Who is Roland Burris?
The media dossier on Blago's appointment
After our unfortunate governor, Rod Blagojevich, threw a bizarre [albeit shrewd] curve-ball, in appointing former Illinois politician Roland Burris to the U.S. Senate vacancy of President-elect Barack Obama, I thought I would compile, for my personal blog (and web space, to which this material is uploaded), a collection of past mainstream media articles on certain actions and policies of Blagojevich's appointee. All of a sudden, the whole national media focus (television, radio, newspaper, and Blogosphere) is on these issues, involving our state's politics, Roland Burris, and Rod Blagojevich... (If only they knew what we've had to deal with, for all these years! ;-)

While I saved this draft on New Year's Eve, so as to publish this list of past news coverage, this entry is being published on Thursday, January 8th. Later today, Roland Burris will be arriving back in Springfield [the news yesterday was unfortunate; Blago and his buddy seem to have won... at least for now], to testify at the Illinois House of Representatives Impeachment Committee hearing. It will be at 3:00 PM, in Room 114 of the State Capitol.

Here is an archive of relatively-recent press coverage of Roland Burris, which deals with the controversies that he instigated or has been involved with. There are some major ones - contrary to the portrayal I've noticed in the national media, since the appointment was made.

Note: When this appointment was first made, I remembered several Roland-related controversies, from his prior [unsuccessful] runs for Governor - there was the "non-qualified white boys" remark, which may have nixed his bid for the 1998 Democratic nomination, and I remember, during the 2002 gubernatorial primaries, the issue of the Rolando Cruz death-row case being prominent. However, I mainly noticed it being used against Republican candidates; perhaps because I was more focused on those primaries... But I did remember Roland Burris being mentioned as a Democrat who was also involved in that case. (Burris was running again for Governor that year, but once again fell short, in the primary.)

And now it seems that the media, and the Blogosphere, is all over the Rolando Cruz case again. I just saw that Mary Brigid Kennedy has now spoken out, about Burris' appointment. I wonder how much (if any) of this issue will arise, in the Impeachment Committee hearing today. Because the Rolando Cruz trial (the Jeanine Nicarico murder case) is already being discussed so much in the Blogosphere, I only provided a few items on that topic in this Burris press archive; I did include an Illinois Issues piece, because it's by our university's very own Professor Charlie Wheeler (and in the superb magazine, published right here on the campus!). Also included is then-Attorney General Roland Burris' letter-to-the-editor response. (Too bad Burris isn't speaking out on that case now! ;-)




The Roland Burris controversy compilation
From the mainstream media memory hole




- - - - - [More archived press items will be added soon... Like the award-winning 1993 series from the State Journal-Register, discussed here at the Illinois Issues blog, and raised by rival Democrat, U.S. Attorney Jim Burns, which inspired the book Illinois for Sale - on the relationship between $tate contract$ and campaign contribution$ ]


03/21/2002: Roland Burris says he won't run again, Bernard Schoenburg, The Hotline (National Journal) & Chicago Tribune
From The Hotline: Roland Burris "may have finished dead last" in the Dem primary, but "at least he's used to it." Burris has lost "six times in 10 attempts" since '76, and he said this was his last race. Burris: "I'm done, and it's very easy to say that." Burris said he was "relishing the thought of leaving the rigorous campaign trail." Burris: "It's unbelievable what you go through, what you put your family through ... I'm just going to go on with my life and enjoy what little life I have left" (Mihalopoulos/Becker, Chicago Tribune, 3/21).

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01/18/2007: Vegas probe casts doubt on county deal, Steve Patterson, Chicago Sun-Times, January 18, 2007

06/16/2004: Roland Burris' consulting firm awarded $150,000 contract by IDOT, Doug Finke, State Journal-Register, June 16, 2004

06/05/2003: Ex-attorney general Roland Burris to lobby for Indian casino, Eric Peterson, Chicago Daily Herald, June 5, 2003

Article list via: "Burris' pay-to-play political history"

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03/03/1998: Burns: Burris part of problem, not solution, Bernard Schoenburg, State Journal-Register


03/08/1998: Front-runner Burris no longer above the primary fray, Bernard Schoenburg, State Journal-Register


03/08/1998: Burris failed his only major test in office as Attorney General, Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune (re: the Rolando Cruz case)

