The Saga of Senator Burris Continues...

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Mar 24, 2009 7:45PM

The Saga of The Lord's Senator continues. While Burris continues to avoid the media following last month's affidavit revelation, there's still plenty happening in the Burris-sphere. Former Burris aide John Ruff was interviewed by Sangamon County State's Attorney John Schmidt two weeks ago regarding Schmidt's perjury investigation of Burris. Ruff told the Sun-Times, "They made it pretty clear I was simply one person to get information from. They gave me no sense of how, when or if they were going to proceed...They wanted to hear what I had to say face-to-face based upon what was in the story you ran. They wanted to know what kind of documentation that I might have that could back up my version of events."

Ruff said he told Schmidt about a Dec. 30 conversation with [Burris confidant Fred] Lebed in which Lebed allegedly informed him of Burris' appointment that day and said, "We'll have to do some things for the governor."

Ruff also said he told Schmidt about hearing Lebed allegedly recount how he had discussions as far back as October about a potential Burris appointment with lobbyist John Wyma, former Blagojevich chief of staff John Harris and lobbyist Alonzo Monk.

Ruff said he provided Schmidt with copies of e-mail exchanges with Lebed and phone bills showing conversations with him, including the one on Dec. 30 and dating as far back as October.

Delmarie Cobb, spokeswoman for Burris, brushed Ruff's comments off as "sour grapes." Meanwhile, the 2010 race for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Burris is drawing interest from the GOP's national leaders.