Illinois Senator Roland Burris in the Hot seat...again

by David Mercer, Associated Press


DECATUR, Ill. (AP) — Sen. Roland Burris said Wednesday he did not tell an Illinois House impeachment committee that he promised to help then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich's campaign while also pushing for a Senate appointment because, like any good lawyer, he did not want to volunteer information he was not asked about.

Burris, 71, told The Associated Press on Wednesday it never occurred to him he should have told lawmakers in January about his conversation with the former governor's brother, Robert Blagojevich, about both the empty seat and raising money for the governor.

"You're being asked questions, and one thing you don't do is to try to volunteer information that wasn't asked," Burris said at a union hall in Decatur. "There was no obligation there."

Burris said he did not consider informing members of the committee afterward. "Why would I in hindsight turn around and say, 'I shoulda, shoulda, shoulda?'"

On newly released wiretaps, Burris tells Robert Blagojevich that he would like the appointment to the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. But he says it would look bad for him to raise money directly, so he promises to personally write a check and take other actions to help the campaign.