------> April 1993: Attorney General Roland Burris' letter to the editor, responding to UIS' very own Charlie Wheeler III, in which AG Burris defends his reaction to Mary Brigid Kenney's resignation and complaints, Illinois Issues April 4, 1993



------> Original article: March 1993: Justice bereft of common sense?, Prof. Charles Wheeler III, Illinois Issues, March 6, 1993

02/02/1992: Burris borrowed $28,000 from campaign fund, Chuck Neubauer & Mark Brown, Chicago Sun-Times, February 2, 1992

Labels: barack obama, Blagojevich impeachment, charlie wheeler, House impeachment committee, Illinois House, Illinois Issues, impeachment, media, pay-to-play, rod blagojevich, roland burris, rolando cruz, UIS

Roland Burris Round-up & Reactions

Illinois Republican Party: The Facts on Roland Burris [ Also see Anne Leary's post ]

Rod Roland Reactions
Blagojevich Burris Blogosphere Roundups

Rich Miller (Capitol Fax): This just in… *** Guv to appoint Burris *** White says No *** Blatant appeal to race *** Quinlan resigns ***
John Ruberry (Marathon Pundit): Blagojevich buddy Burris
Chicago GOP: Blagojevich to name Roland Burris to open Senate seat
IlliniPundit: Blago to Name Burris to Senate Seat - UPDATED
Mark Shelden (IlliniPundit): Welcome Senator Burris [very prescient!!]
Bill Dennis (Peoria Pundit): Politics: Blago to name former AG Burris to Senate seat
ISU College Democrats: Roland Burris?

ArchPundit has so much great stuff on Roland and Rod, I can't link to just one post!


Guest-blogger DRJ (Patterico's Pontifications): What’s Next for the Illinois Senate Seat?
Michelle Malkin: Blago surprise: Here comes his Senate replacement; race-card circus; Obama says no
AllahPundit (Hot Air): Video: The surreal, race-baiting Blagojevich press conference; Update: No seat for Burris, says Obama; Update: Blago’s General Counsel quits

The Real Barack Obama: Blago Punks Dems
Rick Moran (The American Thinker): Blago names respected African American Pol to senate seat
Gary Gross (California Conservative, Let Freedom Ring): Defiant Blagojevich Names Obama's Replacement
Rich Moran (Right Wing Nut House): REID BALKS AT BLAGO SENATE CHOICE
Jazz Shaw (The Moderate Voice): Senator Burris: Much Ado About Little
Patrick Edaburn (The Moderate Voice): A Proposal For Mr. Burris
Pete Abel (The Moderate Voice): Blagojevich the Exponential Cynic?
Uppity Woman: Obama says Burris choice is “disappointing”
Anne Leary (Backyard Conservative): Blago Makes a Move
Dan Riehl: Did Blago Actually Have To Appoint Someone?
Neoavatara: Blago! Are you kidding me?

Update (1/10/09): And, the best post of all!

(Basil must be from our state!! ;-)

Labels: barack obama, blog round-ups, blogosphere, rod blagojevich, roland burris

I spent a few hours at the Capitol today to see what the legislature planned to do regarding Governor Blagojevich. From everything I read in media reports the main item on the agenda was to vote on a bill to create a special election for the vacant US Senate seat. That did not happen. Republicans on the House side were upset about this to say the least. House Minority Leader Tom Cross spoke on the House Floor on the need to hold a special election because any appointment to the US Senate, whether it be by Governor Blagojevich or Pat Quinn would be tainted. He and other Republicans are going to continue to fight to ensure a special election does take place to name the replacement for President-elect Obama.

The House did vote to create a panel of 12 Democrats and 9 Republicans to put together a report that investigates whether there is enough to go forward with impeachment in the House. This panel will meet everyday in room 114 of the Capital and is open to the public. They will not meet on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. This bill was Resolution 1650. Republicans introduced an identical Resolution last week, 1644. The only exception was that the Republican version called for 5 Democrats and 5 Republicans. The Republican resolution was not discussed and several Republican Representatives voiced their strong disapproval on the House Floor. Representative Bill Black (R) of Danville, was perhaps the most vocal to the Democrats. He spoke very passionately and gave quite a speech.

