Results tagged “rolandburris”

     

Happy Halloween! Have you been wondering how your favorite politicians, Chicagoist editors and, um, Richard Marxes are going to dress this year? Eyewitness News Chicagoist has the scoop!

Remember U.S. Sen. Roland Burris? He was all the talk here, there, and everywhere in the first half of 2009 for all the wrong reasons. But now he finds himself in the Capitol Hill spotlight once more but this time for reasons actually pertaining to legislation. Burris is now making waves for his refusal to support any health care reform plan that doesn't include a public option. Why does this matter? Because if Burris sticks to his gun - and why not? He's not running for re-election and has nothing to lose - that could mean Senate Democrats won't have the 60 votes necessary (there are 58 Dems and two independents in the U.S. Senate, currently) to stop a Republican filibuster. The Associated Press says this in a profile (via Crain's):

• Chicago Now's one story up has the story of a family who is facing eviction from Section 8 housing after the death of their mother.
• The Clout College hearings continued today with a pair of admissions experts expressing surprise at the elaborate nature of the system in place at the University of Illinois.
• If you haven't heard it yet, please, go listen to Sen. Roland Burris's interview this morning on WBEZ's 848. While nothing new is revealed, Burris's reactions to questions like what he thinks the impact of his not seeking the seat in 2010 on his staff will be straddle the line between hilarious and horrifying.

After a flurry of "He's Out" and "He's In" releases, scoops, and stories, it seems we're heading for a final "He's In!" for U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk and the upcoming U.S. Senate race. Crain's Greg Hinz is reporting that state GOP chief Andy McKenna, the man most saw as Kirk's primary obstacle in securing the Republican nomination for next year's senate contest, will defer to Kirk's wishes. It's been a bit of a confusing affair, especially with two big names - State Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the seat's current holder, Roland Burris - dropping out of next year's race. Luckily, Hinz breaks it down pretty succinctly.

With the announcement that Roland Burris will not seek re-election and Lisa Madigan staying put in the AG's seat, Illinois's Junior Senatorial seat has become somewhat of a political hot potato. And amid the shuffling of names and personalities in potential statewide races that have been subject to speculation for months, the Washington Post reported, incorrectly, that Mark Kirk wouldn't run for the GOP slot in the general. In fact, Kirk has been in a bit of a political standoff with Illinois GOP chair Andy McKenna over who would run for an elected office in Illinois that could actually go to a Republican.

Well, shit just got interesting. After yesterday's announcement by Attorney General Lisa Madigan that she won't be running for his office, U.S. Senator Roland Burris has had enough and will not be seeking to keep his seat in 2010, according to a report from the Sun-Times. Burris is expected to detail his decision in a press statement tomorrow.

• The B.F. Shaw Printing Co., parent company of the McHenry County-based newspaper Northwest Herald, has sued Cal Skinner Jr. of the McHenry County Blog for damages based on a post Skinner made regarding an alleged loan to the paper, claiming such a loan never happened.
• The City has filed applications for grants that would provide upwards of $106 million meant to hire 400 new police officers. But the grants, good for three years, contain the provision that the officers have to remain on the city payroll for at least one additional year after.
• At yesterday's Pride Parade, Sen. Roland Burris supported civil unions but stopped short of endorsing gay marriage - a view shared by Pres. Barack Obama.

The Lord's Senator has become The Absent-Minded Senator. Senator Burris is backpedaling to fix another "oops," this time amending a financial statement involving stock options. According to the Tribune, Burris forgot to mention his option to buy 8,000 shares of stock in Inland Real Estate Corp. on a Senate financial disclosure statement. Burris served on the board of the company between 1996 and January of this year when he was sworn in as the junior U.S. Senator from Illinois. Burris' communications director Jim O'Connor told the Trib, "You are absolutely right. His unexercised options were not disclosed," and that Burris will amend the statement to include the options.

While the Republicans are beginning to sort out their candidates for the 2010 governor's race, the nation's top Democrat is starting to help state Dems sort out who's running for what, including Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Though Madigan has long been rumored as a serious candidate for governor, it seems President Obama is trying to push Madigan into next year's senate race - for the seat Obama once occupied and is now occupied by embattled Sen. Roland Burris - in an attempt to take on Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk. The Sun-Times' Laura Washington has more.

