Burris Watch

Even with Roland Burris' announcement that he would no longer talk to the media, the news keeps drip, drip, dripping out.

Let's start with a classic Burris move. Last month, during his testimony at the impeachment trial of former Governor Rod Blagojevich, there was a line of questioning about Burris' lobbying clients, at which point his attorney said he would provide a list to the committee.  And now:

State and local records show that at least 10 names are missing from a list of lobbying clients U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has given to Illinois legislators. [...]

Wright [Burris' attorney] told The Associated Press on Thursday that he never said he was handing over a complete list. He says he told lawmakers he'd give them what Burris had, which is what he did.

Just another case of Team Burris depending on what the definition of "is" is.

And do you remember John Harris? The one-time chief of staff for Rod Blagojevich that Burris forgot to mention during his testimony at the impeachment trial, before saying in his most recent affidavit that he spoke to him once about the senate appointment? Well, now it turns out that:

All told, Burris called Harris, who resigned after he was criminally charged Dec. 9, four times in the weeks following the Nov. 4 election and appears to have spoken to Harris on Nov. 26, phone records show.

In the Feb. 4 affidavit, which has set off a political wildfire because it dramatically altered earlier sworn statements, Burris acknowledged only reaching out to Harris once last October and getting a return phone call three weeks later.

And another Chicago newspaper is calling for Burris to resign:

Today, we're calling on Burris to resign voluntarily, knowing fully well that's like asking a Cubs fan to cheer for the White Sox at the Crosstown Classic.

Without a push, he will never do it. Wouldn't look good on the tombstone.

Meanwhile, the big guns are starting to come out against him, with Dick Durbin saying:

I'm troubled by the fact that his testimony was not complete and it was unsatisfactory. It wasn't the full disclosure under oath that we were asking for ... At this point, his future in the Senate seat is in question.

... Harry Reid commenting that Burris' story "seems to be changing day by day," and White House spokesman Robert Gibbs saying:

Obviously Sen. Burris was seated based in some way on the representations that he made ... and I think that the people of Illinois deserve to know, based on some of the things that have happened over the past few days ... the full extent of any involvement.

And is this the start of the rats deserting a sinking ship?

A spokesman for Illinois Sen. Roland Burris resigned Thursday in the wake of new disclosures about requests that Burris raise money for disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich while seeking a U.S. Senate appointment.

And finally, who knows if the news that Patti Blagojevich has been served with a subpoena has anything to do with the Burris fiasco. Her name did come up during his testimony at the impeachment trial regarding a job she had gotten, and Burris said he knew nothing about it. Which probably means there's another affidavit on the way to clear things up.