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Burris Offered Blagojevich a Personal Check
FBI tape reveals offer, but the future senator never sent money
By John Johnson
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Posted May 26, 09 7:32 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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The Senate Ethics Committee will have an interesting conversation to ponder as it considers whether Roland Burris engaged in any shady business before being appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. In an exchange secretly taped by the FBI between Burris and Blago's brother before the gubernatorial scandal broke, the future senator offers to write a personal check to the governor—even as he wrestles with how it would look.
"I know I could give him a check myself," said Burris, who worries he would "catch hell" because of it, notes the Tribune. "And if I do get appointed that means I bought it," he said. "And, and God knows number one, I, I wanna help Rod," he said later. "Number two, I also wanna, you know, hope I get a consideration to get that appointment." Burris, who ultimately never sent the $1,500 check, did not disclose his offer to a state impeachment panel.