Posted on 01/08/2009 5:36:45 PM PST by Libloather
Burris denies any improper deals for Senate seat
David Mercer, Associated Press Writer – 26 mins ago
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Roland Burris cleared a key hurdle Thursday on his way to filling President-elect Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat, testifying under oath that he didn't strike any deals with Gov. Rod Blagojevich to get the plum appointment.
**SNIP**
"I can before this committee state that there was nothing ... legal, personal, or political exchanged for my appointment to this seat," Burris testified to an Illinois House committee investigating whether to impeach the governor.
Later in the day, the committee recommended impeachment, setting up a vote as early as Friday in the full House.
Burris declined to answer questions about whether he would have gone to federal authorities if he'd been offered such a deal. He also declined to say whether Blagojevich should resign or be impeached, saying he has no control over those issues.
**SNIP**
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday that he hadn't decided whether Burris' testimony improved the chances he would be seated.
"I haven't heard anything about his testimony. I've got to see what he said, I've no idea. He's completed it?" Reid said coming off the Senate floor after closing business for the night.
Told that Burris had said that he didn't strike any agreement with Blagojevich to win the seat, Reid replied: "We'll have to look at it."
Burris, 71, testified that he didn't talk to Blagojevich about the Senate seat before the arrest, though he said he expressed interest to some "close friends" and Lon Monk, a former top aide to the governor.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I think Burris has clean hands.
But everyone around him have hands from the crapper.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am loving this.
We have to respect all cultures.
Well he would, wouldn’t he?
That's some hurdle. The suspense was killing me.
That’s a good point. The press let “The One” off the hook after his own internal investigation exonerated him, why wouldn’t they afford Burris the same treatment.
If Burris was ethical, he would not be involved in this. He should have declined the appointment
Sure, OK, if you say so, <saecasm off
Burris is obviously the high bidder and legitimately won the seat.
Any attempt to deny Burris the seat will justifiably earn negative feedback for the DNC.
I would recommend that the Senate either expel Burris or seat him before Blago is impeached. If Lt. Gov is elevated and nominates someone else, it would be a real mess.
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