Tapped phone talk spells
big trouble for little guy

The FBI has released the transcript of a Nov. 13, 2008, phone conversation between Roland Burris and the brother of Illinois’ then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, in which Burris promises to “do something” for the governor’s campaign war chest by mid December.

Repeatedly during the conversation, Burris made clear he wanted to be considered for the Senate seat being vacated by Barack Obama — an appointment he was ultimately given.

But nowhere in the conversation did Robert Blagojevich offer Burris the appointment. Nor did he give any indication a contribution would ensure or even help him be considered for it.

Likewise, Burris doesn’t ask how much he’d have to ante up to get the nomination or to be considered for it.

And ironically, a Chicago Sun-Times story on this indicates Burris never actually came through with a donation.

So, in our reading of the transcript, Burris’ behavior falls short of the direct quid pro quo that could earn him bribery, fraud and conspiracy charges.

That said, the transcript reveals Burris as fully aware that supporting Blagojevich with money could pose problems for his own reputation.

The impression of Burris that comes through is that of a small-time operator desperate to move up to a plum political position — he acknowledged his legal consulting business was failing — yet fearful of being seen as having bought the appointment.

All the above applies to Burris’ situation at the federal level. Back in Illinois there is this additional problem:

. . . Burris did not mention a promise of a campaign contribution in a Feb. 4 sworn affidavit that Burris submitted to an Illinois House panel investigating Rod Blagojevich’s impeachment. That affidavit sought to supplement Burris’ testimony before a House panel, where Burris only mentioned having contact with Lon Monk with regard to the appointment.

Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), the ranking Republican on the House impeachment panel that heard Burris’ testimony, said the new detail about Burris being willing to write a check to Blagojevich by Dec. 15 is “absolutely” something the state’s junior U.S. senator should have told the panel.

Republicans will no doubt react to the transcript and this latest change in Burris’ story with fresh calls for him to be run out of the Senate. The wiretapped conversation includes statements they can easily take out of context and use for another of their signature smear jobs.

The Senate’s ethics panel is already on Burris’ case. This additional revelation about him omitting a key detail in sworn testimony back home could result in censure, at the least.

Illinois voters will surely greet this news as further proof that whatever cynicism they feel about their elected leaders is more than justified.

The ultlimate irony and shame in all this is not that a corrupt Burris bought or offered to buy a Senate seat, because the facts so far don’t clearly bear that out. What the facts do bear out is that nervous little guys who dare to play in a league above their head can get hurt badly for the kind of things other, more-adept and well-healed players can easily get away with.