February 17th, 2009:

via Burris Case Referred To Prosecutor, Admits Blago Fundraising Effort.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has acknowledged trying to raise money for ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich before being appointed to the Senate.

Senator Roland Burris

According to a transcript posted on the Chicago Tribune’s Web site, Burris told reporters Monday night in Peoria that after the ex-governor’s brother called him, he talked to some friends about putting together a fundraiser.

Burris says he told Rob Blagojevich shortly after the November election that he couldn’t get anyone to contribute.

Burris testified to a committee that recommended impeaching the governor that he had told only one Blagojevich associate he was interested in being senator and never offered anything in return.

But he released an affidavit over the weekend indicating he had spoken to four others, and that he was asked for fundraising help.

Everything I hear on the radio, or read somewhere about Burris makes my indigestion level spike. I am so happy about  Burris and all the circumstances surrounding his appointment, I could just shit.

It looks like the Senate may have to consider this act a violation of ethics rules, but the alleged perjury happened before Burris became Senator, and the alleged perjury was not committed while undergoing U.S. Senate questioning. Another question is the severity of the ethics violation. They must decide what punishment is suitable up to and including expulsion from the Senate.

But back on the home front, we have to wait and see what the Illinois State Attorney is going to do with this case. It looks to me like there was no perjury at this point.

Burris testified to a committee that recommended impeaching the governor that he had told only one Blagojevich associate he was interested in being senator and never offered anything in return.

The committe reffered to here is a state House special investigations committe that met on January 8, 2009. In this excerpt he seems to be saying that he did in fact talk to “friends” concerning his appointment.

Rep. Jim Durkin: OK. Did you talk to any members of the governor’s staff or anyone closely related to the governor, including with family members or any lobbyists connected with him, including oh, let me throw out some names: John Harris, Rob Blagojevich, Doug Scofield, Bob Greenlee, 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?

Burris (confers with his attorney off-mic and says): I talked to some friends about my desire to be appointed, yes.

So where’s the perjury? He said the word “friends”, plural, meaning more than one Blagojevich associate.

He later denies any invlolvement in quid pro quo, then answers a hypothetical question about qiud pro quo just to prove himself honest and open.