Quinn Investigating How Burris' Son Got State Job From Blago Administration

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Gov. Pat Quinn is reviewing how the son of embattled U.S. Sen. Roland Burris got a state job as a housing-agency lawyer under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration, just weeks after he landed in tax and foreclosure trouble.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported Thursday that the September hiring of Roland Burris II as senior counsel for the Illinois Housing Development Authority came six weeks after the Internal Revenue Service slapped him with a $34,163 tax lien and three weeks after a mortgage company filed a foreclosure lawsuit on his Chicago home.

Quinn said Thursday that his office was reviewing how the younger Burris got the job to "make sure everything is right and proper."

"I think the matter deserves serious review, and quickly," he said.

Quinn noted that the housing authority makes its own hiring decisions, but he said he might have some recommendations to make after looking into the issue.

The Housing Authority oversees mortgage programs for low-income home buyers and anti-foreclosure initiatives. The Sun-Times reported that the foreclosure lawsuit against the younger Burris and his wife is seeking $406,685, including interest and penalties.

Authority spokeswoman Man Yee Lee said the younger Burris was given the $75,000-a-year job based on his qualifications and in response to a published job posting.

The senator is fending off calls for his resignation because of conflicting testimony he provided to the state House panel that drafted impeachment charges against Blagojevich.

On Thursday, members of the city Council's Black Caucus defended Burris, the nation's only black senator, and his son. Alderman Freddrenna Lyle said white politicians have not been similarly targeted for accusations of wrongdoing.

"We don't want the seat to be denied Roland under circumstances not applied to someone else," Lyle said, adding that the review of Burris' son was "so unfair."

Burris media consultant Delmarie Cobb said in a note to the caucus that the main objective of the black community, regardless of how individuals feel about Burris, should be to keep a black person in the seat.

"Holding onto the Senate seat is bigger than Roland," she wrote.

Burris' spokesman referred questions to lawyer Timothy Wright III, who declined comment. A message left for the younger Burris at his office was not immediately returned.

Quinn spokesman Bob Reed said that even before the hiring of Burris' son was reported, the governor's top lawyer and chief of staff had launched a review of attorneys at all state agencies to make sure they're all capable. He would not say whether the administration is checking the performance of other kinds of staffers.

___

Associated Press writers Andrea Zelinski and Christopher Wills in Springfield, Tammy Webber in Chicago and researcher Judith Ausuebel in New York contributed to this report.

Comments

[changeme09]

03:01 PM on 02/27/2009

BURRIS, see what happens when you balantly refuse to resign? The media/Gov bring your family under scrutinity. How can you live with yourself. Now, Burris II personal dilenma is published all over the world. Who will be next? You Daugther and wife. You should be ashame putting your ego first before you own family!!!! I would be mad!!

[Cogs]

10:33 AM on 02/27/2009

Considering the bad actors involved, it should take about 10 minutes for Quinn's probe to conclude that this was another pay-for-play scheme.

[aliceinks]

10:15 AM on 02/27/2009

This is sad... Here is a man, by all rights, everyone says is very respected and known to be a 'good guy' and he has thrown away his life, his word, b/c he wanted something so bad he was willing to do what it took to get it. Reminds me of several stories from the Bible.

[mjb5406]

06:35 PM on 02/27/2009

"was" respected; he's lost all respect, including self-respect.

[Veratruth]

08:37 AM on 02/27/2009

Well, I see a lot of unqualified people getting jobs because of connections. Look at George Bush.

[nomobull]

08:59 AM on 02/27/2009

and look at how that worked out.

[Truby]

07:45 AM on 02/27/2009

Really, he is not a man of the people, say it isn't so. I would have thought he was an honest, forthright person, given his political connections and all.

[lochnessmonster]

07:04 AM on 02/27/2009

I guess his qualifications are having a lien slapped on his property and being foreclosed on. He can feel their pain.

[BlackYowe]

11:20 PM on 02/26/2009

Oh dear, that is damning. Best beat it Burris, you be done!

[NoelGreco]

11:15 PM on 02/26/2009

"Holding onto the Senate seat is bigger than Roland," she wrote.

So race trumps perjury in Barack's post-racial America.

Just words?

