Roland Burris Threatens To Vote No On Obamacare

Wouldn't it be ironical if the Senator appointed to Obama's old Senate seat, under a cloud of scandal, was the vote that keeps Obamacare from passing? Roland Burris is saying he will not vote for the Senate bill unless it contains a public option.

On a day when Democrats emerged triumphantly from a meeting with President Barack Obama appearing to have won the vote of Joe Lieberman for their pro-abortion health care bill, they may not be ready to celebrate yet. The Lieberman vote appeared to allow Democrats and Obama to secure 59 votes.

The only holdout left appeared to be pro-life Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska who says he won't vote for the bill because it funds abortions.

Burris Promised to 'do something' for Blagojevich

Many people wondered exactly how Roland Burris got nominated for Obama's Senate seat by then Gov. Blagojevich. Blagojevich was under investigation for trying to sell the seat to the highest bidder. Burris denied any wrong doing. Now, the FBI is releaseing audio tapes. The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting:

In a Nov. 13 conversation recorded by the FBI, Roland Burris told Rod Blagojevich's brother he feared donating money to the governor would make it look as if he was "trying to buy an appointment," but Burris ends the call saying he would kick in to the fund.

Burris says on tape that he's trying to figure out "how to deal with this and still be in the consideration for the appointment."



Burris ends the call saying: "I will personally do something OK? And it will come to you before the 15th of December."

Rod Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on charges that included trying to sell President Obama's vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder.

Like father, Like son-Roland Burris's son landed job from Blagojevich

The apple did not fall far from the tree in the case of Roland Burris's son. Roland W. Burris II got a job as housing authority senior counsel on Sept. 10 despite facing foreclosure on his own home and a federal tax lien for $34,163 in unpaid taxes. Burris II built his home in the booming Bronzeville neighborhood on land he bought from the city of Chicago in 2000 for $1. In late December, then Governor Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris Sr. to the senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. This doesn't pass the smell test, but little about Chicago and Illinois politics ever does.

BURRIS' SON GOT STATE JOB FROM BLAGO
SCANDAL MUSHROOMS | He serves as housing authority counsel despite facing foreclosure on his own home

February 26, 2009

BY CHRIS FUSCO, TIM NOVAK AND DAVE MCKINNEY Staff Reporters

The son of embattled Sen. Roland Burris is a federal tax deadbeat who landed a $75,000-a-year state job under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich five months ago, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

Blagojevich's administration hired Roland W. Burris II as a senior counsel for the state's housing authority Sept. 10 -- about six weeks after the Internal Revenue Service slapped a $34,163 tax lien on Burris II and three weeks after a mortgage company filed a foreclosure suit on his South Side house. (excerpted) read more at suntimes.com

The call for Burris resignation grows. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says Sen. Roland Burris should resign.(video)

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is now calling for Senator Burris to resign. My guess is Burris will ignore the growing clamor for his resignation. If he had an ounce of integrity, he would not have accepted the appointment in the first place. President Obama has been strangely silent on this controversy.

20, 2009
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says Sen. Roland Burris should resign because the controversy surrounding his appointment has cast a shadow over his service in the Senate. (Feb. 20)

The chorus for Burris resignation grows

There is a growing chorus for Illinois Senator Burris's resignation. Even black pastors from Chicago are abandoning him now.

APNewsBreak: Black pastors to ask Burris to resign
Feb 19 04:56 PM US/Eastern
By TAMMY WEBBER
Associated Press Writ

CHICAGO (AP) - A Chicago minister tells The Associated Press he and other black pastors who previously supported U.S. Sen. Roland Burris now plan to ask him to resign. The minister spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because a meeting with Burris hadn't yet been scheduled. He says the senator can no longer serve effectively.(excerpted) read more at breitbart.com