The benefit of the doubt had already been stretched thin and taut by the time Roland Burris offered his third version of the events leading to his appointment to the U.S. Senate. It finally snapped like a rubber band, popping him on that long Pinocchio nose of his, when he came out with version four.Let's see if we have it right: Burris had zero contact with any of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's cronies about his interest in the Senate seat being vacated by President Barack Obama-- unless you count that conversation with former chief of staff Lon Monk, and, on further reflection, the ones with insiders John Harris, Doug Scofield and John Wyma and, oh yeah, the governor's brother and fund-raising chief, Robert Blagojevich. But Burris didn't raise a single dollar for the now ex-governor as a result of those contacts because that could be construed as a quid pro quo and besides, everyone he asked refused to donate.
The story gets worse with every telling.
Enough. Roland Burris must resign.
His protests that he had nothing to hide just don't square with his obvious attempts to hide something, as evidenced by the evolving truths in three sworn statements to the House impeachment panel. His Jan. 8 testimony before that panel contradicted the affidavit he'd filed three days earlier. On Feb. 5 he submitted a "clarification" detailing the contacts he'd failed to mention on the stand.
Now he has admitted that the governor's brother hit him up to raise campaign cash, and in at least one conversation, Burris raised his prospects for being appointed to the Senate.
Rob Blagojevich's attorney has acknowledged that the feds likely have at least one of those conversations on tape. Burris told reporters Monday night that he "talked to some people about trying to see if we could put a fund-raiser on," but "they said 'We aren't giving money to the governor.'"
The hole just gets deeper and deeper, and Burris keeps digging. He has no credibility.
And many Democrats are losing theirs.
Illinois House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), who chaired the impeachment panel, sat on Burris' amended testimony for more than a week.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed that no Senate appointment by the disgraced Rod Blagojevich would stand--until Blagojevich appointed Burris.
They told Burris to go to the impeachment committee and testify fully and truthfully. And he did not.
And now what? "He went before the state Legislature and he obviously convinced them, but we'll have to see... I hope he didn't try to avoid or mislead anyone..." Reid said Tuesday. Durbin is on an overseas trip and hasn't bothered to comment on the tomfoolery back home. Late Tuesday came word that the Senate Ethics Committee has started a preliminary inquiry.
Finally, remember that Illinois Democrats failed to do right by the people and schedule a special election for this Senate vacancy. If they had done that, voters today might be weighing the lost credibility of candidate Burris, instead of expressing their disgust with Senator Burris.
Disgraceful. Disgraceful all around.
There's only one honorable action for Burris: resign.
| My solution: Senator Ditka... |
| That almost happened in 2004. Right after Jack Ryan, the Pub primary winner, quit the race because the Tribune got his sealed divorce records opened (funny how that happens to the Pubs and not the Dhims, it's almost as if Barack Obama had a guardian angel on the editorial staff), said Pubs started casting about since the bench was alarmingly empty. They approached Ditka who said he might be willing. Then Mrs. Ditka put her foot down and Ditka was out before he was in. Too bad, I would have watched C-SPAN daily just to see Iron Mike hurl a wad of chewing gum at Charlie Schumer. |