Burris - The Truth Is Coming Out

A few months ago, Illinois' criminal governor, Rod Blagojevich, appointed Roland Burris to fill President Obama's vacant senate seat. At the time, I (and many others on the left) said a man of honor would have turned down the appointment. We urged the senate Democrats to refuse to seat Burris.

But the press was quick to paint Burris as an ethical man, and soon Harry Reid and his cohorts in the senate folded like a deck chair. Reid has never been a man of much political courage, and he took Burris' word that he hadn't "bought" the seat and allowed him to be sworn in as a senator.

Now it looks like that was a big mistake. A federal judge has released a tape of Burris and Blagojevich's brother Rob talking on the phone before Blagojevich was arrested. Burris claims the transcript clears him of wrongdoing, but he must be living in a fantasy world. The transcript of the telephone call actually makes him look guiltier than ever.

The two are nakedly talking about Burris donating money, and possibly getting others to donate, to the governor. And Burris makes it clear a couple of times that he expects to be considered for the senate seat if he donates. He is worried that it might look like he's "buying" the senate seat, so he talks about hiding the donation by funneling it through his partner. Burris ends the conversation by assuring the governor's brother that he would "personally do something before the 15th of December".

Burris has got to be one of the most ethically-challenged men in the senate. At best, he lied under oath by denying he talked to Blagojevich's brother about the senate seat and a donation. At worst, he actually did purchase the senate seat. Either way, he's not fit to be a senator.

The ethics committe should expell him from the senate, and either let the current governor appoint a replacement or hold a special election. I would suggest the special election would be the best option.

It's time the people of Illinois got a say in straightening out this mess.

Burris Tainted? What A Surprise!

A few weeks ago, when former-Governor Rod Blagojevich was caught by the Justice Department on tape trying to sell the vacant Illinois senate seat, many progressive bloggers warned about seating anyone appointed by Blagojevich for the seat. At the time, it even looked like Majority Leader Reid and senate Democrats understood the situation. Reid acted like he'd developed a spine when he said they would never seat anyone appointed by Blagojevich.

But then Blagojevich appointed an African-American, Roland Burris (pictured), and the waffling began. Even though the Democratic Party has a proud tradition of standing up for racial justice, Reid acted like he was afraid of being branded a racist and once again showed he really had no spine. After all, Burris claimed he had done nothing for Blagojevich and had been asked for nothing. He even testified this way under oath in the Illinois Legislature.

Progressive bloggers pointed out that Burris had been a fund-raiser for Blagojevich in the past, and it was unknown what he has promised to get the senate seat. But we were ignored, and even criticized for speaking against this "honest" politician. After all, he would vote as a Democrat, wouldn't he?

Personally, I didn't care how he would vote or what color his skin was. Allowing Blagojevich to fill the senate seat was just wrong. Anyone he appointed would be tainted and we would always wonder whether promises were made or money was paid for the seat. Now it looks like we were right.

Afraid he had been caught on tape by the Justice Department, Burris is now changing his story. He admits he lied to the Illinois legislature. It turns out that Blagojevich's brother asked Burris three times to raise money for the governor -- and Burris agreed. He still claims that no money ever changed hands, because he says he's a "lousy fundraiser".

How can we believe that? And even if it's true, were promises made of future actions or money? The man has lied to us. He wanted to be senator so bad that he made some kind of deal with Blagojevich. Whether anything actually happened or not is a moot point now.

Burris should be kicked out of the senate (actually, he should never have been allowed in). And while we're at it, can we replace Reid as Majority Leader? He has shown no leadership skills.

Blagojevich Wins - Reid Backs Down Again

A couple of weeks ago, Majority Leader Harry Reid took a firm stand. He told the dirtiest governor in America, Rod Blagojevich, that there was no way any senate pick he made would be allowed to take a seat in the Senate. It sounded good, but we should have known better.

We had a smart crook taking on a pantywaist majority leader. Blagojevich did the political equivalent of flipping Reid over and screwing him hard without the use of any lubricant. Then Reid said, "May I have another please?" The whole thing is just disgusting! Blagojevich played the race card and Reid crapped his pants.

This was never a racial issue, but Blagojevich knew he could play it that way. And after nominating an African-American, he wound-up Bobby Rush and turned him loose. Predictably, Rush immediately started tossing out racial bombs such as "hanging" and "lynching", and even had the audacity to compare the United States Senate to 60's racists who turned fire-hoses and attack dogs on little black children. Both Rush and Blagojevich should be ashamed of themselves.

And frankly, I'm tired of hearing the news media talking about Burris' "impeccable credentials". We know a couple of things about Burris. First, his ambition far outreaches his ethics. He wanted to be a senator, and he didn't care whose ass he had to kiss or what it would do to his reputation.

We also know he has been a fundraiser for Blagojevich several times in the past. What did he promise him this time? Is there a debt owed, or is Blagojevich just happy to screw his party and his state? Burris can repeatedly say his appointment is not tainted, but that doesn't make it true. He has the stink of Blagojevich all over him, and if he's the Dem's candidate in 2010, they'll probably lose that seat.

Maybe they deserve to lose the seat after the gutless and embarrassing performance by Harry Reid. Has this guy ever taken a stand that he didn't back down from? I certainly can't think of any. I think he got so used to backing down from Bush that he doesn't know what to do now that he has a workable majority. He's been backing up so long he doesn't know how to go forward.

I've been interested in politics for about 50 years now, and I don't remember either party having as weak and ineffectual a majority leader as Harry Reid. If the Democrats really want to accomplish anything in the next four years, they need to replace him -- preferably with someone who actually has a backbone.

Blagojevich's Payback

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has suffered a lot of humiliation recently. First, he was arrested by the feds for trying to sell the senate seat vacated by Obama to the highest bidder. Then Democrats in Illinois and across the country demanded he resign as governor. They also wanted him to leave the senate nomination to his successor.

But yesterday, Blagojevich thumbed his nose at everyone as he tried to get a little payback. Ignoring the wishes of his party and his state, Blagojevich decided he would pick the next senator anyway. He held a press conference and announced he had picked former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris for the position.

Knowing the Democrats in the United States Senate would not be happy, Blagojevich then tried to make his pick a racial issue. Burris is an African-American, and the governor brought another African-American (Rep. Bobby Rush) to speak in favor of the pick and frame it in racial terms.

Rush compared the possibility of Burris not being seated by the U.S. Senate to a "hanging" or "lynching", and said no senator would dare vote against the only African-American in the senate (Burris). Blagojevich and Rush should both be ashamed of themselves for so shamelessly playing the race card.

This is not a racial issue. It's about corruption and payback -- nothing else.

Majority Leader Harry Reid said no pick by Blagovich would be seated in the senate. I hope he has the courage to stick by that decision. The people of Illinois deserve a senator without the taint of corruption, and anyone picked by Blagojevich will have that smell of corruption.

I have to wonder why Burris accepted the nomination. It shows a serious lack of judgement on his part, especially since he has been known to raise funds for Blagojevich in the past. Did he promise Blagojevich anything? That question will always haunt him. He must have wanted to be a senator really bad!

For the good of the U.S. Senate, the state of Illinois and the Democratic Party, Burris should not be allowed to be sworn in and serve the appointed term. And Blagojevich should be impeached so a new governor can appoint a senator not tainted by corruption.

Blagojevich has embarrassed himself, his party and his state. He's a selfish and small-minded fool.