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This just in… Senate Ethics Committee blasts Burris, but finds no “actionable” law violations

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Burris

* 10:24 am - Read the Senate Ethics Committee’s report on Roland Burris by clicking here.

From the report, which is technically a “Public Letter of Qualified Admonition”…

The Committee found that you should have known that you were providing incorrect, inconsistent, misleading, or incomplete information to the public, the Senate, and those conducting legitimate inquiries into your appointment to the Senate. The Committee also found that your November 13, 2008 phone call with Robert Blagojevich was inappropriate. Although some of these events happened before you were sworn in as a US Senator, they were inextricably linked to your appointment and therefore fall within the jurisdiction of this Committee.

More…

Your sworn affidavit and sworn testimony before the Illinois House of Representatives were inconsistent, incomplete and misleading.

The letter goes on to claim that Burris’ “shifting explanations” about his sworn statements “appear less than candid.” And that his November, 2008 phone call with former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother Rob was “inappropriate,” but that it did not rise “to the level of an explicit quid pro quo.”

Burris’ response…

After months of investigation into the circumstances surrounding the appointment and seating of Senator Roland W. Burris, the Senate Select Committee on Ethics has closed its inquiry and cleared the Senator of any legal wrongdoing.

In a ‘public letter of qualified admonition,’ the Senate Ethics Committee outlined the specific areas of concern that it investigated, and conclusively found no “actionable violations of the law” occurred.

Earlier this year, Senator Burris was also investigated and subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney in Springfield, Illinois.

“I am pleased that after numerous investigations, this matter has finally come to a close. I thank the members of the Senate Ethics Committee for their fair and thorough review of this matter, and now look forward to continuing the important work ahead on behalf of the people of Illinois,” said Senator Burris.

In recent months, Senator Burris has emerged as a key member of the Democratic caucus as they seek to piece together the critical 60 votes needed to pass President Obama’s health care legislation through the United States Senate. He has become a strong voice for the inclusion of a strong public option, and his vote is seen as vital for final passage.

* 10:41 am - ABC7’s headline is “Burris cleared by ethics committee.” Apparently, somebody at ABC7 just skimmed through Burris’ press release.

The Tribune’s headline is: “Ethics panel admonishes Burris over Senate appointment.” Sun-Times hed: “Senate Ethics panel clears Burris of illegalities, gives ‘qualified admonition’.”

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:25 am

Comments

But will it all fit on the tombstone?

Comment by pizza poundcake Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:28 am
Another stellar moment in our current state affairs.

Illinois = Corrupt Laughingstock

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:37 am
Ummm…Pizza. All this talk of tomestones is making me hungry

Comment by Lake Voter Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:40 am
That was tombstone not tomestone

Comment by Lake Voter Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:41 am
== his vote is seen as vital ==
By Burris, always….

Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:43 am
Is there a “Qualified Admonition” room in the Senate, where he has to go sit for a while?

Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:44 am
I guess January 2011, when this nonsense is gone, can’t come soon enough.

train111

Comment by train111 Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:45 am
Is there a “Qualified Admonition” room in the Senate, where he has to go sit for a while?
—————–

My nomination for QOTD.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:46 am
No surprise. Rather than stand on principle, the all-white committee avoids charges of racism by finding he wasn’t LEGALLY guilty of anything (just morally, ethically….nothing they wouldn’t have done themselves).

Obviously, you have to be very nearly caught in the act for a group of politicians to condemn one of their own.

Comment by BluegrassBoy Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:48 am
==In a ‘public letter of qualified admonition,’ the Senate Ethics Committee outlined the specific areas of concern that it investigated, and conclusively found no “actionable violations of the law” occurred.==

Heck of a thing to be proud of senator….

Comment by OneMan Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:49 am
Everybody just wants to see this sordid episode go away. Just the Blago trial now, I guess.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:51 am
Shameless.

Comment by 10th Indy Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:55 am
==the all-white committee==
Isn’t Burris the only African-American senator? Just saying…

Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:58 am
“What do you want on YOUR Tombstone, Senator?”
Sorry, couldn’t pass that one up

Comment by Secret Square Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 10:58 am
The Governor’s Brother - “Sylvia’s Mother”, Silverstein

The Governor’s Brother says Rod is busy, too busy to come to the phone
The Governor’s Brother says Rod’s tryin’ to find a way out on his own
The Governor’s Brother says Rod like Jackson, so why don’t you leave him alone
Then the Brother says if I write a check, he’ll listen a little longer,

Please Mr. Blagojevich, I just gotta talk to him,
I’ll only keep him a while
Please Mr. Blagojevich, I want that Senate seat, I’m a political necrophile

The Brother’s Governor says Rod’s can’t hear you, until a check is in the mail.
The Brother’s Governor says the f#$@^%ng Golden Thing is ready for a sale.
The Brother’s Governor says please stop cryin’ and contribute to us right away.
Then the Brother says if I do it now, he’ll listen a little longer,

Please Mr. Blagojevich, I just gotta talk to him,
let him know I like his style.
Please Mr. Blagojevich, I want that Senate seat, a job I’d never defile.

