Blagojevich/Burris wiretap to be released.

It’s been a while since we visited the Matter of Blagojevich, but one thing that you can always count on: there’s always going to be something new coming out from that glorious trainwreck.

Judge OKs release of wiretap of Burris

CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge said Tuesday he would allow the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee to have a federal wiretap of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother having a phone conversation with U.S. Sen. Roland Burris.

To summarize why the Senate might want to listen to this recording: Burris, in the course of getting the US Senate to seat him…

  • Signed an affidavit indicating that he never talked to Blagojevich’s aides.
  • Admitted in his testimony that he actually talked to one of the Governor’s unofficial aides.
  • Said in the same testimony that he didn’t remember talking to anybody else.
  • Signed another affidavit later on – after he officially became Senator – that he actually had talked to some of Blagojevich’s aides.
  • Admitted to reporters that he tried to do some fundraising for Blagojevich.

At this point, as the AP remarked:

Then he stopped answering questions, letting others speak on his behalf.

I’ll let Vice President Joe Biden, who is himself no amateur at this sort of spin control, provide the Democratic response:

Biden

Succinct, that.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

Senator Durbin (D-IL) abandons Senator Burris (D-IL).

Abandons him quite comprehensively, in fact:

WASHINGTON–Embattled Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) is cancelling his Thursday schedule, where he was to have met with Rockford area civic, elected and religious leaders as Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) sent out a very frosty statement, saying Burris failed to disclose under oath the nature of his relationship with former Gov. Blagojevich.

Continue reading Senator Durbin (D-IL) abandons Senator Burris (D-IL).

Chicago Tribune futilely calls for Burris’ resignation.

(Via Hot Air Headlines) It’s a lovely thought, but it won’t happen. If either state or Senate Democrats cared enough about the humiliation that they were putting the people of Illinois through with this sorry mess, they would have changed the law to permit a special election in the first place. But that wasn’t important. Keeping the seat in the hands of one political party?  That was important.

Heck of a thing when the most laudable motivation energizing any Democratic Party player in this affair is coming from the impeached former Governor of Illinois; even worse, the motivation is “stark, bloody-minded revenge.” Oh, Rod Blagojevich: why could you not have chosen to use your powers for good?

Crossposted to RedState.

Annnnnnd Reid messes up the Burris seating thing to the bitter end.

They seated Million Dollar Burris today:

WASHINGTON – Roland Burris took his place as Barack Obama’s successor in the Senate on Thursday, ending a standoff that embarrassed the president-elect and fellow Democrats who initially resisted the appointment by scandal-scarred Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

[snip]

More than a week after his colleagues were sworn in, Burris was seated without objection or a roll call vote, even though Majority Leader Harry Reid had said senators would have their voices heard on whether to accept his appointment.

[snip]

Senate Democrats wanted to move beyond the distracting controversy and its racial undertones.

Continue reading Annnnnnd Reid messes up the Burris seating thing to the bitter end.

Million Dollar Burris in debt to Blagojevich supporter.

Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in!

It’s actually more like 1.57 million, but “Million Dollar Burris” scans better:

In his 2002 attempt to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, Burris depended heavily upon Joseph Stroud, an Illinois political heavyweight contributor, thanks to his ownership of Jovon Broadcasting and Telephone U.S.A. In the 2002 race, Stroud provided Burris with the following loans and contributions:

* Jovon Broadcasting individual contribution to Burris: $200,000
* Jovon Broadcasting in-kind contributions to Burris: $179,895
* Telephone U.S.A. (and USA) loans to Burris: $1,200,000

Burris repaid $6,000 of the Telephone U.S.A. loans in November 2003, but no other payments appear in the records. This puts the total support from Stroud to Burris at $1,573,895.

Continue reading Million Dollar Burris in debt to Blagojevich supporter.