* 11:42 am - I suppose it’s the least the governor can do for his newest (and perhaps most effective) human shield…
Now that Roland Burris has been turned away from the Senate, where will he hang his hat?
Since Burris has not been sworn in as a senator, he doesn’t have an office in the Russell, Dirksen or the Hart Senate Office Buildings that house the nation’s 100 senators and support staff.
But will have a Capitol Hill view if he chooses.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has offered Burris space in the state’s Washington office, which rests at the foot of Capitol Hill.
CNN has updated its post…
Update: A Burris associate tells CNN that Burris rejected Blagojevich’s offer to use his office space.
* 12:08 pm - Not a lot of news from hizzoner, but I’ll post it anyway…
But in a clear reference to the federal corruption charges and impeachment proceedings against the governor, [Mayor Daley] added that Burris “has a cloud over him because of the uncertainty in Springfield.”
And…
Daley also said he has no preference in the coming election to select a new congressman as a replacement for Rahm Emanuel, the new White House chief of staff. The mayor said he doubted that he would endorse anyone in the special election for the 5th Congressional District.
* 12:15 pm - Roland Burris will testify to the House impeachment committee Thursday at 3 o’clock. So, it appears our Senator-Designate is coming home soon.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) broke with her party’s leadership Tuesday in calling for Roland Burris to be seated in the Senate once his paperwork is signed by the Illinois secretary of state.
[Sigh] Didn’t Feinstein sign the letter to Blagojevich warning him that whomever he appointed wouldn’t be seated?
And Republicans are taking full advantage of a bad situation…
Congressional Black Caucus members and Feinstein – along with some senior Senate Republicans — are siding with Burris’ fight to be seated.
* 12:44 pm - Not that anyone cares what the rest of the country thinks, but here you go…
A majority of Americans say Roland Burris should be blocked from taking a U.S. Senate seat and Illinois should hold a special election to fill the vacancy he was appointed to fill, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll. […]
Interest in the dispute is high — six in 10 are following it closely — and support for Burris is scant. By nearly 2-1, 51% to 27%, those surveyed say the Senate should block him from taking his seat. A similar majority, 52%, say Illinois should hold a special election as soon as possible to fill the office.
* 12:47 pm - I’ll post this as soon as I get a copy…
In a formal affidavit, Roland Burris says he had only one limited conversation with Governor Rod Blagojevich before accepting his appointment as a U.S. senator. […]
Burris says he was approached by a Blagojevich attorney about taking the Senate post on Friday, December 26. Two days later, he accepted the appointment in a phone call with the governor.
* 12:56 pm - Statement from the governor…
“The people of Illinois are entitled to be represented by two senators in the United States Senate. As governor, it is my duty and obligation to appoint a senator when there is a vacancy. I have done that by appointing Roland Burris, a good and decent man with a long history of public service in Illinois. Any allegations against me should not be held against him and especially not the people of Illinois,” Governor Rod R. Blagojevich said.
* 12:59 pm - To read Roland Burris’ affidavit, click here.
* 1:03 pm - According to the Burris affidavit, he was approached by Sam Adam, Jr., the governor’s criminal lawyer. After speaking with some lawyers, including former prosecutors, I think that’s gonna open up a huge can of worms on attorney/client privilege for both Adam and Blagojevich.
* 1:12 pm - 5th Congressional District Democratic candidate Tom Geoghegan has been getting a lot of favorable write-ups on the Left side of Blogistan, and he now has a recommended diary at DKos.
* 1:20 pm - US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke about Burris on the floor today…
And Burris almost walked into traffic this morning…
In case you missed it, here’s Burris’ presser…
* 1:46 pm - From the Belleville News-Democrat’s editorial page…
Poor Burris, he’s so impressed with his own self-importance he can’t see that he’s just a distraction from fellow Democrat Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s trouble with the law.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich could be out of a job by Feb. 4. That’s according to a tentative timeline taking shape among some state lawmakers, who are moving toward impeaching the scandal-plagued chief executive in the coming days.
A special House panel is expected to recommend later this week that the 52-year-old Democrat be impeached. If the full House follows suit, the Senate could start its trial of Blagojevich on Jan. 26.
I told subscribers about the Senate start date the other day. I figured two weeks, but they’re apparently gonna run this thing on a compressed schedule…
State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, said lawmakers have been advised that the impeachment trial in the Senate could take at least nine days, minus one Sunday, putting Feb. 4 in the cross hairs as Blagojevich’s possible final day in office if the Senate finds him guilty.