The Brother’s Governor says Rod’s shredding papers, as his career goes down the drain.
The Brother’s Governor says regardless of the news, Rod really isn’t insane.
The Brother’s Governor says thank you for callin’ and sir won’t you call back again.
Then the Brother says if it’s in cash, he’ll listen a little longer,

Please Mr. Blagojevich, I just gotta talk to him,
I really can’t assume.
Please Mr. Blagojevich, I need to know what to carve on my tomb.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:02 am
Sun-Times apparently just skimmed the Burris press release at first, because they sent out a text alert that said: “Sen. Roland Burris was cleared of any ethics charges Friday” and made no mention of the admonition. Same with the original version of their web story.

Comment by ToddAF Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:05 am
my view of house and senate ethics boards is that they have a really high standard for what you have to do for them to go after you because many of these people are congressmen and know how easy it is to get allegations and funny business thrown against them.

Burris was tainted by this, who knows what he’ll have to do next year. No one got anything out of this episode other than the state gop.

Comment by shore Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:08 am
How do I get to the point in life where I BS my head off to get an appointment to the US Senate and appear to commit perjury in the eyes of us commoners and can get off with a letter of qualified admonition?

What’s next? We gonna give Gary Skoien a letter of qualified admonition from his wife because having two hookers in your kids bedroom doesn’t mean you’re actually having sex with them?

Comment by John Bambenek Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:10 am
Question: Does the fact that the Senate Committee has closed its investigation mean that Patrick Fitzgerald is not looking at this any longer?

Comment by Irish1 Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:16 am
Irish1, c’mon. That’s a totally separate issue.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:19 am
Is the “* * *” just a style element or was something redacted from this version of the letter?

Comment by Downstate weed chewing hick Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:24 am
Thank goodness he was found to be “almost” guilty. Talk about everybody covering everybody else….. Hey, they needed his vote!

Comment by Justice Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:32 am
Just because you can’t convict of a crime, doesn’t mean you were exonerated. He’s still an unethical slimeball who lied and bullied his way into the Senate.

Good bye. Good riddance.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:35 am
Resign. Pathetic.

Comment by heet101 Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:41 am
Let’s hope this “Elder Skatesman” fades from public life and gets the historical notice he deserves - forgotten.

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:42 am
Weedchewer: just a symbol to show the end of the story. A relic of the past, similar to the -30- used by old-timey newspapers.

Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:58 am
==”Senator Burris has emerged as a key member of the Democratic caucus as they seek to piece together…60 votes needed to pass President Obama’s health care legislation”==

Right. Poor guy really has become dellusional.

Comment by pseudonymous Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:58 am
I can’t wait until January when Roland Burris has to permanently sit in his “time out” chair and shut up.

Comment by Little Egypt Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 12:13 pm
What. A. Joke.

Comment by Moving to Oklahoma Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 12:15 pm
Sometimes punishments aren’t always what we’d hope they would be. But the way I look at it is, his punishment is a life time of a great reputation was ruined in less than 3 months. If Burris would have passed on this opportunity, he would forever be remembered as highly regarded statesman from IL. Now, whenever people think of him they will remember the Senate appointment debacle. He is a laughing stock and forever tainted. Sure it will say “US Senator” on his tombstone, but people will always remember the Blago mess. So while many of us wish he would have been forced from office because of hes actions, he still is paying a heavy price for his actions. A lifetime of work thrown away in nearly a blink of an eye.

Comment by Red Ranger Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 12:41 pm
I wonder if he wasn’t needed to get the Dems to 60 votes if he gets off with such a light tap on the wrist?

Comment by Sick of it! Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:39 pm
–I wonder if he wasn’t needed to get the Dems to 60 votes if he gets off with such a light tap on the wrist?–

The sixty Dem votes is as real as the unicorn, with Lieberman, Specter, Nelson and a couple of others. The Senate is rarely a place of lockstep caucuses, this one especially.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 1:48 pm
What a joke. I’m sure Bobby Rush & Jesse Jackson will be leading a celebration parade this weekend.

Comment by Steve-O Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 2:19 pm
They should have given Burris “Double Secret Probation.” That would have learned him - but good!

Comment by phocion Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 2:28 pm
A “Qualified Admonition”, Hmmm, sounds racist to me. Now an Unqualified Admonition - there we got something. The poor guy’s gone to seed, nothing good will come from his further presence in the Senate. He really should simply retire for health reasons or to spend more time with his family and end the embarrassment for himself and Illinois.

Comment by A Citizen Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 2:42 pm
Way to keep it classy, Bambi.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 4:09 pm
- John Bambenek - Friday, Nov 20, 09 @ 11:10 am:

What’s next? We gonna give Gary Skoien a letter of qualified admonition from his wife because having two hookers in your kids bedroom doesn’t mean you’re actually having sex with them?–

Every story I saw, John, said the hookers were in the playroom.

I would imagine Eni Skoien would be far more interested in a nice settlement including alimony, child support, the return of her good name (to he[[ with her idiot husband) and a good home for her and her children, than an “admonition” of any form for her twit ex-husband.

But I agree whole-heartedly with your original paragraph.

Comment by Lynn S Tuesday, Nov 24, 09 @ 12:43 am