PrintIllinois House Republicans say they want U.S. Sen. Roland Burris investigated for perjury.
State Rep. Jim Durkin told The Associated Press he and GOP leader Tom Cross will ask for an outside investigation into whether Burris perjured himself before a House committee investigating former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's impeachment.
Burris released documents Saturday that indicated the former governor's brother asked him to host a campaign fundraiser for the governor before Burris was appointed to the vacancy left by Barack Obama.
It's the second time Burris changed his story about conversations he had with Blagojevich aides and friends prior to his appointment to the Senate Dec. 30.Durkin says he just learned about Burris' Feb. 4 affidavit to the committee and doesn't trust majority Democrats in the General Assembly to conduct a fair investigation. But he doesn't know yet who should conduct the inquiry.
This has catastrophe for Harry Reid written all over it. Surely the Democrats can't afford to have Burris sitting in the Senate while a perjury investigation is underway - especially since the IL senator has changed his story twice already.
But then, we are finding out it is folly to underestimate the cynicism of this bunch running the country right now. Reid is just as likely to shrug it off - even if Burris is found to have perjured himself before the committee. In that case, he would fit in with the other liars in the senate who recently pushed the stimulus bill that won't stimulate anything.