’’If it’s any longer than that, it won’t be much,’’ said Rutherford, a member of a special Senate committee drafting rules for the Senate impeachment trial.
Be patient. That’s just four weeks from now.
The Senate committee met in Chicago for two hours on Monday to decide how it will carry out the trial. It will also meet Friday in hopes of having all the rules determined by the time the new legislature is sworn in on Jan. 14.
They’ll start taking pleadings and motions on the 14th, maybe the 15th. This thing is gonna wrap up quick.
* Also, this is a pretty good projection for the House’s schedule…
Rep. Jim Durkin of Western Springs, the ranking Republican on the impeachment committee, said Monday that he thinks “we can do both (the committee and House votes) on Friday,”
Plus…
The revised schedule also means the committee should be able to hear from Roland Burris, selected last week by Blagojevich to fill Illinois’ vacant U.S. Senate seat. The committee had subpoenaed Burris to appear Wednesday to explain the circumstances surrounding his selection. Blagojevich was arrested in federal corruption charges for allegedly trying to sell the seat to the highest bidder.
Burris told the committee he can’t appear until Thursday. The new schedule should accommodate that.
That could be interesting, particularly if they get into some of the stuff mentioned in this post.
* Related…
* What might be on the secret Blagojevich tapes - Conversations involved a bill that diverted Illinois casino revenue to the horse racing industry
* A commenter posted a memo about this ethics training session on the blog yesterday. I meant to frontpage it, but forgot. The Tribune had a piece about the subject today…
As legislators weigh impeaching Gov. Rod Blagojevich and federal prosecutors prepare to indict him on corruption charges, his acting chief of staff and a deputy governor will be keynote speakers Wednesday at an “Ethics in the Workplace” seminar for some 200 state employees.
The governor’s acting chief of staff, Clayton Harris III, is new to his post; his predecessor, John Harris, was arrested the same day as the governor and resigned Dec. 12. Deputy Gov. Dean Martinez started his job a month ago.
But is it wrong for any members of the Blagojevich administration to instruct state workers on ethics?
“That’s a real tough question, but … I don’t see the irony really,” said Rev. Tim Fiala, executive director of University of Illinois at Chicago’s Integritas Institute, an ethics forum.
Ha! The irony is that the director of the Integritas Institute didn’t catch the irony in the memo. Hilarious. Only in Illinois, baby. Only in Illinois.
Don’t miss the fantastic speakers and great round table discussion! You will receive continuing education credits and you will pay no registration fee. The seminar will be simulcast throughout the state so you will be able to watch it at a location near you!
This will be Illinois’ first multi-agency, simulcast ethics seminar.
View the 2009 brochure including agenda.
Featured Speakers and Round Table Participants:
Dean Martinez, Deputy Governor
Clayton K. Harris III, Deputy Chief of Staff for the Governor
J. Dennis Hastert, former United States Speaker of the House of Representatives
Anne M. Burke, Illinois Supreme Court Justice of the First District
Rodger A. Heaton, United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois
James A. Wright, - Illinois Executive Inspector General
Sydney R. Roberts, - First Deputy Illinois Executive Inspector General/Chief Operating Officer
James M. Brennan, Illinois Ethics Commission Member and Director of Compliance for Reyes Holdings, L.L.C.
Michelle T. McVicker, Special Agent in Charge USDOT-OIG Chicago Office
John (Jack) B. Tieder, Senior Partner in the law firm of Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, L.L.P.
James E. Wolfe, President and Chief Executive Officer of Knight Engineers & Architects.
* Speaking of ethics, Abner Mikva makes some excellent points today…
A half century ago, Paul Simon, Anthony “Tony” Scariano and I introduced an ethics bill in the state legislature. We ignored the callous boast of Paul “Shoebox” Powell—then the Illinois speaker of the House who was found after his death in 1970 to have had more than three-quarters of a million dollars in cash stuffed in a shoebox and other containers in his hotel room in Springfield—that “You can’t pass an ethics law I can’t beat.” It didn’t matter: We couldn’t get the bill out of committee.
On Jan. 1, a strong ethics bill took effect in Illinois and that’s good. But I’m beginning to wonder whether Powell had a point. […]
Unfortunately, even if all the ethics laws that have been proposed over the years had been in place, they at best would have added an extra count to the criminal indictments of a Blagojevich or a Ryan. Keeping such disasters from happening is much harder than just passing ethics laws.
