No deals made, Burris testifies

Roland Burris told the Illinois impeachment panel Thursday that he cut no deals with embattled Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate, and he heard no quid pro quos.

“Absolutely, positively not,” said Burris, 71.

“I can before this committee state that there was nothing . . . legal, personal or political exchanged for my appointment to this seat.”

Burris, the former Illinois attorney general, declined to answer questions about whether he would have gone to authorities if he’d been offered such a deal. He also declined to say whether Blagojevich should resign or be impeached, saying he has no control over those issues.

The panel later voted unanimously to impeach Blagojevich, who also faces federal corruption charges, including that he tried to sell the Senate seat.

Burris’ testimony was one condition that U.S. Senate leaders set Wednesday as they softened their position on whether to seat him. After the governor’s arrest last month, Democratic leaders had vowed not to seat anyone chosen by Blagojevich, a Democrat.

The governor shifted the political dynamic by appointing Burris, a respected black politician, to replace Obama, who was the only African American in the Senate.

On Thursday, Burris told the Illinois panel that he’d mentioned his interest in the Senate last summer to Lon Monk, a lobbyist who used to be the governor’s chief of staff. At the time, Burris said, he was asking Monk to steer lobbying clients his way.

Burris said he had “no idea” if Monk passed his comments on to Blagojevich.

Monk’s activities are under federal scrutiny, but that didn’t seem to hurt Burris with the impeachment panel. After Burris’ testimony, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan predicted that he would be the state’s next U.S. senator.

Burris was turned away from the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday when he tried to be sworn in with other new senators.

On Wednesday, he met with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Assistant Majority Leader Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) to make his case.

Reid offered a noncommittal response after Burris’ testimony. “Now that Mr. Burris has testified, we will review his testimony and discuss how to move forward,” said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Reid.

Burris’ conversation with Monk raised eyebrows: U.S. Atty. Patrick J. Fitzgerald had asked a federal judge to allow the impeachment panel to hear covert FBI recordings in which Blagojevich and Monk allegedly discussed how the governor would sign horse-racing legislation in exchange for campaign contributions.

The judge gave lawyers until Jan. 23 to file objections. The impeachment panel didn’t wait.

“I feel I passed the test with flying colors,” Burris said after his testimony. “I have nothing to hide.”

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rlong@tribune.com

arueff@tribune.com