Difference between revisions of "Roland Burris"

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'''Roland Burris''' (b. 1937), a liberal Democrat, is the junior U.S. Senator from Illinois.  In 1978 he became the first African American elected to statewide office in Illinois, and in 1990 was elected state attorney general. Since then he lost a series of primary elections and was considered a minor player in Illinois.
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{{Officeholder
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|name=Roland Burris
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|image=000Sen_Roland_Burris_250.jpg
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|party=[[Democrat]]
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|spouse=Berlean M. Burris
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|religion=Baptist
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|offices=
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{{Officeholder/senator
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|state=Illinois
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|terms=January 15, 2009 – Present
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|preceded=[[Barack Obama]]
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|former=n
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|succeeded=
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}}
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}}
  
He was named by Illinois Governor [[Rod Blagojevich]] to fill the vacant [[U.S. Senate]] seat of President-elect Obama, causing enormous uproar because  Blagojevich was being impeached for trying to sell that same seat. Blagojevich was convicted and removed from office in January 2009.
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'''Roland Burris''' (b. 1937), a [[liberal]] [[Democrat]], is the junior U.S. Senator from [[Illinois]]. He has announced he will not seek reelection in 2010. In 1978 he became the first [[African American]] elected to statewide office in Illinois, and in 1990 was elected state attorney general. Since then he lost a series of primary elections and was considered a minor player in Illinois politics.
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Burris was named by Illinois Governor [[Rod Blagojevich]] to fill the vacant [[U.S. Senate]] seat of President-elect [[Barack Obama]], causing enormous uproar because  Blagojevich was being impeached for trying to sell that same seat. Blagojevich was convicted and removed from office in January 2009.
  
 
Senate Democrats promised not to seat anyone named by Blagojevich, because of the taint associated with him. Therefore on Jan. 6, 2009, Burris was denied entry to the Senate chambers as he tried to claim the seat.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/06/burris/index.html</ref>  
 
Senate Democrats promised not to seat anyone named by Blagojevich, because of the taint associated with him. Therefore on Jan. 6, 2009, Burris was denied entry to the Senate chambers as he tried to claim the seat.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/06/burris/index.html</ref>  
  
Legally, however, his claim to the seat seemed good, because it depended on Blagojevich being governor, which he was.
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Legally, however, his claim to the seat seemed strong, because it depended on Blagojevich being governor, which he was.
  
 
On Jan. 12, 2009, he  was finally certified by the Senate.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/12/burris-certified-obamas-vacated-senate-seat/]</ref>
 
On Jan. 12, 2009, he  was finally certified by the Senate.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/12/burris-certified-obamas-vacated-senate-seat/]</ref>
  
 
Burris was seated after promising to testify truthfully to the impeachment committee of the Illinois legislature, which investigated Blagojevich.
 
Burris was seated after promising to testify truthfully to the impeachment committee of the Illinois legislature, which investigated Blagojevich.
[[Image:Burris1.jpg|thumb|290px|to "dissemble" means to conceal information with intent to deceive]]
 
  
However Burris later admitted that he did not testify truthfully to the committee while under oath. The Democratic speaker of the state legislature has called for an investigation, which may possibly lead to criminal charges of perjury. In Washington Senate officials are investigating the situation and it may lead to his expulsion from the Senate. One state representative, a Democrat, sighed that Burris:
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However, Burris later admitted that he did not testify truthfully to the committee while under oath. The Democratic speaker of the state legislature called for an investigation. In Washington, Senate officials investigated the situation. One state representative, a Democrat, sighed that Burris:
 
:"wasn’t forthcoming, and that’s the bottom line. I feel betrayed. The real problem here is the question of trust for the citizens of Illinois. We were supposed to rise to the occasion and, again, Illinois becomes the laughingstock for the nation."<ref>John Chase and Rick Pearson, "Burris changes story on Senate seat," [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/chi-roland-burris-rod-blagojevich-090214,0,334648.story ''Chicago Tribune'' Feb. 14, 2009]; Natasha Korecki and Dave McKinney, "Illinois lawmakers mull Burris perjury probe," [http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/02/illinois_lawmakers_mull_burris.html ''Chicago Sun-Times'' Feb. 14, 2009]; Dirk Johnson and Monica Davey, "Burris Tried to Raise Money for Blagojevich' [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/us/politics/18illinois.html?hp ''New York Times''  Feb. 17, 2009] </ref>
 
