Sometimes you have to wonder why Illinois politics, specifically Chicago politics, has a bad reputation.
Oh wait, I know. It's because we prove the saying a few bad apples spoil the bunch.
Tuesday, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said for the first time in public that if he were Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) he would step down.
Click on the clip below to see and hear the full statement.
Durbin is one more voice among Democrats and Republicans calling on Burris to give up his new job in the U.S. Senate.
The reason goes back to former Governor Rod Blagojevich's arrest by the FBI for trying to sell that very seat after it was vacated by Barack Obama.
We became very used to the word "taint".
A whole host of prominent Chicago political names became entangled in the federal web of alleged corruption. The process of the sitting governor to appoint the next Senator was "tainted".
Roland Burris, former Illinois Attorney General and Comptroller, was appointed. He wasn't named in the federal complaint. He didn't have a smudge on his political record.
He didn't have the "taint".
Well, in the words of Britney Spears, "I'm not that innocent".
Now Senator Roland "No Taint" Burris has his own taint.
It happened, allegedly, when Burris went in front of the Illinois House Impeachment Committee and testified that he didn't have prolonged dealings with Blagojevich's camp--that he had never talked about buying or doing favors in exchange for the appointment.
Then, Senator Roland Burris remembered he forgot some details while in front of that committee.
He did, it seems, try to raise money for Blagojevich. It was unsuccessful.
Now, the political world is calling on Burris to resign.
Is it right? I don't know. I know that in this world of ever increasing scrutiny, you'd best get your story right--from the start. Leave nothing out or it may come out when you least expect it.
If nothing else, this is another reason why other states look to the Land of Lincoln and wonder "What would Honest Abe think?"
Comments (1)
Very nice site!
Posted by John955 | July 21, 2009 7:52 PM
Posted on July 21, 2009 19:52