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.