Burris taped offering a check to Blagojevich

[Gidney N Cloyd]

Source: Chicago Tribune


Burris taped offering a check to Blagojevich
May 26, 2009 4:15 PM |
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/05/prosecutors-seek-release-of-burris-tape.html

An undercover tape sought by the Senate ethics committee involves a conversation last November in which U.S. Sen. Burris offered to write a check to the Blagojevich campaign, Burris' attorney said this afternoon.

But attorney Timothy Wright denied Burris made the offer to be appointed to the Senate seat.

Wright said no specific amount of money was discussed in the conversation with former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother Robert, but Burris typically donated $1,000 or $1,500 each year to Blagojevich's campaign.

<snip>

No quid pro quo was discussed in the taped call, Wright said, and it was Burris himself who brought up the Senate seat.

Burris told Robert Blagojevich that he didn't know whether he could be involved in any fundraising because of his interest in the Senate seat, Wright said.



Read more: http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/05/prosecutors-seek-release-of-burris-tape.html

---

Admit it. You'd miss these stories if we ever manage to clean up Illinois gov't.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

1. Oh wow, shocker

Next, I'll find out NJ is corrupt.

[JerseygirlCT]

5. It's a proud tradition

But CT and NY have been trying to catch up, lol!

[Taverner]

2. To be honest, I am surprised anyone is surprised by this

City politics in many cities is corrupt

That's not to say things don't get done

SF was as corrupt as all hell under Willie Brown

But in the end, good won

The parking companies were really "pressuring" him to not let BART go to the airport, in fear of lost revenues.

He promised them it wouldn't. It didn't - instead they created the "Sky Train" which was like a BART train that went to a BART train station nearby. It is about as accessible as you could get out of the airport.

Ha fucking HA!

Willie Brown then retired, as to not have to worry about this anymore

So now you can take BART right from the airport.

[earcandle]

6. who is in that pic besides Bowie?

[TwilightGardener]

8. Peter Frampton and Lou Reed?

Those are guesses.

[sweetloukillbot]

9. Think the middle is Iggy Pop. eom

[Taverner]

10. Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed

In the height of glam decadence

[Crooked Moon]

24. LOL! that's the pic used in 'hedwig'

excellent

[No Elephants]

3. I hope some great Democrat primaries him. And by great Democrat, I mean a progressive.

[The Hope Mobile]

4. Integrity would be good too. nt

[earcandle]

7. here is a great integrity tone scale that helps to reset oneself in relationship to others

http://www.noodlebrain.com/nbpits.swf

you need the flash player.
and follow the arrow in the red blotch mid bottom right
to get the most out of it.

great for the kids who have been braindead from TV viewing.

[The Hope Mobile]

26. Cool - thanks!! nt

[SpartanDem]

11. Vote to expell him now

before more shit comes out and he futher taints the party

[Gidney N Cloyd]

13. Honestly, I think this is pretty much the shit-- Burris was pretty clearly ...

either trying to buy his way into the appointment or later on we'll find out he did do some actual quid quo pro. Either way...

[habitual]

12. that this guy has the nerve to stay in his position is angering to no end

what an ass. this guy should resign immediately. selfish.

[hedgehog]

14. We'll always have Louisiana!

[Gidney N Cloyd]

15. Burris wore blue; the FBI wore gray...

[struggle4progress]

16. Burris-Blagojevich Ties Come to Life in Transcript (NYT w/link to transcript)

By MONICA DAVEY and KAREN ANN CULLOTTA
Published: May 26, 2009

... “God knows, No. 1, I want to help Rod,” he was recorded as saying. “No. 2, I also want to, you know, hope I get a consideration to get that appointment” ...

Mr. Burris’s lawyer, Timothy Wright, said the call, captured as part of a larger federal investigation into Mr. Blagojevich, proves that Mr. Burris was not part of any “pay to play” efforts the former governor has been accused of in a federal indictment, including that he tried to sell the Senate appointment for money.

Any personal contribution, Mr. Wright said, would have probably amounted to only $1,000 or $1,500 — hardly the amount, he suggested, that might help a secure a Senate seat. More important, he said, no check was ever sent.

“He never did it, and that’s what counts,” Mr. Wright said ... http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/27/us/politics/27burris.html?_r=1&hp

Read the transcript: Burris repeatedly says he's uncomfortable with cutting a check, because it will look like he's trying to buy a Senate seat; his strongest comments are in the subjunctive; towards the end he says he'll "do something ... before the 15th of December" -- but is not explicit what it is. If he never actually wrote a check, the natural interpretation of the conversation is that Burris was simply vague about what he would do for the campaign

<pdf including transcipt:> http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/national/20090527_intercepted_communication_motion.pdf

[No Elephants]

21. Uncomfortble cutting a check could mean he paid cash. Just sayin'.

[struggle4progress]

25. Yes, and your screen name could be evidence you're an ivory poacher. Just sayin'.

Fantasy is really not a substitute for evidence in any fair investigation. If you actually have some factual basis for a belief Burris paid cash to the Blagojevich, feel free to post it. Otherwise, your remark may merely seem slimy

[eilen]

27. Exactly what is deduced from this?

1. Burris lied about when he started talking to Gov hair-do et al about the seat.

2. Burris told the gov's people he wanted the seat and stated in the same conversation that he wanted to "do something' to help fundraising, wasn't comfy about cutting a check, considered having his attorney cut one and in the end, did not write a check so there is no paper trail showing that he paid with more than appreciation.

That is what I got.

Whether I believe cash exchanged hands... well, I guess that is conjecture and non-provable in a court of law. Innocent until proven guilty is our premise.

