Corruption: Burris Offered To Write Check To Blagojevich before being appointed
From the state of Obama comes yet more corruption. According to CBS in the land of corruption Chicago, Sen. Roland Burris was recorded on an FBI wiretap suggesting that he could write a check to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s campaign before the ousted governor appointed Burris to the Senate. The details of the conversation emerged after a federal judge said Tuesday he would allow the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee to hear a federal wiretap of former Blagojevich’s brother, Rob, having a fund-raising conversation with Burris.
BlagObamaGate just wouldn’t go away! Roland Burris’s deadbeat son landed a $75,000-a-year state job courtesy of blago!
Just when you think Blago-gate can’t get any slimier, along comes another corruption angle on the story. This one involves embattled Sen. Roland Burris’s son, who — get this — serves as an Illiniois senior housing authority counsel despite facing foreclosure on his own home.
And you wonder how we ended up with a tax cheat for Treasury Secretary, a know-nothing for director of intelligence, and a Bozo to police federal “recovery” funds.
It’s the Chicago way. Via the Sun-Times:
The son of embattled Sen. Roland Burris is a federal tax deadbeat who landed a $75,000-a-year state job under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich five months ago, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.
Blagojevich’s administration hired Roland W. Burris II as a senior counsel for the state’s housing authority Sept. 10 — about six weeks after the Internal Revenue Service slapped a $34,163 tax lien on Burris II and three weeks after a mortgage company filed a foreclosure suit on his South Side house.
A spokeswoman for the Illinois Housing Development Authority indicated Wednesday there was nothing improper about Burris II’s employment by the agency, whose mission includes overseeing mortgage programs for low-income home buyers and anti-foreclosure initiatives.
Burris II’s hiring, however, raises more questions about Sen. Burris’ interactions with Blagojevich and his inner circle at a time when the governor was soliciting Sen. Burris for campaign contributions and Burris was angling to have Blagojevich appoint him to the Senate seat once held by President Obama.
Blagojevich appointed Burris to that seat in late December after Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell the vacancy to the highest bidder.
Sen. Burris, 71, is fending off calls for his resignation and is the subject of a Senate ethics probe and a perjury investigation by the top prosecutor in Downstate Sangamon County. Those probes stem from conflicting testimony Sen. Burris provided to the House panel that drafted impeachment charges against Blagojevich, who was removed from office Jan. 29.
Separately, federal authorities have been investigating hiring decisions by Blagojevich’s administration. Authorities, however, have not expressed any interest in Burris II, Housing Development Authority spokeswoman Rebecca Boykin said.
“Roland Burris II was hired by the Illinois Housing Development Authority’s Legal Department based on his qualifications in response to a published job posting,” Boykin stated. “As an employer, it is not IHDA’s practice to request financial information from applicants.”
Sen. Burris’ office, Burris II and Sen. Burris’ lawyer, Timothy Wright III, did not return telephone calls and e-mails seeking comment. Blagojevich’s publicist also did not respond to questions about Burris II’s hiring.
Burris II, 42, once worked at the same law firm as his father: Burris, Wright, Slaughter & Tom. That firm merged with another in the fall.
Burris II had resolved two federal tax liens in 2005 before being hit with the $34,163 lien in July. That lien against his property seeks unpaid taxes for 2004, 2005 and 2007.
A month after the IRS filed the lien, Burris II’s lender filed its foreclosure suit. Since Burris II and his wife got the $372,000 mortgage on July 18, 2006, they’ve paid less than $3,000 on it, the suit alleges. The balance due is $406,685, including interest and penalties.
Transcript says!: Roland Burris deliberately evaded truth about Blago brother
What a perfect replacement for Hussein Obama’s senate seat. The crook and marxist pig who is now president, gives way to a cheat and liar! I guess it wouldn’t be any other way in the ’state’ of Illinois.
