Burris tried to raise money for blago at behest of blago's brother

[southsider2k5]

What are Illinois's ballot access requirements?

 

Its not much. Remember the Alan Keyes run?

[MurcieOne]

So about that special election that should have been called...

 

i'm all in favor of reforming Illinois, and getting some political balance (how about a libertarian senator?)

 

but since that wont happen, i was actually not in favor of the special election -- why? because it would cost too much f***ing money, aka the last thing we need right now.

 

Now what should have happened is Harry Reid should have stuck to his guns and kept this moron out of the senate. Jesse White should have refused to sign. However, I'm sure that the Obama admin didnt want any unecessary distractions (logically) and they let him through. It was a risk, and now this s*** comes up.

 

What do you do now? Beat the impeachment drum? I hate most Illinois Dems -- but as a country... do we really have time to deal with this?

[bmags]

i'm all in favor of reforming Illinois, and getting some political balance (how about a libertarian senator?)

 

but since that wont happen, i was actually not in favor of the special election -- why? because it would cost too much f***ing money, aka the last thing we need right now.

 

Now what should have happened is Harry Reid should have stuck to his guns and kept this moron out of the senate. Jesse White should have refused to sign. However, I'm sure that the Obama admin didnt want any unecessary distractions (logically) and they let him through. It was a risk, and now this s*** comes up.

 

What do you do now? Beat the impeachment drum? I hate most Illinois Dems -- but as a country... do we really have time to deal with this?

 

the problem as was documented, that signature by White was just window dressing, technically, and the US Senate had really no power in preventing a state gov. from electing it's senator.

[Balta1701]

the problem as was documented, that signature by White was just window dressing, technically, and the US Senate had really no power in preventing a state gov. from electing it's senator.

I assume you mean "Selecting". The Senate has every right to determine who wins an election.

Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide.

Article 1, section 5.

 

The problem is that the constitution specifically uses the word election. Not appointment. That's why keeping him out would have required a ruling from the Supreme Court.

[MurcieOne]

the problem as was documented, that signature by White was just window dressing, technically, and the US Senate had really no power in preventing a state gov. from electing it's senator.

 

Well I think that Blago could compel White to sign -- as Sec of State he can't just refuse (i think). And your right about the Senate, they couldn't just expel Burris if he met the qualifications clause under Art I Sec 3. He could have held an impeachment trial and ousted him quickly... the senate holds the sole power to hear those proceedings.

 

It would have been a pain in the ass.

[bmags]

Well I think that Blago could compel White to sign -- as Sec of State he can't just refuse (i think). And your right about the Senate, they couldn't just expel Burris if he met the qualifications clause under Art I Sec 3. He could have held an impeachment trial and ousted him quickly... the senate holds the sole power to hear those proceedings.

 

It would have been a pain in the ass.

 

Well, it seemed that they could've seated him without a signature from all the reporting. At first, everyone was excited because the heads said they wouldn't seat him and White said he wouldn't sign the papers, then it turned out that the signing of the papers were merely symbolic, then it turned out the Senate had little power to prevent him being seated. Then they used White's signature acknowledging he had received Blago's appointment as proof he was to be seated.

 

The only person I blame is Blago and Burris. They are scum.

[MurcieOne]

The only person I blame is Blago and Burris. They are scum.

 

Truth.

 

I cannot believe someone would try so hard and ruin his legacy/integrity, just to be a lameduck senator for two years.

 

Henry Burris is a Retard.

[mr_genius]

Truth.

 

I cannot believe someone would try so hard and ruin his legacy/integrity, just to be a lameduck senator for two years.

 

Henry Burris is a Retard.

 

he probably thinks he'll win re-election.

[NorthSideSox72]

Truth.

 

I cannot believe someone would try so hard and ruin his legacy/integrity, just to be a lameduck senator for two years.

 

Henry Burris is a Retard.

Burris' entire political career has been losing elections, or finding a way to bumble into an office because others around him fall apart.

 

[MurcieOne]

Burris' entire political career has been losing elections, or finding a way to bumble into an office because others around him fall apart.

 

well he holds the distinction of being the first af-am to be elected to statewide office in illinois... why not just accept that and smile like a dips***?