:"wasn’t forthcoming, and that’s the bottom line. I feel betrayed. The real problem here is the question of trust for the citizens of Illinois. We were supposed to rise to the occasion and, again, Illinois becomes the laughingstock for the nation."<ref>John Chase and Rick Pearson, "Burris changes story on Senate seat," [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/chi-roland-burris-rod-blagojevich-090214,0,334648.story ''Chicago Tribune'' Feb. 14, 2009]; Natasha Korecki and Dave McKinney, "Illinois lawmakers mull Burris perjury probe," [http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/02/illinois_lawmakers_mull_burris.html ''Chicago Sun-Times'' Feb. 14, 2009]; Dirk Johnson and Monica Davey, "Burris Tried to Raise Money for Blagojevich' [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/us/politics/18illinois.html?hp ''New York Times''  Feb. 17, 2009] </ref>
  
The Senate investigation continues in June 2009; Burris is now shunned and ostracized by his fellow senators, and has been "relegated to outcast status on Capitol Hill." <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/01/burris-relegated-outcast-status-capitol-hill/?test=latestnews Burris Relegated to Outcast Status on Capitol Hill], AP, ''FoxNews.com'', June 01, 2009</ref>
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Burris is now shunned and ostracized by his fellow senators, and has been "relegated to outcast status on Capitol Hill." <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/01/burris-relegated-outcast-status-capitol-hill/?test=latestnews Burris Relegated to Outcast Status on Capitol Hill], AP, ''FoxNews.com'', June 01, 2009</ref>
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Burris, Roland}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burris, Roland}}
 
[[Category:Illinois]]
 
[[Category:Illinois]]
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[[Category:United States Senators]]
 
[[Category:United States Appointed Officials]]
 
[[Category:United States Appointed Officials]]
 
[[Category:Corruption]]
 
[[Category:Corruption]]
 
[[Category:Obama Administration]]
 
[[Category:Obama Administration]]

Revision as of 00:15, August 18, 2009

Roland Burris
000Sen Roland Burris 250.jpg
U.S. Senator from Illinois
From: January 15, 2009 – Present
Predecessor Barack Obama
Successor Incumbent (no successor)
Information
Party Democrat
Spouse(s) Berlean M. Burris
Religion Baptist

Roland Burris (b. 1937), a liberal Democrat, is the junior U.S. Senator from Illinois. He has announced he will not seek reelection in 2010. In 1978 he became the first African American elected to statewide office in Illinois, and in 1990 was elected state attorney general. Since then he lost a series of primary elections and was considered a minor player in Illinois politics.

Burris was named by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama, causing enormous uproar because Blagojevich was being impeached for trying to sell that same seat. Blagojevich was convicted and removed from office in January 2009.

Senate Democrats promised not to seat anyone named by Blagojevich, because of the taint associated with him. Therefore on Jan. 6, 2009, Burris was denied entry to the Senate chambers as he tried to claim the seat.[1]

Legally, however, his claim to the seat seemed strong, because it depended on Blagojevich being governor, which he was.

On Jan. 12, 2009, he was finally certified by the Senate.[2]

Burris was seated after promising to testify truthfully to the impeachment committee of the Illinois legislature, which investigated Blagojevich.

However, Burris later admitted that he did not testify truthfully to the committee while under oath. The Democratic speaker of the state legislature called for an investigation. In Washington, Senate officials investigated the situation. One state representative, a Democrat, sighed that Burris:

"wasn’t forthcoming, and that’s the bottom line. I feel betrayed. The real problem here is the question of trust for the citizens of Illinois. We were supposed to rise to the occasion and, again, Illinois becomes the laughingstock for the nation."[3]

Burris is now shunned and ostracized by his fellow senators, and has been "relegated to outcast status on Capitol Hill." [4]

References

  1. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/06/burris/index.html
  2. [1]
  3. John Chase and Rick Pearson, "Burris changes story on Senate seat," Chicago Tribune Feb. 14, 2009; Natasha Korecki and Dave McKinney, "Illinois lawmakers mull Burris perjury probe," Chicago Sun-Times Feb. 14, 2009; Dirk Johnson and Monica Davey, "Burris Tried to Raise Money for Blagojevich' New York Times Feb. 17, 2009
  4. Burris Relegated to Outcast Status on Capitol Hill, AP, FoxNews.com, June 01, 2009