Burris Meets With Federal Agents

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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/us/politics/22burris.html?hp

Burris Meets With Federal Agents

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: February 21, 2009

CHICAGO (AP) — Federal authorities interviewed Senator Roland W.

Burris of Illinois on Saturday as they continued their corruption

investigation of former Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, according to reports

in the Chicago news media.

Mr. Burris, who left his home for several hours Saturday, declined to

talk to reporters outside. Last week, he said federal authorities

wanted to talk to him about their investigation of Mr. Blagojevich.

Mr. Burris said his attorneys had been trying to set up the meeting

for some time.

The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times and the television station

WMAQ, citing people they did not name, reported that the meeting

occurred at the Chicago offices of Mr. Burris's lawyer. Messages left

Saturday for the lawyer, III, were not immediately

returned.

A spokesman for Mr. Burris, Jim O'Connor, declined to comment, as did

a spokesman for the United States attorney's office, Randall Samborn.

The reports said the meeting had been delayed for weeks and was not

related to investigations into Mr. Burris's testimony before state

lawmakers last month about his contacts with people close to Mr.

Blagojevich. The Tribune reported that Mr. Burris was not a target of

the inquiry he was interviewed about.

Mr. Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal corruption charges,

including accusations that he tried to sell or trade the United

States Senate seat vacated by President Obama for money or favors.

Mr. Blagojevich shocked many by naming Mr. Burris to the seat Dec. 30.

Mr. Blagojevich, who has denied any wrongdoing, was impeached by the

Illinois House on Jan. 9. Weeks later, he was convicted and removed

from office by the Illinois Senate.

Mr. Burris testified before the Illinois House committee that

recommended Mr. Blagojevich's impeachment that he had not contacted

Blagojevich aides or offered anything in return for the Senate seat.

However, earlier this month, Mr. Burris released an affidavit saying

he had spoken to several Blagojevich advisers, including the former

governor's brother and finance chairman, who Mr. Burris said called

three times last fall asking for fund-raising help.

Mr. Burris, who has denied wrongdoing, has said he will cooperate in

any investigation.

A number of Democrats — including J. Quinn, now the governor

of Illinois — have called for Mr. Burris's resignation, while the

White House urged the senator to take the weekend to consider his

future.

On Saturday, Mayor M. Daley told The Tribune that he would

not call for Mr. Burris to step down.

" Let's put everything in perspective and give him an opportunity to

explain himself, " Mr. Daley said. " Automatically, every time

something happens, people want everybody to resign. Is it becoming

very common now to tell people to resign after he was appointed? "

[Guest guest]

It will surprise me if much comes of this. He has lied so far, but it isn't perjury since he wasn't sworn in in court. However, it does look very suspicious, but political pressure will surely be brought down to keep him. If not, we'll probably just go through this all over again with whoever does get appointed, or elected.

In a message dated 2/22/2009 2:34:14 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

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