Blago hit Burris up for "contribution"

by SusanG
from DailyKos
Sat Feb 14, 2009

Via AP:

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—Sen. Roland Burris admitted Saturday that former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother asked him for a campaign contribution before the governor appointed Burris to the Senate.

The disclosure is at odds with Burris' testimony in January when an Illinois House impeachment committee specifically asked if he had ever spoken to Robert Blagojevich or other aides to the now-deposed governor about the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama.

Another little detail that seems "at odds" (what a decorous way of saying he lied!) with testimony Burris gave last month is this little nugget:

The affidavit also discloses for the first time that Burris told former Blagojevich advisers Doug Scofield and John Wyma of his interest in the post at a fundraiser in June, and later with Blagojevich chief of staff John Harris, who was arrested with Blagojevich on Dec. 9.

Scofield, Wyma and Harris were among the Blagojevich associates Burris was asked about in his Jan. 8 testimony by state Rep. Jim Durkin, the impeachment committee's ranking Republican.

In response, Burris said he had spoken only to Lon Monk, a former Blagojevich aide-turned-lobbyist, last summer about his willingness to take the seat.

"This wasn't a couple of questions that I can understand someone may forget, it goes way beyond that," Durkin said Saturday. "To say that he wasn't given the opportunity to explain himself is a load of B.S."

So the newly minted Senator from Illinois lied to an impeachment panel about being shaken down, yes. But he also suddenly remembered that he had, in fact, expressed interest in the seat to a couple of other people he previously forgot to mention, including a guy who was arrested.

Unsurprisingly, no one involved in this quagmire has been made available for comment today.