Feb 21, 2009 9:44 pm US/Central
Source: Feds Interviewed Burris About Blagojevich
Gov. Pat Quinn Hopes Burris Steps Down Next Week
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Senator Roland Burris (D-IL), with his attorney Timothy Wright III, addresses allegations at a news conference that he lied under oath during the Illinois House impeachment hearings Feb. 15, 2009, in Chicago, Ill.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
Sen. Roland Burris was warned by the White House to consider his future now Governor Pat Quinn is putting more pressure on him.
After calling for Burris to resign Friday, Quinn went a step further; in an interview with the Web site http://www.politico.com, Quinn said, "I hope that he steps aside and resigns next week."
CBS 2's Pamela Jones reports that all of this comes as Burris spent the day talking to federal investigators. And it's a meeting Burris has said he's been anticipating for quite some time.
Burris told CBS 2 scheduling issues had prevented it from happening sooner.
For people who track good government, the meeting with the feds may not be incriminating, but may not come at the best time for a senator twisting in the controversy either.
"We've been expecting this for some time," said Cindi Canary of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform of the news that Burris spent much of the day at his lawyer's downtown office with federal investigators. Investigators Burris has said wanted to talk to him to help clarify details in their corruption probe of former governor Rod Blagojevich.
It's a meeting Burris, himself, says has been in the works for weeks.
"I got word from my attorney, I think it was before the impeachment hearings, I'm not sure on that, my attorney walks in and says we got a contact from the feds and they just want to sit down and interview you," Burris said in a press conference in Peoria last week.
"There's no implication that Senator Burris is mixed up in the Blagojevich pending indictment, but the feds want to know, as do most everybody in Illinois, what were the circumstances leading up to his appointment as U.S. senator," Canary said.
A position Burris may now find himself forced to give up.
The White House has asked that he take the weekend to consider his future.
His political future, some say, may be over.
"I'm not in a position to say whether he lied, or he forgot, but certainly, his timing was extraordinarily bad to come before the impeachment committee and parse his words, to take such a legalistic approach and then to amend his testimony. If there was ever a time for straight talking for politicians, it's now," Canary said.
The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform isn't saying Burris should resign. But the group feels that come Monday – if he hasn't stepped down, he may find his colleagues on Capitol Hill refuse to work with him.
Not everyone wants Burris to step down. Sunday, a group of south suburban churches is planning a press conference to show their support of the embattled senator at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Robbins.
CBS 2 talked to Burris' attorney, Timothy Wright III, via phone Saturday night. He would not comment on the federal interviews, but did reiterate Burris has been consistent throughout the process.
Both FBI and U.S. Attorney's offices also declined to comment on the interviews.
Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal corruption charges, including allegations that he tried to sell or trade President Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat for money or favors. Blagojevich then surprised many as he named Burris as a replacement for the Senate post on Dec. 30.
Blagojevich, who has denied any wrongdoing, was impeached by the Illinois House on Jan. 9. Weeks later he was convicted and removed from office by the Illinois Senate.
Burris testified before the Illinois House committee that recommended Blagojevich's impeachment that he hadn't contacted key Blagojevich staffers or offered anything in return for the Senate seat.
However, earlier this month, Burris released an affidavit saying he had spoken to several Blagojevich advisers, including the former governor's brother and finance chairman, who Burris said called three times last fall asking for fundraising help.
Burris, who has denied wrongdoing, has said the he will cooperate in any investigation.
Quinn said a new senator should be chosen by special election, and wants a law passed that would require a special election to fill Senate vacancies. He thinks a governor should be able to appoint a "temporary" senator until a special election can be held within a few months. Quinn says he doesn't want to see something like this happen again.
Friday, Burris' acting chief of staff, Darrel Thompson, resigned, wishing Burris and his family well. Thompson is going back to work as a senior adviser to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Burris was appointed by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was later impeached and removed from office. Burris initially said there was no discussion of him doing any favors in exchange for the appointment.
The Sangamon County state's attorney's office has said it is determining if a perjury investigation is warranted. Also, the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee has started a preliminary investigation to determine whether to pursue the matter.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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