It's starting to look like the Senate term of Roland Burris may be very, very short. And, that's his own fault. Every day, we're learning more about his contacts with Rod Blagojevich's fundraising operation -- keeping mind that Burris testified under oath that there really weren't any.
The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board has had enough and wants Burris to resign:
The benefit of the doubt had already been stretched thin and taut by the time Roland Burris offered his third version of the events leading to his appointment to the U.S. Senate. It finally snapped like a rubber band, popping him on that long Pinocchio nose of his, when he came out with version four.The sooner the better at this point. While a single newspaper editorial isn't determinative, this one seems to encapsulate the growing consensus. U.S. Senate Democrats aren't springing to the defense of Burris. This line, from The Hill, says a lot:
Let’s see if we have it right: Burris had zero contact with any of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s cronies about his interest in the Senate seat being vacated by President Barack Obama— unless you count that conversation with former chief of staff Lon Monk, and, on further reflection, the ones with insiders John Harris, Doug Scofield and John Wyma and, oh yeah, the governor’s brother and fund-raising chief, Robert Blagojevich. But Burris didn’t raise a single dollar for the now ex-governor as a result of those contacts because that could be construed as a quid pro quo and besides, everyone he asked refused to donate.
The story gets worse with every telling.
Enough. Roland Burris must resign.
On Capitol Hill, Democratic leaders largely stayed silent Tuesday.
