Ethics committee: No punishment for (Senator) Burris

[onehandle]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON – The Senate ethics committee on Friday admonished Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., for making "inconsistent, misleading or incomplete" statements about the circumstances surrounding his appointment to the seat once held by Barack Obama. The committee didn't recommend any punishment.

snip...

The committee wrote Burris that his phone conversation with the former governor's brother was inappropriate. It says Robert Blagojevich called Burris on Nov. 13, 2008, seeking to raise funds for his brother, and Burris appeared to agree to write a check while also bringing up his desire to seek the Senate seat.

Burris is not running for a full term.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091120/ap_on_go_co/us_burris_ethics_1

[Nuclear Unicorn]

1. Did Burris agree to not seek re-election...

...to avoid stiffer sanction?

"Finish your term then GTFO," seems to be the message.

[No Elephants]

4. I thought he promised that before they would even seat him? Not sure where I read

that at the time, though. In any event, a promise like that is unenforceable.


Since when do they punish politicians for making inconsistent statements, though? The real issue is whether he did something improper to get his appointment. Apparently, they have no proof of that.

[mikelgb]

2. meanwhile every other senator takes money from lobbyists and fuck up the healthcare bill

ethics committee: *crickets*

[katkat]

3. isn't Burris a vote for the public option? n/t