The Chicago Sun-Times, in an exclusive report, said that former Governor Rod Blagojevich, through his brother Robert, tried to hold up Senator Burris for $10,000. This is not a surprising development in itself, but the problem could be a potentially large one for Burris because he initially failed to report this to the Illinois House in impeachment proceedings.
Burris acknowledged having three conversations with Robert Blagojevich, who headed the Friends of Blagojevich campaign fund -- and one of those was likely recorded by the FBI.
Burris' statement offers the third version of events he has given about his discussions concerning the Senate seat, to which Blagojevich appointed him in late December, after Blagojevich was hit with federal corruption charges that included an allegation he tried to sell the Senate appointment.
Burris said he sent the new statement to House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago) after he read the transcript of his testimony before the impeachment committee she headed and realized it was incomplete. "There were several facts that I was not given the opportunity to make during my testimony," Burris said. "I voluntarily submitted an affidavit so everything was transparent."
The problem grows for Burris if he has any hope of winning an election to the United States Senate in 2010. Burris is expected to have several opponents in the Democratic primary, including Congressman Jan Schakowsky and Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. Both candidates are friends of President Barack Obama. Schakowsky was an early supporter of Obama in 2004. Her support and delivering of Evanston, is considered a key event in that campaign. And Giannoulias was also a key early supporter, organizing his community in the same 2004 election. Obama and Giannoulias often play basketball together.
WASHINGTON -- Newly appointed Sen. Roland Burris opened a campaign fund to raise money for a 2010 election bid as it looks like he may face a Democratic primary challenge: State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is mulling a Senate run, and Rep. Jan Schakowsky isn't ruling it out.
Trust me on this -- Giannoulias, who the ability to self-finance a campaign, is looking very closely at challenging Burris. Schakowsky is also considering her first statewide run. An issue for Burris -- in office for a week -- would be to explain to Illinois voters in the February 2010 Democratic Illinois primary why he took an appointment from the tainted Gov. Blagojevich.
And Burris may have other baggage too, having accepted a loan in the amount of 1.2 million in 2002 from businessman Joseph Stroud. And to top it all off, the loan was never repaid, begging the question, what does Burris owe this man.
Even if Burris survives the Democratic primary, he will be challenged by such possible Republican opponents as Congressman Mark Kirk.
Senator Burris will need to clean up his act quickly and make amends with the people of the state of Illinois if he expects to win his seat. Or he could just gracefully walk away. Chicago City Hall Examiner.