Maybe Roland Burris needs a bailout
posted at 8:31 am on January 13, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Despite being in the news for the past two weeks, Roland Burris still seems like a mystery to most of us outside of Illinois. My friend Mark Tapscott tries to shed some light on the new junior Senator from the Land of Lincoln, and discovers that Burris is a man indebted to his supporters … literally:
Illinois campaign finance records reveal another side of Roland Burris that may give pause to those worried by the growing congressional culture of lobbyists wielding special interest influence to gain questionable earmarks, pork barrel spending contracts and insider favors with federal regulatory officials.
In his 2002 attempt to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, Burris depended heavily upon Joseph Stroud, an Illinois political heavyweight contributor, thanks to his ownership of Jovon Broadcasting and Telephone U.S.A. In the 2002 race, [Stroud] provided Burris with the following loans and contributions:
- Jovon Broadcasting individual contribution to Burris: $200,000
- Jovon Broadcasting in-kind contributions to Burris: $179,895
- Telephone U.S.A. (and USA) loans to Burris: $1,200,000
Burris repaid $6,000 of the Telephone U.S.A. loans in November 2003, but no other payments appear in the records. This puts the total support from Stroud to Burris at $1,573,895.
Presumably, these contributions were all legal, but the outstanding loans could create a potential conflict of interest should Stroud have issues with federal regulators once Burris is sworn-in as Illinois senator.
In fact, unpaid debt to contributors is not legal if they fall outside of contribution limits. Campaign finance regulators treat that as cash contributions when the candidate reneges on the loan. Otherwise, candidates across the nation would simply take loans from the rich for their campaigning and “forget” to repay them. The Telephone USA “loan” is nothing less than a $1.2 million contribution, less the $6,000 Burris repaid of it, and if Illinois has contribution limits less than $1.2 million or prohibiting corporate donations, then this unpaid loan would definitely be illegal.
If Burris has not repaid this loan, he might be subject to prosecution for campaign-finance violations. If so, Harry Reid might have one more card to play before Burris takes his seat in the Senate — if he wants to play it. Certainly, either the Ethics or Rules committees should take note of this extremely large contribution to Burris to determine whether he owes the money back to the lender.
It may not be enough to keep the Senate from holding up Burris’ seat, but it could make it difficult for Burris to stick with the appointment. Perhaps the Democrats will bail out Burris by paying off the loan, but it’s an inauspicious start for an embarassing appointment if the Examiner has its facts straight.
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That seat is hot.
the_nile on January 13, 2009 at 8:36 AM
The entire system is broken. Eventually, the public is going to need to realize that the only remedy is torches, pitchforks, tar, and feathers.
singlemalt_18 on January 13, 2009 at 8:39 AM
I beleive it is time to read Atlas Shrugged. Things are just sliding fast now – bailout money to a sleazy chicago pol paid for out of the government till.
Great News
Colonel_prop on January 13, 2009 at 8:40 AM
How would that work exactly? By digging into their own campaign coffers so they can still hold the seat for a Dem instead of having a special election? If the law was broken do you just get to get away with it if generous benefactors come along and wipe the debt off the books?
Buy Danish on January 13, 2009 at 8:43 AM
It’s the Chicago way!
grapeknutz on January 13, 2009 at 8:43 AM
Democorrupt politics as usual, nothing to see here, move along.
doriangrey on January 13, 2009 at 8:46 AM
Ed, surely you jest with all these silly legalities about campaign financing. BHO just showed everyone that you can raise money anyway you want, and the US will be scared to even investigate you if there could be a chance of mobs hitting the streets.
But, your stroll down Nostalgia Way is a nice touch.
progressoverpeace on January 13, 2009 at 8:47 AM
Sorry had to fix that for you…
doriangrey on January 13, 2009 at 8:47 AM
You for got the 2nd amendment to stop tyranny in government.
wepeople on January 13, 2009 at 8:48 AM
Heh. I like 50’s doo-wop, too.
Ed Morrissey on January 13, 2009 at 8:49 AM
ROTFLMAO…. You would… ;)
doriangrey on January 13, 2009 at 8:51 AM
Shouldn’t we be proud that the US has the best politicians money can buy???
bullseye on January 13, 2009 at 8:54 AM
The poor sick Republic is choking on its own vomit. “Idiocracy” best describes the sad state of this nation.
rplat on January 13, 2009 at 8:56 AM
The entire system is broken. Eventually, the public is going to need to realize that the only remedy is torches, pitchforks, tar, and feathers.
singlemalt_18 on January 13, 2009 at 8:39 AM
Pffft! Tar and feathers can be removed, stripes on the back cannot.
Heinlein had the right idea: Public whippings administered behind the courthouse. You could have a lottery to determine who gets the wield the whip, and considering just how many politicians are in needs of striping, the national debt could be cured in about two weeks.
Bishop on January 13, 2009 at 8:59 AM
I don’t know that the people of Illinois know much more about our junior senator elect!!! I certainly don’t know much about him, and I have lived here since 1972! I have stated before that I am an immigrant, but I have been a citizen since 1975 and have been very involved in politics. In the last 10 years, since I have become one of those “filthy rich” business owners, I am even more involved with politics and the consequences of our elected officials’ actions. This is simply terrible! We DO need to dig out our pitch forks and baseball bats and march on the castle – at least it seems like we really do have a system like most European countries had in the middle ages, where a very few (today we elect them for the most part, back then they were simply born into their status – although there are repeats of that part of history as well) decide what is good for all their little serfs who keep paying the bills for them…
We cannot take back Washington, before we do start with our own communities. That starts with school boards, town boards, county boards, ets, before we can really march on Washington.