Roland Burris says the reason that he never mentioned the demand for $10,000 from Rod Blagojevich’s brother Robert to the Illinois legislature is because they never asked him about it. Mark Brown at the Chicago Sun-Times begs to differ, and he has the transcript to prove it. In his testimony, Burris had plenty of opportunity to spill the beans — and instead chose to remain silent.
Rep. Jim Durkin: “Did you talk to any members of the governor’s staff or anyone closely related to the governor, including family members or any lobbyists connected with him, including, let me throw out some names — John Harris, Rob Blagojevich, Doug Scofield, Bob Greenleaf, Lon Monk, John Wyma? Did you talk to anybody . . . associated with the governor about your desire to seek the appointment prior to the governor’s arrest?”
Durkin: “I guess the point is I was trying to ask: Did you speak to anybody who was on the governor’s staff prior to the governor’s arrest or anybody, any of those individuals or anybody who is closely related to the governor?”
Rep. Jill Tracy: “You said that you had visited friends perhaps in September of ‘08 or July of ‘08 concerning a desire to perhaps be appointed as a senator if our president-elect was elected. And could you give me the names of those friends?”
Tracy: “But I think I earlier heard you today testify that in September ‘08 or perhaps as early as July ‘08, you had visited with some friends about your desire to seek the seat.”
Tracy: “And I just was wondering who those friends were.”
Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, the committee chairman: “Is that when you talked about your interest with Lon Monk? I think that –”
Tracy: “Was it Lon Monk, was that the extent of it was Lon Monk?
Tracy: “So you don’t recall that there was anybody else besides Lon Monk that you expressed an interest to at that point?”
Tracy: “Is there anybody that comes to mind in that light that you can –”
Read Brown’s column for Burris’ responses. Not only did the panel give Burris at least nine oppportunities to name Robert Blagojevich and his $10K demand, Durkin specifically asked Burris about the impeached governor’s brother. Burris never acknowleged it, nor did he reveal the contact, even though it went directly to the heart of the pay-for-play scandal. If that’s not perjury, it’s at least obstruction of justice.
Now Illinois Democrats wonder whether they should give Burris the heave-ho:
Several Democratic lawmakers from Illinois said Monday that they were troubled by revelations about Roland W. Burris, the state’s newest senator and a fellow Democrat. And at least one called for Mr. Burris to come before the state legislature and explain himself.
“We all have a lot of questions,” State Representative Jack D. Franks said. “He wasn’t forthcoming, and that’s the bottom line. I feel betrayed. The real problem here is the question of trust for the citizens of Illinois. We were supposed to rise to the occasion and, again, Illinois becomes the laughingstock for the nation.”
Tommy Christopher notes that even Keith Olbermann threw Burris under the bus last night with the revelation about being explicitly asked about Robert Blagojevich at the hearing. Will Harry Reid take the hint?
Roland Burris caught on Blago tapes?
Federal investigators now want to talk with Roland Burris, the man appointed to the Senate by disgraced and impeached Governor Rod Blagojevich in Illinois. According to Burris’ lawyers, the wiretaps may have caught Burris chatting about the Senate opening with Blagojevich or his staff. Burris now has to fend off calls for his resignation by the legislature that has already expelled Blagojevich:
Burris’ evolving explanation of what happened took another twist when he said federal investigators want to talk about his appointment to the Senate seat that Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell.
“What I understand is some of the agents have reached out to my lawyers,” Burris said, adding “they want to meet with me.”
Burris attorney Timothy Wright acknowledged Burris may be on a covert recording in the Blagojevich investigation but declined to explain the senator’s comment about meeting with federal agents, saying “the FBI has not come to us and they’re not asking us for anything.”
Burris, a former attorney general, alternately looked nervous and feisty at a hastily arranged news conference in Chicago just a day before he was to embark on a statewide listening tour to meet the constituents he has represented for about a month. At times, Burris and his lawyer gave contradictory answers or no answers when pressed on whether he told the whole truth about his role.