• Metra found out today they're the recipient of $46 million in federal cash.
• The Parking Ticket Geek has shots of today's Parking Meter protest.
• Cook County Commissioner Willaim Beavers took a cheap shot at departing commissioner Forrest Claypool, calling him a, "born loser."

It looks like at least one chapter in the saga of The Lord's Senator has been closed. The Tribune reports that Sangamon County State's Attorney John Schmidt has said there isn't enough evidence to bring perjury charges against U.S. Senator Roland Burris. The perjury issue came up a few months ago when Burris sent an affidavit to the state House committee before whom Burris testified that had information that contradicted his testimony.

• The father of the Arlington Heights family that died in a fire apparently left behind a suicide note.
• R.I.P. Koko Taylor.
• Bond was denied for the two suspects in the shooting death of Chicago Police officer Alejandro Valadez.

We know he continues to find himself in deep trouble and that no one wants to see him elected in 2010, but we didn't know things were so lonely for U.S. Senator Roland Burris. The man infamously appointed by now-ex-governor Rod Blagojevich to replace President Barack Obama as the junior senator from Illinois is finding himself the Solitary Senator these days, according to a story from the Associated Press' Laurie Kellman.

While it remains to be seen if Sen. Roland Burris joins his pal, former governor Rod Blagojevich, as an out-of-work politician, it seems he will be joining Blago in another group: politician-turned-author.

• Amid the latest controversy for Sen. Roland Burris comes word his counterpart, Sen. Dick Durbin, will not support Burris in the 2010 election.
• A judge ruled that residents near Grant Park who oppose the new Children's Museum were given proper notice of the new plans.
• Strange story out of Gary where four bodies were found in a vacant funeral home that was recently sold at a tax sale.

Interested in hearing the recorded conversation between then-not-quite-Senator Roland Burris and the brother of ex-governor Rod Blagojevich? The US District Court is here to help. Cruise by hear to take a listen. It's...not all that fascinating, but it makes us feel like FBI agents. (If you're having trouble the USDC site, WBEZ has it, too. And with a nicer color scheme.) [via]

And the plot thickens. Yesterday's development in the Saga of the Lord's Senator continues to unfold. First, the reports came out that a judge decided to release a taped mid-November 2008 conversation between then-not-senator Roland Burris and then-governor Blagojevich's brother Rob. Neither seemed that concerned. Then came word that on the tape, Burris promised a donation to then-governor Blagojevich's campaign, information that directly contradicted Burris' testimony before Blago's impeachment committee back in January. And now? The Sun-Times has the transcript [PDF - starts on page 12].

This morning, U.S. Judge James Holderman gave the okay to release secret recordings made of phone calls between U.S. Senator Roland Burris and Rob Blagojevich, brother of ex-gov Rod Blagojevich, to a senate ethics committee investigating Burris' shady testimony during Rod's impeachment trial in January. For what it's worth, it seems that attorneys representing both Rob Blagojevich and Sen. Burris are just fine with the tapes being released. Rob's lawyer, Michael Ettinger, said, "If it was up to us, we'd play it to the public," and Timothy Wright, a lawyer for Burris, said, "We think it is what it is. The truth is coming out. We think it helps to vindicate the senator." [Tribune, Sun-Times]

When he's not smack-talking Sen. Durbin, U.S. Sen. Roland Burris is apparently planning on sticking around at his current gig. In an interview with ABC 7's Charles Thomas, Burris said - albeit in a round-a-bout way - that he plans for running to keep his seat in 2010.

We sure hope Roland Burris is getting something intangible out of being a United States Senator, because it looks like he's really paying for the privilege. In trying to secure the seat and defend himself from various ethics and perjury probes, Burris has already racked up bills of $111,032, which he can pay off through fundraising. But that's going to be an uphill climb -- so far this year Burris has raised only $845, bringing his war chest to about the same level as the village treasurer in Mokena.