We had an occasion here in our city less than two years ago, where a few people, who had moved out of the city limits into an unincorporated area in the county, where I live, wanted to stop a widow (one of my neighbors) from selling her farm to a particular entity. The “newbies” did not want that, so they wanted to form a town – I and a few of my neighbors did not want yet another layer of government, and the rules created by such a group, that we got together with our county board and chamber of commerce, and ran an information campaign against the town. By giving this important information to all those who would have been affected – yes, it was hard work, going door to door, making phone calls, sending letters, having meetings, etc. – we defeated the issue at the ballot box. That is how one is a community organizer. We HAVE to start with our own neighborhoods, and then, when we have more people in our groups, march on Washington!!! I do believe in the American Dream, that you can accomplish anything you want as long as you WORK hard at it – I also believe that the American people are a resilient bunch, hopeful, hard working, ethical, moral, and just plain good. We CAN make this pendulum swing into our direction!
mkosin on January 13, 2009 at 9:00 AM
you mentioned the senate ethics committe. is that committee the big brother to the one investigating charlie rangel in the house? when do we expect anything from that?
kelley in virginia on January 13, 2009 at 9:01 AM
“Despite being in the news for the past two weeks, Roland Burris still seems like a mystery to most of us outside of Illinois”
Just like Bammy!
artist on January 13, 2009 at 9:01 AM
Shouldn’t we be proud that the US has the best politicians money can buy???
bullseye on January 13, 2009 at 8:54 AM
Yes, and thank the Lord that 25,000 Americans died fighting the British to create this grand Republic so that the likes of Burris, Jefferson, Stevens and Rangel could have their long days in the sun.
Is it too late to create a state feudal system?
Bishop on January 13, 2009 at 9:03 AM
HEH, tar and feathers was usually fatal.
reaganaut on January 13, 2009 at 9:03 AM
The entire system is broken. Eventually, the public is going to need to realize that the only remedy is torches, pitchforks, tar, and feathers.
singlemalt_18 on January 13, 2009 at 8:39 AM
I’ve reached my breaking point.
I wonder where the line is for a majority (or plurality) of the country.
I want the Dems to push hard-left so we’ll find out.
artist on January 13, 2009 at 9:04 AM
Yeah , why is everyone so divisive.
the_nile on January 13, 2009 at 9:04 AM
HEH, tar and feathers was usually fatal.
reaganaut on January 13, 2009 at 9:03 AM
I suppose that would be true, the tar would have to be hot to apply.
Ok, first stripe them and THEN tar and feather.
Bishop on January 13, 2009 at 9:10 AM
Dick Durbin is under fire now too.
The same contributor who was just found to do major “pay for play” with blogger for road and tollway construction contracts, also gave to Durbin.
His name is Dvorak. Newsmax and LR have the story this morning.
And if Durbin falls, next goes the former Junior Senator from the State…
ericdondero on January 13, 2009 at 9:13 AM
and where does the avg. American (city folk) find feathers nowadays? from their down comforter? of course, i could get you some buzzard feather from down here in the country, but i think killing a buzzard is against the law. i must be right because they exist quite happily & safely in Congress.
kelley in virginia on January 13, 2009 at 9:14 AM
More on this from Newsmax:
Buy Danish on January 13, 2009 at 9:32 AM
These are the best? In that case, I want a refund.
rbj on January 13, 2009 at 9:49 AM
If you’re going to go around fixing things, let’s do it right.
Jaibones on January 13, 2009 at 9:49 AM
It’s difficult to find anything about Telephone USA. This goes back to 1999:
Buy Danish on January 13, 2009 at 9:55 AM
In addition to knowing the law including that of campaign contribution, Senator-to-be Roland Burris is also a tax attorney. I doubt he’ll get swept away in these allegations. We have already seen that Harry Reid (and anyone else who has poked his/her head above the radar in the Senate)is no match for him. Burris knows his business.
And please save some of the tar and feathering for that corpulent louse Barney Frank.
gracie on January 13, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Agreed.
becki51758 on January 13, 2009 at 10:01 AM
Because he’s a Democrat. End of story.
Buy Danish on January 13, 2009 at 10:02 AM
I didn’t do the math, but with interest and not paying anything for 6 years, it would not be unusual for that 1.2 million, now be 2 million, with compound interest…at least $500,000 more in debt.
Seat Burris, then unseat him for illegal contributions…the problem is, where would they find a liberal candidate from Chicago without something illegal in his past.
So…unseat him and hold a special election.
right2bright on January 13, 2009 at 10:26 AM
You mean lynching’s? You know what name that brings out…
right2bright on January 13, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Amen…
singlemalt_18 on January 13, 2009 at 10:37 AM
I got to that article through Instapundit first and this stood out to me:
“More recently, Stroud was a donor to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, giving the maximum of $2,300, according to OpenSecrets.org. (A second $2,300 contribution to Clinton was returned to Stroud). Stroud’s wife, Yvonne, contributed $2,800 to Obama and $2,300 to Clinton.”
As I commented on at the link, if $2,300.00 is the MAXIMUM contribution, how did Stroud’s wife donate 500 more than that to Obama?
brainy435 on January 13, 2009 at 10:43 AM
stop talking like that, I’m getting aroused…
UNREPENTANT CONSERVATIVE CAPITOLIST on January 13, 2009 at 11:07 AM
Reid couldn’t play stinkfinger with a handful of skunk ____.
hillbillyjim on January 13, 2009 at 11:16 AM
With Hussein and the Chicago pols taking office, we can expect more of this on the federal level.
And the media will ignore; his worshipers will forgive it.
madmonkphotog on January 13, 2009 at 11:56 AM
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