 

This guy is brutal.

[Balta1701]

The Senior Senator from the Great State of Illinois is throwing the Junior Senator under the bus.

DURBIN STATEMENT ON SENATOR ROLAND BURRIS

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement today on the evolving situation regarding Senator Roland Burris (D-IL):

 

"When we met with Roland Burris in January, we made it clear that in order for him to be seated in the U.S. Senate he needed to meet two requirements - first, that he submit the proper paperwork certifying his appointment, and second, that he appear before the General Assembly's Impeachment Committee to testify openly, honestly and completely about the nature of his relationship with the former governor, his associates and the circumstances surrounding this appointment."

 

"We asked him to testify in the impeachment proceedings, not to embarrass Roland Burris, but to give him an opportunity to clear the air regarding this appointment from a tainted governor. Our hope was that he would use that opportunity to assure the people of Illinois and the other members of the United States Senate that he was not involved in any wrongdoing."

 

"Now the accuracy and completeness of his testimony and affidavits have been called into serious question. Every day there are more and more revelations about contacts with Blagojevich advisors, efforts at fundraising and omissions from his list of lobbying clients. This was not the full disclosure under oath that we asked for."

 

"These news reports and the public statements by Roland Burris himself are troubling and raise serious questions which need to be looked at very carefully."

 

"The State's Attorney in Sangamon County is reviewing the affidavit and other materials associated with Senator Burris' testimony to see if criminal charges are warranted and the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee has begun a preliminary investigation into this matter."

 

"This is the appropriate course of action and I await the outcome of those investigations. The people of Illinois deserve nothing less."

[kapkomet]

*shift* BOOOOOOOODOOOOOOOP...

 

*beeeep beeeeep beeeeep beeeeep* BOOOOOOOODOOOOOOOOOP...

 

*shift* BOOOOOOOODOOOOOOOP...

 

*beeeep beeeeep beeeeep beeeeep* BOOOOOOOODOOOOOOOOOP...

 

That would be the sound of that bus that just ran over Mr. Burris. Good riddance.

 

 

 

[Texsox]

You have to be ambitious to run for state wide office with a very thick skin. I guess we should not be surprised by this, but terribly disappointed.

[NorthSideSox72]

You have to be ambitious to run for state wide office with a very thick skin. I guess we should not be surprised by this, but terribly disappointed.

Ambition and thick skin are fine. Those are not the issues with Burris. The issues with Burris are about corruption, and frankly, cluelessness.

 

[Texsox]

Ambition and thick skin are fine. Those are not the issues with Burris. The issues with Burris are about corruption, and frankly, cluelessness.

 

Stemming from ambition and believing he can withstand anything.

[NorthSideSox72]

Stemming from ambition and believing he can withstand anything.

No... stemming from severe lacking in spine and IQ.

 

Every politician has a line they are willing to walk up to, but not cross, to get elected. That line is way too far out for a lot of them, but its there. And the line is different for different people, as well as different over time for each one. Burris sets a new standard for having the line be so far out that he can't even see it anymore. He is 100% pure opportunist, much more so even than most of his political cohorts.

 

 

 

[Texsox]

No... stemming from severe lacking in spine and IQ.

 

Every politician has a line they are willing to walk up to, but not cross, to get elected. That line is way too far out for a lot of them, but its there. And the line is different for different people, as well as different over time for each one. Burris sets a new standard for having the line be so far out that he can't even see it anymore. He is 100% pure opportunist, much more so even than most of his political cohorts.

Lack of IQ put Burris in that spot?

 

I'm not going to debate that with you, you have a much better vantage point. It just seemed to me that it wold not take that much intelligence to understand this situation. Are you suggesting then that Blago took advantage of some dumb guy who could not understand what was happening? I guess I'm wondering what Burris was too stupid to know/understand?

 

From 1,500 miles away, it looked more like blind ambition, not just some stupid guy.

[NorthSideSox72]

Lack of IQ put Burris in that spot?