Whoops! Blago insisted that Burris was clean, although Illinois had little choice but to certify him in any case. Now Burris may have starred in one or more of the conversations the feds have on tape, which means that the little pas de deux Burris played with the legislature makes it more interesting. If Burris lied under oath, then the taped conversations could prove it.
Chicago politics at its finest. More problems for Roland Burris – GOP demands resignation, perjury probe, Burris naturally blames someone else
Time asks: Liar or fool? You decide:
Burris gets appointed to the Senate by Rod Blagojevich, a self-made cartoon of political ineptness and alleged corruption. The U.S. Senate won’t seat Burris until he testifies under oath that he is unblemished by the Blagojevich stain. Burris does this–under oath–knowing that any disclosure of contacts with the Blagojovich camp could jeopardize the Senate acceptance of his nomination. He submits a sworn affidavit saying “there was not any contact between myself or any of my representatives with Governor Blagojevich or any of his representatives” about the Senate seat before he was offered the job. A few days later, he testifies under oath that he did, after all, talk about the job previously with “some friends about his desire to be appointed.” He is asked specifically about conversations with Blagojevich aides and associates Doug Scofield, Bob Greenleaf, Lon Monk, John Wyma and John Harris. He says he spoke with Lon Monk, a state lobbyist with ties to Blagojevich. Based on this information, he is accepted into the U.S. Senate.
Last Friday, the Burris story changes again–big time. (To see the new affidavit, click here.) His new story, includes these salient details: As far back as June, at a fundraiser Burris attended for Blagojevich, Burris told two of the governor’s aides, Wyma and Scofield, that he was “interested” in the Senate job. He also talked to Blagojevich’s brother about the post, not once but three times in October and November, and Burris, as part of the same conversations, discussed raising money for Blagojevich with the brother. (Burris claims he declined, saying it would look bad.) In October he called Blagojevich’s chief of staff, John Harris, in an attempt to get his own nephew a state job, and then asked about the Senate appointment. He also called Ed Smith, a “friend and supporter” of Blagojevich’s, to ask if he had a chance of getting the Senate job.
Burris, still under oath in a sworn affidavit, now says that he did not bring these facts up during the January testimony because he was “asked another question,” and did not have a chance to more fully explain himself. At best, this makes Burris a political fool, because he knowingly allowed his new Senate colleagues to be played for fools by denying them all the information they sought. Uncovering these facts, after all, was the entire purpose of his testimony, and he knew that. Did he think he could get by without bringing them up? Did he not feel the responsibility to clear the air, if not at the hearing, then immediately following the hearing? Did he think no one would notice, or that the information would not eventually come out?
Full transcript of original testimony here.
***
5:00pm Eastern update. The press just laughed at Burris for trying to defend his incomplete answer in his original affidavit.
REPRESENTATIVE DURKIN: Did you talk to any members of the Governor’s staff or anyone closely related to the Governor, including family members or any lobbyists connected with him, including let me throw out some names, John Harris, Rob Blagojevich, Doug Scofield, Bob Greenleaf, Lon Monk, John Wyma, did you talk to anybody who was associated with the Governor about your desire to seek the appointment prior to the Governor’s arrest?
MR. WRIGHT: Give us a moment.
MR. BURRIS: I talked to some friends about my desire to be appointed, yes.
REPRESENTATIVE DURKIN: I guess the point is I was trying to ask, did you speak to anybody who was
on the Governor’s staff prior to the Governor’s arrest or anybody, any of those individuals or anybody who is closely related to the Governor?MR. BURRIS: I recall having a meeting with Lon Monk about my partner and I trying to get continued business, and I did bring it up, it must have been in September or maybe it was in July of ‘08 that, you know, you’re close to the Governor, let him know that I am certainly interested in the seat.
BlagObamaGate returns: Burris covered up Blago solicitation to get his senate seat!