2010 may be a wild election year in Illinois. That is, if anyone can make up their minds about what they want to do. 7th District Congressman Danny Davis hopes Roland Burris will make up his mind already about running for re-election. Davis told Chicago Public Radio on Monday that Burris's decision will affect his decision about whether to run for Senate next year. "That would play seriously in the thinking of any African American who may be interested," he said. "I'm hoping that the senator will hurry up and publicly let people know whether he intends to run for election." Well, we already know how Burris is leaning.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone. Today, everyone is Irish, yes? Well, that's why I put Bailey's in my coffee this morning.

The tenacious folks at the Sun-Times have uncovered another shady connection between embattled Senator Roland Burris and his appointer, former governor Rod Blagojevich. The Bright One obtained a fund-raising document from three weeks before Blago appointed Burris to fill Pres. Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat.

Federal investigators are now looking at 33rd Ward Alderman Dick Mell's role in Blair Hull's failed bid to win the 2004 Democratic Senate primary. Mell, who is former governor Rod Blagojevich's father-in-law, apparently worked as a consultant on Hull's campaign, and was paid as a subcontractor by Fred Lebed's consultancy, the Prairie Group. Mell's take was reportedly $100,000.

Last week, after days of calling for the resignation of U.S. Senator Roland Burris, Governor Pat Quinn tucked tail and back-pedaled after the first sign of political pressure. Now it seems the chances of Burris being removed or resigning are somewhere between slim and none as a state Senate subcommittee yesterday voted down an attempt to remove Burris from office and set up a special election to replace him. The vote came out 3-2 along party lines with the three Dems arguing the cost of a special election would be too costly. Meanwhile, Burris isn't exactly out of the woods. While we already know he intends to run in 2010 to retain his spot, it seems as if he'll be going up against a formidable opponent, at least in name: Bill Daley, brother of Mayor Daley. Daley joins state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias as people who are taking aim on the seat.

There is evidence that Roland Burris does not have plans to quietly go away at the end of his appointed term. A barely assembled website with the URL http://supportburris.com emerged yesterday with the banner "Roland Burris for U.S. Senate - Support Roland Burris in 2010." The site also includes an option for visitors to donate money. This morning, the site has more meat to it and while Burris has issued no public statement about the website or 2010, his staff confirmed the website was, indeed, legit. So now that we know Burris is gunning for 2010, who will he face? We've heard before he could be up against Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky in the Democratic primary. But another name emerged yesterday that makes things a little more interesting.

While the Race to Replace Rahm enters the final stretch, the voters of Illinois's Fifth Congressional District are clamoring for change. Or, maybe they aren't. Who knows? Russ Stewart predicts that some 90 percent of voters won't bother to turn out on election day tomorrow, a staggering number for the campaign managers, ward workers and volunteers that will be working tirelessly to get out the vote tomorrow. The Tribune profiled the dash to get voters out of the house on Tuesday and into the voting booth, noting how close the Democratic side of the race. "It's neck-and-neck in this race and I'm freaking out," Feigenholtz field organizer Greg Bales told the paper. Meanwhile, County Commissioner and candidate Mike Quigley was busy going door to door in Melrose Park, meeting with voters face to face. "There is nothing more important than voter contact," he said. "You don't want to leave anything out there untouched."

In another episode of the ongoing Roland Burris drama, the embattled Senator addressed supporters Sunday at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church. Although he made no mention of recent calls for his resignation, he promised supporters that he's been working hard to represent them in congress. Noting his support for the recently passed economic stimulus package, Burris went on to point to a voting rights bill he voted for and legislation he introduced to recognize the slaves who helped build the Capitol. "Let me assure you that I will continue to serve you with the fullest of my ability, and that I will never, ever let you down. I will continue to serve you with honesty and integrity. That's all I know," Burris told congregants, community residents and clergy.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued a legal opinion late Wednesday night that says it would be legal for lawmakers to move up the date of the Senate election to choose a replacement for President Barack Obama. The opinion paves the way, at least in theory, for the state legislature to force Burris to run as a candidate in a special election if he wants to retain the seat he was appointed to by former Governor Rod Blagojevich.