[mjb5406]

06:36 PM on 02/27/2009

Race seems to trump everything... because Burris is Black, you can't criticize him or question his story... it's to be accepted because of his race. Nonsense!

[aznurse]

09:46 PM on 02/26/2009

Why is everyone so hot for this guy to leave the senate.
I don't remember the dems standing up and demanding that Sen Stephens from Alaska get out. As a matter of fact the repubs gave him a standing ovation after he was convicted. and the dems never demanded that he leave immediately after being indicted.
Burris hasn't been charged with anything, hasn't been arrested,its all just about how things appears.
Something seems fishy.

[NoelGreco]

11:17 PM on 02/26/2009

It was Dick Durbin who told him to get out - even a Democrat senator gets it.

[nomobull]

01:52 AM on 02/27/2009

nothing fishy here but you defending this guy. the main thing 2008 taught me was to expect and demand better of our candidates ,Obama raised the bar. we don't do things because the gop did them. the people of Alaska voted stephens in and voted his crooked butt out despite gop senate support. washington does not reflect what or how the majority think . burris was neither elEcted or appointed by the people of ILLINIOS nor the dems in the senate.

[aznurse]

08:22 PM on 02/27/2009

ok

[justwaitandsee]

08:31 PM on 02/26/2009

I still have a gut feel that Burris II got a job in exchange for the job that Patti Blago got from the charity that Burris I's partner sits on the board of which was making development scams possible for Mayor Daley. But I also suspect we won't get to that part of the story until Burris Blago, Part 10.

[Halter]

10:44 PM on 02/26/2009

I concur.

[mjb5406]

06:39 PM on 02/27/2009

Good observation... but this isn't pay-to-play, is it? :-) Some people think it's not.

[carnelld]

08:24 PM on 02/26/2009

There is a strong push by a cabal of politicians in Chicago to remove Burriss from the Senate seat and replace him with Lisa Madigan. This politcal clique was involved in the attempt to deny Blago the appointment.

The reason there is a never ending stream of negative stories coming from Chicago about Burris is due to an organized ,concerted effort to take the Senate seat. Blago prevented a plan by
Illinois House speaker Mike Madigan and his political allies. His daughter is Illinois' Attorney General Lisa Madigan( the same Lisa Madigan recommended by Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid to Blago to appoint and the same Lisa Madigan that filed an illegal court filing to remove Blago before he could make an appointment, the same Lisa Madigan that defended Illinois Seceretary of State Jessie White, when he would not sign Burris' appointment letter, and the same Lisa Madigan who issued a ruling from the Attorney General's office yesterday saying it is legal to unseat Burris by having a special election.).

Also on the team is the present governor, un-elected Governor Quinn (the same Governor Quinn who replaced Blago, and asked Burriss to resign the Senate seat so he could appoint someone.

The media is used to repeat half-truths, smear, and fear. In Chicago they call it "Machine Politics".

[justwaitandsee]

08:34 PM on 02/26/2009

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says the General Assembly can constitutionally pass a law that moves up the date of the next election for President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

State Republicans sought Madigan's opinion, issued Wednesday night, which comes as controversy swirls around Sen. Roland Burris' appointment.

Voters are scheduled to vote for Obama's successor in a February 2010 primary and November 2010 general election. But the GOP wants a May 26 election -- effectively kicking Burris out of he doesn't win.

Madigan says neither the U.S. Constitution nor the Illinois Constitution would prohibit moving up the election. In her opinion, the 17th Amendment shows a "clear preference" for Senators to be chosen by direct popular election.

Currently, Illinois' governor has the power to fill Senate vacancies.

[irv]

05:34 AM on 02/27/2009

sorry dude but quinn was elected by the citizens of illinois. check your facts before you spout out

[Lochmon]

08:12 PM on 02/26/2009

I was about to jump on this story because of the taxes not paid, but dammit, the precedents...

[Beantownbadboy]

07:55 PM on 02/26/2009

Way to go Rollie, give the Rethugs a shot at a senate seat.

[Bariis]

07:41 PM on 02/26/2009

And the hits keep on rolling...

[NWRICK]

07:26 PM on 02/26/2009

Burris was warned about the cloud of suspicion that would follow him to DC. "What cloud?" he asked. This is the cloud they were talking about. It will NEVER go away. Roland should resign.