When pending federal charges of corruption against former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich first came to light, national Democratic Party leaders insisted any appointment Blagojevich might make to the state's vacant U.S. Senate seat would be tainted, and therefore rejected.
Democrats, in an act of political cowardice, relented and allowed the governor to appoint Roland Burris shortly before Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office by the Illinois legislature. Last week, it became evident why Democrats should have stuck with their first instinct.
Burris is now admitting he had multiple contacts with Blagojevich's brother, Robert, who asked Burris for campaign fundraising help before he was appointed to the Senate. Among the allegations against the former governor is that he tried to sell the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.
When Burris testified before the state's House impeachment committee, he did not mention the contacts with Rob Blagojevich - even when asked specifically by a lawmaker about it. Burris now is tap-dancing, saying that his admission is a supplement, not a contradiction, to his testimony.
There is no way around it. Sen. Burris was asked if he had contacts with close friends and family (Rob Blagojevich, specifically) to the Illinois governor before his appointment. He led lawmakers to believe he did not. That could very well be perjury.
That is the taint Democrats were trying to avoid in an appointment by Blagojevich. The taint was inevitable. The Democrats could have prevented it, but chose not to.
Democrats, in an act of political cowardice, relented and allowed the governor to appoint Roland Burris shortly before Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office by the Illinois legislature. Last week, it became evident why Democrats should have stuck with their first instinct.
Burris is now admitting he had multiple contacts with Blagojevich's brother, Robert, who asked Burris for campaign fundraising help before he was appointed to the Senate. Among the allegations against the former governor is that he tried to sell the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.
When Burris testified before the state's House impeachment committee, he did not mention the contacts with Rob Blagojevich - even when asked specifically by a lawmaker about it. Burris now is tap-dancing, saying that his admission is a supplement, not a contradiction, to his testimony.
There is no way around it. Sen. Burris was asked if he had contacts with close friends and family (Rob Blagojevich, specifically) to the Illinois governor before his appointment. He led lawmakers to believe he did not. That could very well be perjury.
That is the taint Democrats were trying to avoid in an appointment by Blagojevich. The taint was inevitable. The Democrats could have prevented it, but chose not to.