Maybe Harry Reid should have stuck to his guns. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Roland Burris failed to disclose that impeached and former Governor Rod Blagojevich’s brother solicited a $10,000 contribution just prior to Burris’ appointment to the Senate. The admission conflicts with previous sworn depositions in the case, putting Burris at risk of perjury:
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother solicited U.S. Sen. Roland Burris for up to $10,000 in campaign cash before Blagojevich named Burris to the coveted post — something Burris initially failed to disclose under oath before an Illinois House impeachment panel, records and interviews show.
Burris acknowledges being hit up for the money in a new affidavit he has sent to the head of the House committee that recommended Blagojevich be removed from office.
The affidavit is dated Feb. 5 — three weeks after Burris was sworn in to replace President Obama in the Senate.
Burris — who did not give money to the Blagojevich campaign fund in response to the previously undisclosed solicitation — provided a copy of the sworn statement to the Chicago Sun-Times Friday in response to questions about his contacts with the Blagojevich camp about fund-raising.
However, thats not all for the Blagos. If the Blagojeviches thought that impeachment might slake the thirst of federal investigators, they were sorely mistaken. The Chicago Tribune reports that feds dropped subpoenas on Patti Blagojevich’s former employer, which unceremoniously dumped her as soon as her husband joined the ranks of the unemployed. Investigators appear interested in what Patti did for the Chicago Christian Industrial League, and it looks like … not much:
Sneed hears the feds delivered a subpoena to the Chicago Christian Industrial League Wednesday, which once employed former first lady Patti Blagojevich as its development director.
The upshot: Sneed is told the feds requested the files pertaining to Mrs. Blagojevich’s employment, which included any of her development deals.
The backshot: The former first lady was hired last September at a $100,000-a-year salary to lure new donors to the league, which provides transitional housing and job training for the homeless. The state-of-the-art shelter facility was where Mrs. Blagojevich worked until mid-January, when she was abruptly dismissed from her job. Since then, she has filed suit claiming the league violated her contract.
Burris to get the senate seat. Harry Reid and the racist democrats cave as expected
U.S. Senate officials have approved Roland Burris to fill the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, sources said on Monday, in a major about-face for the Democratic leadership.
Hmm.. Maybe Burris isn’t so clean afterall?
Roland Burris will likely get his Senate seat this week, but his argument that he didn’t have many ties to Governor Rod Blagojevich looks less likely to survive. The Chicago Tribune reports today that Burris developed opposition research for Blagojevich’s re-election campaign in 2006, making him much closer to the now-impeached governor than Burris wanted to admit:
Just days after Gov. Rod Blagojevich accepted his party’s nod for re-election in 2006, a letter arrived at state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka’s office seeking thousands of pages of documents Blagojevich could use as ammunition against her in their upcoming campaign.
The letter was signed by Roland Burris.
It was one of several requests Burris made to the treasurer’s office in 2006, a campaign practice known as opposition research in which candidates use public documents to question their opponents’ records.
Burris’ assistance for his fellow Democrat would typically draw little notice. But it comes to light as he is seeking to project his political independence from the scandal-plagued governor who appointed him to the U.S. Senate on Dec. 31.
Bobby Rush – former black panther hypocrite!
It seems Bobby Rush is suddenly a fan of Blago. Bobby Rush, back for a bottom-feeding encore after yesterday’s bravura performance at the presser. Only a neo-segregationist would oppose the Senate’s only black member, says a guy who himself endorsed a white Democrat in the Senate primary four years ago over his old nemesis, Barack Obama. He called Blago’s actions “heinous” on December 9th, and agreed with Democratic consensus that he shouldn’t make the appointment before instantly reversing himself yesterday in the interests of racial solidarity. Obama has political capital to spare and multiple reasons here to spend it — tactically, to give Senate Democrats cover and burnish his credentials as the post-racial president, and personally, given his long rivalry with Rush. He should step up and lay this turd out. He’d have plenty of support based on early indications. Watch the video below:
Bobby Rush – From Blago being heinous, to “All these folks who are opposed to Governor Blagojevich, they need to take a chill pill.”
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