Tag: Roland Burris

I ought to get some props for calling this as early as I did. As Zachary Roth notes, Roland Burris is now under investigation on multiple fronts (including whether he perjured himself), and both the Chicago Tribune and the Washington Post have demanded that he resign.

Check out this statement from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office, as reported by Talking Points Memo: “Senator Reid supports Senator Burris’ decision to cooperate with all appropriate officials who may review this matter, including state agencies and the Senate Ethics Committee.” Whoa.

Here’s why Roland Burris is a goner. Shortly after Rod Blagojevich appointed him, Reid adamantly insisted that Burris would never be seated. On Jan. 4, for instance, Reid appeared on “Meet the Press” and essentially said the Senate would not accept anyone appointed by Blagojevich, whom he called “obviously a corrupt individual.”

Reid backed down because he had to, and because Burris appeared to be ethical. It wasn’t pretty. And now Burris has made Reid look like a fool for a second time.

If Burris won’t resign, I say the Senate will expel him, with Reid leading the charge. Good riddance.

I can’t imagine Sen. Roland Burris will (or should) survive his latest admission — that he actually tried to raise money for then-Illinois govenor Rod Blagojevich at the same time that he was asking him for the Senate appointment. (Via TPMMuckraker.)