So, the House has formally created a committee to investigate impeachment of the Governor. It is my hope that this committee will act swiftly and decisively and be prepared to act if the Governor does not resign. There is much at stake and impeachment is not something that should be taken lightly. However, given the serious nature of the allegations against Governor Blagojevich, I believe that he is not fit to remain Governor. If he does not resign on his own than it is my belief that the House of Representatives should move swiftly with impeachment and allow a trial to take place in the Senate. Now is the time to act. The time for change in Illinois is now. We need to put the past 6 years behind us and move forward to tackle the serious issues facing Illinois families today. I encourage you to call your State Representative and ensure that impeachment moves swiftly to put this state in the right hands.


Trackbacked to third world country, The World According to Carl, DragonLady's World, Rosemary's News, and Political Byline, courtesy of Linkfests.us, and to The Conservative Cat.

Labels: House begins impeachment process, rod blagojevich

As I was watching the coverage yesterday of Blagojevich's arrest, I couldn't help but notice how all of the national political pundits were utterly shocked and surprised (not to mention many Illinois politicians) by the arrest of the governor. For most citizens this should come as no surprise. He has been under federal investigation for several years and has had several former aids indicted by federal authorities (Tony Rezko comes to mind). Contrary to what many people in the nation believe, this is just politics as usual for Illinois. I've heard it said from classmates that this will allow for a clean slate in Illinois. Given the number of governors who have been arrested and put in jail in the past 30 years or so, I doubt that such a thing will happen.

Labels: Blagojevich Arrest, media, rod blagojevich

Well folks, I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so.

For the last 6 years of the Blagojevich administration there has been a cloud of suspicion hovering over this Governor over pay-to-play politics. In 2002, Rod Blagojevich campaigned across this state pledging to end the business-as-usual that was the status quo in the state of Illinois at the time. He pledged to ride into Springfield on a white horse and clean up this state. I didn't support him in 2002, I thought then that former IL Attorney General Jim Ryan was the right man for the job. My candidate lost. I was willing to give Blagojevich a chance to follow through on the promises he had made because Illinois desperately needed to put the George Ryan years behind us. George Ryan was a person I looked up too. He was a Republican and he and I shared a decent name haha. George Ryan let me and the rest of the state down by putting his own personal interests ahead of the interests of this state. When Blagojevich took office, I had hopes that we could finally put that behind us. Unfortunately, that trust was wrongfully placed by the people of Illinois.

Early on we began to see that business-as-usual in Illinois simply transferred from the Republican administration into the Democratic one. Instead of putting the interests of IL first, Blagojevich began doing whatever it took to enrich himself, his family, and his friends. This is why I became actively involved in Judy Baar Topinka's campaign for Governor in 2006. The entire campaign Blagojevich falsely used George Ryan to link him to Topinka. He was able to spend millions and millions of dollars, a lot of which was raised by now convicted felon Tony Rezko, to air TV ads linking Topinka to George Ryan. Remember, Judy Baar Topinka, What's She Thinking? During the campaign, I was able to get to know Judy very well and Joe Birkett as well. But because Blagojevich had a massive campaign war chest, he was able to distract the voters of IL away from his own failures and create a false impression that Topinka was just another George Ryan crony. Judy Baar Topinka warned us in 2006 of what lay ahead for IL. She was right. She and Joe Birkett fought for an Illinois that worked for working families. In the last 2 years since his re-election, we have seen what can happen when we have a Governor more interested in being served than serving the interests of this state.

Public service is about serving the people, not to be served. It is a sad fact that we have TWO consecutive Governors that have been arrested. This corruption does not belong to one party or one group. This is a bipartisan problem in Illinois that needs to be dealt with. For too long our elected officials have routinely betrayed the public trust and engaged in pay-to-play politics. It's time to put our state first. It's time to put forth leaders that are interested in putting the business of this state ahead of their own personal agenda. We can do better than what we are getting out of Springfield. Because quite frankly, we deserve better. We deserve better than having 2 Governors involved in corruption. We deserve honest, decent, and honorable people to serve in the rank and file of State Government. We face serious challenges in Illinois and its time for Governor Blagojevich to step aside and put the interests of Illinois first, because he has lost all credibility that he might have had. This isn't a partisan issue. This is an Illinois issue. All of us, Democrats and Republicans, need to stand up for Honest Government and a government that will work for all of us.

So, now it's time for Governor Blagojevich to step aside. If he does not, the General Assembly should convene and begin immediate impeachment hearings and allow Lt. Governor Pat Quinn to take over. He has opposed Blagojevich on many key areas and I think will lead this state honorably and will help to put this state first.

Labels: Blagojevich Arrest, rod blagojevich, tony rezko