 

I'm not going to debate that with you, you have a much better vantage point. It just seemed to me that it wold not take that much intelligence to understand this situation. Are you suggesting then that Blago took advantage of some dumb guy who could not understand what was happening? I guess I'm wondering what Burris was too stupid to know/understand?

 

From 1,500 miles away, it looked more like blind ambition, not just some stupid guy.

I'm saying its both.

 

Burris is ambitious to the point of being willing to do anything to get an elected position. So willing, that he didn't mind going in under a very dark cloud.

 

Seperately, listen to the man talk. Watch how he handles things. I just don't think he's very bright. The combination of enormous ambition and relative lack of smarts (compared to his political peers) is a combination that results in exactly what you are seeing.

 

[Texsox]

I'm saying its both.

 

Burris is ambitious to the point of being willing to do anything to get an elected position. So willing, that he didn't mind going in under a very dark cloud.

 

Seperately, listen to the man talk. Watch how he handles things. I just don't think he's very bright. The combination of enormous ambition and relative lack of smarts (compared to his political peers) is a combination that results in exactly what you are seeing.

 

I attributed some of the apparent slowness as age and trying to parse every word.

[Harry Chappas]

Listening to them talk about it on the radio here yesterday afternoon it kind of sounded like they were talking about Sarah Palin when they were talking about Burris in regard to every question they ask him he kind of gives a non-answer. He has no agenda and is simply taking up space in the senate. He is not benefitting the state of Illinois what so ever.

[Balta1701]

A Chicago minister tells The Associated Press he and other black pastors who previously supported U.S. Sen. Roland Burris now plan to ask him to resign. The minister spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because a meeting with Burris hadn't yet been scheduled. He says the senator can no longer serve effectively.

 

Many of the city's black pastors supported seating Burris because of his scandal-free reputation — even though he was appointed by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich after the governor was arrested.

 

But revelations that Burris attempted to raise money for Blagojevich while seeking the Senate job have eroded some of his support. Blagojevich is accused of trying to sell the Senate appointment.

Link

[Balta1701]

It just keeps coming. CQ.

The names of lobbying clients that Sen. Roland W. Burris declared to a state legislative panel do not match those on records he filed over the last decade with Illinois and Chicago agencies, a CQ analysis of the records has found.

 

...

Durbin and Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., had balked at seating Burris in January as an appointee of Blagojevich until he testified at a Jan. 8 Impeachment Committee hearing on the former governor demanding fundraising or other favors in exchange for the post. Blagojevich was later removed from office, but maintains his innocence in a criminal investigation.

 

In a Feb. 5 submission to the committee, Burris listed 26 clients dating to 2003.

 

But the filing contains discrepancies with documents filed with the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office and with the Chicago Board of Ethics. A number of clients are listed only in either the legislative filing or in the agency records.

 

For example, records with the secretary of state show Burris representing the Council of Independent Tobacco Manufacturers of America from 2003 to 2005 and the Illinois Association of Mortgage Brokers in 2007. But those clients don’t appear in his filing with the Impeachment Committee.

 

Democratic state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, who headed the impeachment committee, said her staff hadn’t had a chance to review his filings yet, but that they would. She said, however, that discrepancies in Burris’ testimony were no reason to disqualify him as a senator.

 

“I thought we were just looking at loose ends,” Currie said. “For example, the response that I had from Sen. Burris, I thought was just answering a couple of questions for the committee. I had no idea there was a bombshell in there.”

[EvilMonkey]

Burris would do anything for a conviction when he was attorney general (trying to get the death penalty for an innocent man, just because he was running for govenor), why is anyone suprised that he would do anything to get that open Senate seat?

http://www.propublica.org/article/in-90s-b...nocent-man-1231

[Balta1701]

Rats, sinking ship.

A spokesman for Illinois Sen. Roland Burris resigned Thursday in the wake of new disclosures about requests that Burris raise money for disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich while seeking a U.S. Senate appointment.

 

"I initially began helping the senator on a temporary basis because he is a long-term friend who I served several years when he was [illinois] attorney general," Jason Erkes said in a written statement to CNN.

 

"It is now time for me to get back to focusing on ... my newly formed strategic communications business."

[bmags]

Thank God! Now for a real senator from Illinois.