Politics

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) ― As he continues his quest for a spot in the U.S. Senate, Roland Burris on Thursday faced lawmakers who are considering impeaching Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Burris said he's never been involved in an improper deal and didn't strike any agreement to become Blagojevich's pick.

But Burris isn't answering questions about whether he would have gone to federal authorities if he'd been offered such a deal.

The former Illinois attorney general also refused to say Thursday whether the governor should resign or be impeached. Burris said he has no control over those issues.

Asked if he, as a senator, would help Gov. Blagojevich out of his legal trouble, Burris said, "The governor will have to deal with problems he has but I will not in any way try to interfere."

Burris told committee members he had no direct dealings with the governor before the criminal complaint, though he did admit he expressed interest in the position through a mutual friend when it became apparent that there might be a vacancy.

"I recall having a meeting with Lon Monk about my partner and I trying to continue business and I did bring it up in July of 2008," Burris said.

Before arriving in Springfield, Burris had already submitted an affidavit indicating the governor didn't offer the appointment through attorney Sam Adam Jr. until the day after Christmas. He accepted the offer two days later.

Illinois Republicans promised tough questions for Burris on why he accepted a position offered by Blagojevich and whether he promised the governor anything in return.

On Wednesday, Burris met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and No. 2 Democrat Richard Durbin (D-Ill.)

Reid and Durbin both said Burris had submitted an affidavit to the panel seeking to impeach Blagojevich, and it was clear to them that Burris has been upfront.

"He's not trying to avoid any responsibility or hide anything," Reid said.

The impeachment committee's Democratic chairwoman, state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), played down the importance of Burris' appearance, saying people must "have a screw loose" to think Blagojevich offered improper deals after being arrested.

But Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Countryside) said the appointment raises serious questions. He called the role of the governor's criminal attorney, Samuel Adam Jr., "another level of bizarre."

"Mr. Burris owes an explanation to the millions of people in the state," Durkin said.

In Washington on Wednesday, Senate leaders began to clear the way for Roland Burris to take over President-elect Barack Obama's vacant seat, saying they wanted the issue resolved quickly.

"I think when it comes to Roland Burris's situation, a lot depends on whether or not he can produce the credentials every senator has to produce," Durbin said.

Senate officials are awaiting Burris' appearance at the impeachment hearings, and they also say Burris' appointment still has to be certified by Illinois' secretary of state.

"We believe that the certification by the secretary of state is vital to comply with Senate rules," Reid said.

White previously refused to certify Burris because he was picked by Blagojevich. The rule requiring state governors and secretaries of state to sign certifications for a senate nominee has been in effect since 1884, Reid said.

This was cited as the reason that Burris' paperwork was rejected and he was not let onto the Senate floor on Tuesday when the 111th Congress was sworn in.

Burris' attorneys submitted a legal filing to the Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday trying to force White to sign the certification. White and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan submitted a response on Wednesday, saying there is no law requiring the secretary of state's signature on appointments.

But Wednesday night White told CBS 2's Dana Kozlov he would sign the documentation if ordered to by the court.

"If by chance the attorney general happens to fail with her argument and I'm presented with a document from the Supreme Court then I will sign it," White said. "I'm not going to fight it."

Upon returning to Chicago at Midway Airport Wednesday, Burris said he regretted that he could not take the oath of office with his Senate colleagues, but that everything else in Washington had gone as planned.

"We don't anticipate any type of roadblock once the procedures are done," Burris said.

President-elect Barack Obama said Wednesday that the decision on whether to allow Burris to join the Senate is a decision for Senate leaders. The president-elect said he knew Burris, liked him and would be happy to work with him if he is seated.

The Congressional Black Caucus voted unanimously Wednesday to support seating Burris, who would be the Senate's only black member.

"This is a situation where we have a senator who has now missed out on his first day," said Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), a caucus member. "It's only fair that he be sworn in immediately. This is a no-brainer."

Meanwhile, Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, sued the Senate on Wednesday, saying the refusal to seat Burris is unconstitutional.

CBS 2's Jay Levine and Joanie Lum and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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