But he adds…
We had better become more thoughtful about our partners: A nice hairdo or a firm handshake ought not be enough.
The media is just as culpable here. The Tribune, for instance, portrayed Glenn Poshard as the unethical bad guy in 1998 because he bent some of his self-imposed contribution limits. Rod Blagojevich was able to get away with smearing both Jim Ryan and Judy Baar Topinka with his dinky little charges.
Yes, most political reporters did their best to expose Blagojevich in 2006, and it wasn’t enough. Voters deserve the lion’s share of the blame.
But, in the future, we all need to look at the big picture.
* Mikva also came out forcefully for contribution limits, a sentiment echoed by the SJ-R editorial board…
Federal elections have shown that campaign contribution limits are no panacea. Outside interest groups circumvent them. Candidates enlist fundraisers to package together groups of people willing to contribute the maximum together, a practice known as bundling. Those who bundle probably get their phone calls returned pretty quickly when they have an issue that a senator, congressman or the president has to weigh in on.
Nevertheless, limiting campaign contributors to a dollar amount might stem the pigs-at-the-trough campaign finance mentality that has flourished under Blagojevich and is central to his alleged crimes.
Congress has proved Paul Powell right time and time again. they’ll always find a way around reforms, but I’m wondering if you think limits will do any good.
* 10:24 am - Attention national media: In addition to the stories below about Roland Burris’ not-so-great past, the Daily Herald has dived into the vault and come up with a few other stories. I’ve reformatted the piece a bit, so go read the whole thing…
* Feb. 2, 1992: Burris borrowed $28,200 from his campaign fund - A spokesman for Burris said the Chicago Democrat used the money to increase his state pension benefits.
* Feb. 4, 1985: Burris firm linked to probe of school - Illinois Comptroller Roland W. Burris, who paid $442,508 in disputed state scholarship funds to a Chicago college, is affiliated with a law firm representing an official of the same college in a federal grand jury investigation.
* March 8 (probably 1985): Burris intervened in pal’s conviction - llinois Comptroller Roland Burris urged a federal judge last month to place a Chicago pharmacist, who contributed to Burris’ campaigns, on probation after the man was convicted of defrauding Medicaid out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
* 10:01 am - Burris’ attorney, Tim Wright, is now speaking.
Wright says his client has “several options,” including going to court or continuing to negotiate with the Senate.
Roland Burris entered the Secretary of the Senate’s office on the 3rd floor of the Capitol to present his credentials. The media was gathered around the corner - several abreast stretching down the hallway.
Terrance Gainer, the sergeant at arms who would be charged with blocking Burris at the Senate chambers door if necessary, escorted him into the office. The secretary’s office is one floor above the entrance to the Senate chambers.
Leaders have been negotiating what Burris will do today - and there was some word that Burris might accept his rejection in the secretary’s office. Guards initially had told they were to treat Burris as they would a senator, easing his path through the Capitol entrance, but were later told to take him through security as any visitor.
“We’ve been back and fourth four times,'’ a Democratic aide said of the choreography of the morning.
I’ll add more to this post in a bit, but I wanted to get it online as quickly as possible considering the breaking news value. Live updates will be at the top. Additional content from existing stories will be posted below.
During Roland Burris’ first full fiscal year as Illinois attorney general, more than half of the money his office awarded for outside legal work went to campaign contributors, according to a book published by Illinois Issues magazine and the Springfield State Journal-Register.
In FY 1992, Burris’ office issued roughly $4 million in outside legal contracts to individuals and law firms, according to the book, Illinois For Sale, which was published in 1997. More than $2.25 million of that amount went to contributors to Burris’ campaign or to the main Democratic fundraising committee.
During the last three years, two Englewood community organizations founded by Rep. Bobby Rush in his role as church pastor have received more than $2 million in state funding from Gov. Blagojevich’s administration.
I point it out because I’ve been thinking it might help explain why Rush is so gung-ho to help Blagojevich put Roland Burris in the U.S. Senate.
Did Roland Burris’s business partner, Fred Lebed, have anything to do with Patti Blagojevich landing a full-time job as development director of the Chicago Christian Industrial League?
Lebed, who served on Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s transition team, also serves on CCIL’s Board of Directors.
The question was raised on Sunday night by political pundit Bruce Dumont on his XM Satellite radio show “Beyond the Beltway.” I was a guest, along with writer Salim Muwakkil and Judy Baar Topinka, the former state treasurer who ran against Blagojevich for governor.
