CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
– ETHICS
Updated May 27, 2009 – 12:05 a.m.
Burris Discussed Senate Seat, Fundraising with Blagojevich’s Brother, FBI Wiretap Shows
By Bart Jansen, CQ Staff
Sen. Roland W. Burris told the brother of former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich that he was “very much interested” in the Senate seat left open by Barack Obama and promised to “personally do something” on Blagojevich’s behalf, according to a transcript of an FBI wiretap made public Tuesday. But Burris also said he was concerned about any appearance that he was “trying to buy an appointment,” the transcript shows.
“I’m trying to figure out how to deal with this and still be in the consideration for the appointment,” Burris told Robert Blagojevich, a fundraiser for the then-governor, according to a transcript of the Nov. 13 phone conversation.
“I hear ya. No, I hear ya,” Rob Blagojevich responded.
“And, and if I do that I guarantee you that, that will get out and people said, oh, Burris is doing a fundraiser, and then Rod and I both gonna catch hell,” Burris said.
The transcript was unsealed Tuesday after a federal judge in Illinois agreed to release it to the Senate ethics committee, which is probing the circumstances of Burris’ appointment and seating. The document reveals an anguished Burris wrestling with his desire to become a U.S. senator and to respond to a fundraising appeal on behalf of the man with the appointment power.
“I’m in a dilemma right now wanting to help the governor,” Burris told Rob Blagojevich.
At one point, Burris said he “might be able to do this in the name of Tim Wright,” now serving as his attorney, “cause Tim is not looking for an appointment OK?”
Wright told the Chicago Sun-Times: “He asked me if I would do a fund-raiser and I told him absolutely not, and I said he shouldn’t do it either...That’s what that’s about.”
Burris then indicated he could “join in” on a future fundraising event.
“And God knows number one, I, I wanna help Rod. Number two, I also wanna, you know hope I get a consideration to get that appointment,” Burris told Blagojevich.
Rob Blagojevich asked Burris “to do what you think is fair from your standpoint.” Burris later said, “I’m just trying to figure out what the best way to do where it won’t create any, any conflict for either one of us.”
Toward the end of the conversation, Burris committed to helping Gov. Blagojevich in some fashion: “Okay, okay, well we, we, I, I will personally do something, okay.”
“Okay. Allright Roland,” Rob Blagojevich responded.
“And it’ll be done before the 15th of December.”
“OK,” Blagojevich responded.
But Burris apparently never did so. The governor was arrested on Dec. 9 as part of a federal corruption investigation.
Wright told the Sun-Times that Burris made the decision before Blagojevich’s arrest that “he couldn’t send a check because it wouldn’t look good.”
The release of the transcript came in response to a Senate ethics committee request for information on any communication between the Burris and Blagojevich camps.
The Senate panel is conducting an initial inquiry, which is akin to a grand jury investigation. The inquiry was expected to be brief, but requests for documents such as this one to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. might have slowed the process. There is no schedule or deadline for the committee to finish its work.
The committee is investigating whether Burris, D-Ill., gave conflicting statements regarding his contacts with those close to Blagojevich, who appointed Burris on Dec. 30 to President Obama’s former Senate seat. A local prosecutor in Illinois, Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Schmidt, is also reviewing the case for possible perjury charges arising from testimony Burris gave to a state House committee in January, which U.S. Senate leaders made a requirement for seating him.
Burris, who maintains he did nothing wrong, sought release of the taped conversation by authorities between him and Blagojevich’s brother.
“The Senator has said all along that he would cooperate in any way possible,” Burris spokesman James O’Connor said early Tuesday. “He welcomes this as a chance for more transparency, and as an opportunity for the full truth to come out.”
U.S. District Court Judge James Holderman had indicated during a closed hearing Tuesday he would release the tapes.
A spokeswoman for the Ethics Committee declined comment Tuesday, saying the panel can’t speak about a pending case.
Burris swore at a January hearing of the state House Impeachment Committee that he had not spoken to anyone associated with the governor about the seat. But in an affidavit released Feb. 14, Burris acknowledged speaking repeatedly with the former governor’s brother about fundraising.
In the affidavit, Burris said he attended a June 27 fundraiser for Blagojevich, where he told two people he was interested in filling Obama’s seat if he won the presidency.
Rob Blagojevich then called Burris three times to ask for fundraising assistance from early October until just after the election, according to the affidavit. But Burris insisted he didn’t raise money for Blagojevich after the June 27 event.
Blagojevich, who was impeached and removed from office earlier this year, is awaiting trial on corruption charges stemming from his actions as the state’s chief executive.
In a related move, the Ethics Committee hasn’t yet signed off on Burris’ request to create a legal defense fund to raise money for his defense, O’Connor said. Burris has said the case has already cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars.
First posted May 26, 2009 2:22 p.m.
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