The Senate Ethics Committee has finally made a judgment in the investigation of Senator Burris’ possible perjury in relation to barry’s senate seat. They cleared him of any wrongdoing but issued a public letter of qualified admonition.
It ranks in the middle of sanctions after a private letter of admonition, private letter of qualified admonition and expulsion and censure.
They made sure to include the specifics as a way of embarrassing him so that he’d think twice about his vote on the healthcare bill. He’s holding out for a public option. It’s not a coincidence the committee made their pronouncement just prior to the test vote.
What’s interesting is they looked right past the real pay to play: Burris paid barry for his senate seat. Burris’ lawyer and long time friend and partner donated $50K to barry’s inauguration. It doesn’t get much clearer than that.
Sen Burris statement re: Senate admonishment
Pertinent quotes from the letter:
After an extensive investigation, the Select Committee on Ethics is issuing you this Public Letter of Qualified Admonition for actions and statements that reflected unfavorably on the Senate in connection with your appoint to and seating in the Senate.
The committee found that you should have known that you were providing incorrect, inconsistent, misleading or incomplete information to the public, the Senate and those conducting legitimate inquiries into your appointment to the Senate.
…the Committee did not find that the evidence before it supported any actionable violations of law…
Underlining and bold theirs – link added.
Your sworn affidavit and sworn testimony before the Illinois House of Representatives were incosistent, incomplete and misleading.
Your shifting explanations about your sworn statements appear less than candid.
Your November 13, 2008 call with Robert Blagojevich, while not raising to an explicit level of quid pro quo, was inappropriate.
Letter posted to Scrib by Chicago Tribune.
Public letter of Qualified admonition
Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Mark L Pryor (D-AR)
Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Vice Chair Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
James E Risch (R-ID)
Their signatures are very interesting. It’s clear that Sen Risch thinks awfully highly of himself.
Source: Chicago Breaking News
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