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http://illinoisissuesblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/burris-contracts-to-contributors.html

Monday, January 05, 2009
Burris’ contracts to contributors
By Dana Heupel
During Roland Burris’ first full fiscal year as Illinois attorney general, more than half of the money his office awarded for outside legal work went to campaign contributors, according to a book published by Illinois Issues magazine and the Springfield State Journal-Register.

In FY 1992, Burris’ office issued roughly $4 million in outside legal contracts to individuals and law firms, according to the book, Illinois For Sale, which was published in 1997. More than $2.25 million of that amount went to contributors to Burris’ campaign or to the main Democratic fundraising committee.

None of the outside legal contracts were required to be put out for bids by competing law firms. Burris’ office was allowed to award the contracts without consideration over whether the state received the best price for the legal work.

At the time, Burris’ office denied they were “pay to play” contracts.

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Remark rocks gov race - Burris hit for `white boys’ speech
Chicago Sun-Times - Thursday, February 26, 1998
Author: SCOTT FORNEK AND MARK BROWN
Two Democrats running for governor lashed out at front-runner Roland Burris on Wednesday for a videotaped speech in which he appears to call them “ non-qualified white boys .”

“It’s outrageous,” said rival candidate Jim Burns, demanding an apology. “Race-baiting doesn’t belong anywhere in this society, and it certainly doesn’t belong in a campaign for governor.”

The remarks came in a speech that aired earlier this year over a local cable station and was replayed Wednesday by WLS-Channel 7. Burris, a former Illinois attorney general, was angrily rejecting any suggestion that he should consider dropping out of the race.

“I got 20 years’ experience in Illinois government, and some of those other non-qualified white boys ought to get out,” Burris appears to say on the tape. “They never held a public office before.”

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Win could be in the cards for Burris - $1 million gift might keep the odds in his favor—or stack the deck against him
Chicago Sun-Times - Monday, February 11, 2002
Author: Scott Fornek
In the high-stakes poker game of gubernatorial politics, Democrat Roland Burris could be holding his best hand ever—a pair of aces in his strong support among fellow African Americans and his potential appeal Downstate—as well as a gift of $1 million in chips to keep him in the game.

“Absolutely, it’s his to lose,” said Tom Carey, a Democratic strategist and adviser to the Burris campaign.

But with his primary rivals holding a few aces of their own, the former attorney general still must play his cards carefully if he hopes to win the pot.

Thanks to the record $1 million infusion of cash from firms tied to an Oak Brook businessman (Joseph Stroud), Burris started the year with $911,162 in his campaign kitty. That’s nearly 26 times the $35,111 he had at the same point in his 1998 bid in which he still managed to squeak out a second-place finish.

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IT’S NOT RACIST TO TELL WHY BURRIS IS GIVING DEMOCRATS THE JITTERS
Chicago Tribune - Tuesday, January 6, 1998
Author: John Kass .
If a white columnist criticizes a black politician by calling him a political hack, is that white columnist a racist? Just so you don’t think this is a hypothetical question, let’s be clear.

Am I a racist for putting the hack label on Roland Burris in a Dec. 24 column? He’s one of four leading contenders seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination for governor in the upcoming March primary.

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Years ago, as South African leader Nelson Mandela was about to be released from prison, dozens of Chicago’s black political/intellectual elite were at a meeting on the South Side.

Present were the socialists, the black nationalists, the progressives and several political operatives and politicians. Burris was there in his three-piece suit, starched white shirt and power tie.

He was being asked whether the African National Congress should deserve any criticism. But the questioner didn’t use the words “African National Congress.” Instead, he used the letters, ANC.

“I don’t know if we should start criticizing the ANC, before we criticize CBS and NBC and ABC first!,” Burris said with emphasis. “Let’s take care of ABC and NBC. Then CBS. We address them, then we can pressure ANC. But go after the other networks first!”

After a moment of stunned silence—as if someone had passed gas at a quiet dinner party—the meeting was in an uproar.

Many were stunned that Burris thought ANC was a television network. Others thought he was doing an imitation of Las Vegas comic Norm Crosby, the king of malaprops. The consensus was that Burris should keep his mouth shut.

“We need a blackout on this guy,” said several at the meeting, only they used an ugly two-word slang phrase in place of “guy.”

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(LOL!)