“You know, prior to this, I had a great deal of respect for Mr. Burris,” Mr. Schock said. “He served the state well.” But, he added, that the appointment not only called Mr. Blagojevich’s judgment into question, but that of Mr. Burris.
“I don’t think he should pursue it,” said the Illinois lawmaker, a former president of the Peoria Board of Education. “I’m disappointed that he is doing this.”
He added: “Most of my colleagues are not just fed up with Blagojevich, but also with Roland Burris.” This is “not the way you reinstill faith in the electorate,” he warned, adding that it helped explain why the state’s lawmakers are trying to expedite the impeachment process, with a vote in the Illinois House as soon as Jan. 15.
* Keep race out of it : This is not about race. Despite what U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush has said explicitly, and others have implied, the bid to keep Roland Burris from claiming Illinois’ vacant Senate seat is not about race. It is about denying power to a governor who has gone off the deep end. It is about ensuring a taint-free appointment for the citizens of Illinois.
* Mary Mitchell: Blinders not a good look for Burris : I believe Burris genuinely doesn’t get why anyone would think he is doing anything wrong. The fact that he doesn’t shows how badly Illinois needs change.
* Burris pick contrary to Obama message, some say: In the midst of all the political hoopla surrounding the Burris pick, his modern-day credentials had largely escaped scrutiny and raise the question of exactly why Blagojevich thinks Burris is best to carry on in Obama’s place. “It’s a great question. I don’t think anyone has taken the Burris appointment seriously enough to engage that question,” said David Morrison, assistant director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.
Ald. Tom Allen (38th) said Monday he would not be a candidate in the March 3 special primary election to succeed former U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, opening the door for City Council colleague Pat O’Connor (40th) to nail down the Democratic Party’s pivotal endorsement.
Why do I say that? Here’s one reason…
Ald. William Banks (36th) said Monday he will convene the slatemaking session in two or three weeks, giving a field that once included 22 candidates a last chance to narrow.
“Whoever has the weighted vote becomes the candidate of the party. If nobody does, it becomes an open primary,” Banks said.
Banks is likely to end up with Rep. John Fritchey, who announced his candidacy yesterday via his FaceBook page. Fritchey also has a high profile position on the impeachment committee, which is getting him a ton of earned media right now. And he’s a ward committeeman himself.
UPDATE: Ald. Banks, I’m told, is supporting O’Connor for the seat.
When developer George Ardelean came to Ald. Patrick O’Connor seeking support to build a senior housing project in the 40th Ward, he already had a long-standing business relationship with the alderman’s wife.
Barbara O’Connor had sold luxury town homes elsewhere in the city for the builder, who now wanted the alderman’s backing for the proposed nine-story, 187-unit apartment building at 6000 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Patrick O’Connor did everything in his power to promote the project, and Barbara O’Connor sold more homes for Ardelean.
Oof.
The rumors about him being a placeholder for Rahm Emanuel might not sit well with voters, either.
State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) said Friday she has raised $300,000 in her bid to succeed Rahm Emanuel in Congress, making her the early fund-raising leader for the seat vacated when Emanuel joined the Obama White House. […]
University of Chicago economics lecturer Charlie Wheelan has announced he has raised $100,000. Former Homeland Security official Justin Oberman reports raising $140,000. Doctor Victor Forys says he has raised $160,000. County Commissioner Mike Quigley said he expects to match Feigenholtz’s numbers. Several aldermen and others are weighing a run.
Feigenholtz has to be treated as a serious contender as well.
* Bored Now takes a look at candidate websites. One caveat: Deborah Mell is out of the race.
hearing in a lawsuit that seeks to stop the state from closing a central Illinois prison has been delayed indefinitely, and the lockup could remain open for some time.
Spokesmen for the Illinois Department of Corrections and the union that represents prison workers say Monday’s hearing in Vienna was pointless.
That’s because an injunction issued in another lawsuit over the plan to close the Pontiac Correctional Center is keeping the prison open.
A federal appeals court has given the green light to red-light cameras that have pumped out more than a million Chicago tickets and generated $100 million in sorely-needed revenue since 2003.
The ruling by the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals preserves one of the city’s few revenue sources not subject to the economic downturn — and clears the way for a major expansion that will install cameras at more than 330 accident-prone Chicago intersections by 2012.
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger stood firm Monday on his effort to issue $740 million in bonds, saying every penny was needed to pay for big projects while maintaining services at the county’s massive public safety and health care systems.