So, if he is a political sleaze (besides being a well-documented--hell, it's etched in stone-- egomaniac), it will come out in the wash now or later. Political skeletons have a way of turning up at inconvenient times.

I don't believe this evidence proves him to be innocent, but it certainly doesn't make him guilty either.

[struggle4progress]

28. (A) Durbin won't support Burris in 2010

From CNN's Lauren Kornreich
Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said Wednesday that he will not support fellow Illinois Sen. Roland Burris for re-election in 2010.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. Dick Durbin repeated Wednesday that he would not support his colleague from Illinois, Sen. Roland Burris, for re-election in 2010.

Durbin said he told Burris that he was "disappointed" to read a federal wiretap transcript, released on Tuesday, which showed that the junior senator had offered former Gov. Rod Blagojevich campaign cash while trying to win a Senate appointment.

"We stuck our neck out for him and said if you do this thing, you'll do it in a proper, professional way, then we can stand behind you being sworn into the Senate," Durbin said, according to NBCChicago.com. "And I just don't think his testimony was complete and accurate" ...

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/27/durbin-wont-support-burris-in-2010/

[struggle4progress]

29. (B) Listening to Burris (Chapman | Chicago Trib)

Steve Chapman
Originally posted: May 27, 2009 3:41 PM

I agree with those who think Roland Burris is a conniving weasel who has no business in the United States Senate. But after listening to the audiotape of his Nov. 13 chat with gubernatorial brother Rob Blagojevich, I'm not convinced he was willing to do anything necessary to get the appointment. In fact, you can interpret it to indicate just the opposite.

Let's assume that Burris is not a gullible, easily manipulated fool but a savvy veteran of Illinois' rough-and-tumble culture. With that mind, he doesn't sound like someone who really wants to help a corrupt governor. He sounds like someone who wants that governor to think he's eager to help, without actually doing anything ...

By raising the possibility of an embarrassing scandal, Burris wasn't just saying a pay-to-play deal was dangerous to himself. He was also letting Rob know that it was dangerous to him and the governor. And if someone else were to pay for the seat, Burris would have some knowledge that might be of interest to the authorities.

Maybe Burris was willing to make a corrupt deal. But I'd hate to have to prove it from this tape.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/steve_chapman/2009/05/listening-to-burris.html

[struggle4progress]

30. (C) Danny Davis: 'I thank God every day' I didn't take Senate seat

Danny Davis: 'I thank God every day' I didn't take Senate seat
By Rob Olmstead | Daily Herald Staff

... As headlines blared Wednesday morning about Burris' recorded conversation with the brother of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Davis was asked if the headlines made him glad he took a pass.

"I'm more than glad. As a matter of fact, I thank God every day," laughed the baritone-voiced Davis.

Davis acknowledged that "It would be wonderful to be a member of the United States Senate. ... By the same token, I just figured that there was too much swirling around the appointment and it would be difficult to make it stick and I would have to spend so much time trying to rationalize in the mind of people that nothing went on other than, 'Do you want the job? Here it is'" ...

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=296597&src=109

[struggle4progress]

17. Ethics Committee Gets Burris Tapes

By WEEK Producer
Story Published: May 26, 2009 at 5:55 PM CDT
Story Updated: May 26, 2009 at 6:27 PM CDT

Senator Roland Burris is cooperating with the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee's investigation of how he got his Senate seat.

Tuesday, a judge approved the release of a federal wiretap of ousted Governor Rod Blagojevich's brother speaking with Burris ...

http://www.week.com/news/local/46127407.html

[struggle4progress]

18. Durbin isn't surprised by release of Burris tape

Associated Press
12:35 PM CDT, May 26, 2009

CHICAGO - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says he isn't surprised a federal judge decided to allow the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee to have wiretap conversation between former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother and U.S. Sen. Roland Burris.

And Durbin says he's sure Burris wasn't surprised either.

Durbin says it's unfair to speculate about what's on the tape of the conversation between Burris and Robert Blagojevich. He says it makes more sense to wait for a transcript and to hear what Burris has to say about it.

Durbin adds that he expects a conversation he had with the ousted governor to be released eventually, too. Durbin says he talked to the then-governor about possible options for the U.S. Senate seat that eventually went to Burris ...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-durbin-burrisinve,0,1309838.story

[struggle4progress]

19. Burris Wiretap May Be Turned Over to Senate Panel, Judge Says

By Andrew M. Harris

... The Burris phone conversation took place on Nov. 13, nine days after Obama was elected, according to a written order issued yesterday by Holderman.

Blagojevich nominated Burris, also a Democrat, on Dec. 30. The onetime Illinois attorney general was seated on Jan. 15 after initial opposition by state and national party leaders ...

Burris had told the House impeachment panel that he had no contact with the former governor’s staff until he was first offered the seat on Dec. 26. Burris has since said he spoke with Blagojevich advisers and tried to organize a fundraiser for the governor before abandoning the effort as a conflict of interest with his stated desire for the Senate seat.

“We think that this confirms what he said all along,” Wright said in a phone interview. “He would not pay to play” ...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=axyv2dxT0h6I&refer=us

[ima_sinnic]

20. so in this case, warrantless wiretapping is a good thing?

or was there a warrant?
why am I always told I MUST inform someone if I am taping a conversation?
I am truly confused.

[hugo_from_TN]

22. The taping was authorized by the court.

This according to the motion filed by Attorney Fitzpatrick.

[marshall]

23. Time for the "the b!tch set me up!" defense

It worked for Barry.