Michelle Malkin » Burris, Blago, and a deadbeat son

Burris, Blago, and a deadbeat son

By Michelle Malkin • February 26, 2009 11:15 AM

Just when you think Blago-gate can’t get any slimier, along comes another corruption angle on the story. This one involves embattled Sen. Roland Burris’s son, who — get this — serves as an Illiniois senior housing authority counsel despite facing foreclosure on his own home.

And you wonder how we ended up with a tax cheat for Treasury Secretary, a know-nothing for director of intelligence, and a Bozo to police federal “recovery” funds.

It’s the Chicago way. Via the Sun-Times:

The son of embattled Sen. Roland Burris is a federal tax deadbeat who landed a $75,000-a-year state job under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich five months ago, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

Blagojevich’s administration hired Roland W. Burris II as a senior counsel for the state’s housing authority Sept. 10 — about six weeks after the Internal Revenue Service slapped a $34,163 tax lien on Burris II and three weeks after a mortgage company filed a foreclosure suit on his South Side house.

A spokeswoman for the Illinois Housing Development Authority indicated Wednesday there was nothing improper about Burris II’s employment by the agency, whose mission includes overseeing mortgage programs for low-income home buyers and anti-foreclosure initiatives.

Burris II’s hiring, however, raises more questions about Sen. Burris’ interactions with Blagojevich and his inner circle at a time when the governor was soliciting Sen. Burris for campaign contributions and Burris was angling to have Blagojevich appoint him to the Senate seat once held by President Obama.

Blagojevich appointed Burris to that seat in late December after Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell the vacancy to the highest bidder.

Sen. Burris, 71, is fending off calls for his resignation and is the subject of a Senate ethics probe and a perjury investigation by the top prosecutor in Downstate Sangamon County. Those probes stem from conflicting testimony Sen. Burris provided to the House panel that drafted impeachment charges against Blagojevich, who was removed from office Jan. 29.

Separately, federal authorities have been investigating hiring decisions by Blagojevich’s administration. Authorities, however, have not expressed any interest in Burris II, Housing Development Authority spokeswoman Rebecca Boykin said.

“Roland Burris II was hired by the Illinois Housing Development Authority’s Legal Department based on his qualifications in response to a published job posting,” Boykin stated. “As an employer, it is not IHDA’s practice to request financial information from applicants.”

Sen. Burris’ office, Burris II and Sen. Burris’ lawyer, Timothy Wright III, did not return telephone calls and e-mails seeking comment. Blagojevich’s publicist also did not respond to questions about Burris II’s hiring.

Burris II, 42, once worked at the same law firm as his father: Burris, Wright, Slaughter & Tom. That firm merged with another in the fall.

Burris II had resolved two federal tax liens in 2005 before being hit with the $34,163 lien in July. That lien against his property seeks unpaid taxes for 2004, 2005 and 2007.

A month after the IRS filed the lien, Burris II’s lender filed its foreclosure suit. Since Burris II and his wife got the $372,000 mortgage on July 18, 2006, they’ve paid less than $3,000 on it, the suit alleges. The balance due is $406,685, including interest and penalties.

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Comments

#1

On February 26th, 2009 at 11:19 am, Craig said:

Chicago….is their kind of town!
#2

On February 26th, 2009 at 11:22 am, twiggman said:

Just another tax cheat…Do any democraps pay taxes?
#3

On February 26th, 2009 at 11:23 am, sambo said:

who knew that not having a job, not paying your mortgage, and not paying your taxes was considered qualifications?

Aw..they meant to say experience!
“ortgage programs for low-income home buyers and anti-foreclosure initiatives.”
#4

On February 26th, 2009 at 11:23 am, twofoot said:

Since Burris II and his wife got the $372,000 mortgage on July 18, 2006, they’ve paid less than $3,000 on it, the suit alleges. The balance due is $406,685, including interest and penalties.

Shame on you! Don’t you know they were just the victims of predatory lenders?

/sarc
#5

On February 26th, 2009 at 11:23 am, cpodug said:

Ho-hum. Another Chicago scandal. Is anybody surprised? And now that we’ve decided to make Chicago politics the law of the land, we can safely assume that we’ll be seeing a lot more of this in the coming days, weeks and years.

So much for transparency in government, and the most ethical congress ever. Although, I suppose, in one sense, there IS considerable transparency in government. We’re able to see all these crooked politicians as they really are. Trouble is, that’s the only thing that’ll happen – we’ll see them, and we’ll see their crimes and misdemeanors swept under the rug.
#6

On February 26th, 2009 at 11:30 am, BlameAmericaLast said:

Where was all this “investigative” journalism when Obama was running for office? Hmmmm???????

Burris needs to resign. He’s another lying Democrat politician. If the Republicans can’t take advantage of all these corruption scandals by Dems in 2010 to take back congress, I have lost all faith. And as Nancy said…The Culture of Corruption is Over.

Yeah, right.
#7

On February 26th, 2009 at 11:37 am, wighttrasch said:

This lot stinks on ice.
#8

On February 26th, 2009 at 11:38 am, Flyoverman said:

Everytime I read about this topic, I feel the need for a long, hot shower to try and get the slime off me. YUCK!
#9

On February 26th, 2009 at 11:39 am, Paul Revere said:

Lots of monkey business in Chicago/Illinois yet to be uncovered.
#10

On February 26th, 2009 at 11:47 am, iamsaved said:

Democrats – Exposing the real Culture of Corruption . Every time a rock is lifted the cockroaches come scurrying out.

Pelousy has been un-characteristically silent about her favorite club – especially when she found out there are more from her party who are members than from the Republican Party.
#11

On February 26th, 2009 at 12:04 pm, ajmontana said:

And you wonder how we ended up with a tax cheat for Treasury Secretary, a know-nothing for director of intelligence, and a Bozo to police federal “recovery” funds.

Don’t forget Homeland (cough) Security, Vice President and the cu de gra… Odopey himself.
Oh yeah, etc. etc. etc…….
#12

On February 26th, 2009 at 12:05 pm, DagneyT said:

And now that we’ve decided to make Chicago politics the law of the land, we can safely assume that we’ll be seeing a lot more of this in the coming days, weeks and years.

epodug, that is a scary truth, and there’s not a damned thing we can do!
#13

On February 26th, 2009 at 12:28 pm, AlohaGuy said:

This one involves embattled Sen. Roland Burris’s son, who — get this — serves as an Illiniois senior housing authority counsel despite facing foreclosure on his own home.

Hahahahahaha. But, but, but, Bush’s son did the same. Wait – he doesn’t have a son, umm, let me go get my talking points….
#14

On February 26th, 2009 at 12:50 pm, TRM said:

Racist… simply racist...
#15

On February 26th, 2009 at 12:52 pm, Hannibal said:

The ol’ horse hockey doesn’t fall far from the horse’s ass.

ACORN needs to smash the lock off that place and get the poor boy back in there until Obama can get that $400,000 mortgage negotiated down to something more affordable, like $90,000 spread over 75 years. That should suffice until the baby’s daddy can find him employment more commensurate with his status as a family member of the ruling class in Illinois.
#16

On February 26th, 2009 at 1:00 pm, rike101 said:

I am sure the hiring happened just as they do here in Massachusetts:
“after a nationwide search.”
#17

On February 26th, 2009 at 1:50 pm, Hannibal said:

Illinois is sort of a national embarrassment, not that this nation gets embarrassed over much of anything anymore. I wonder why the Illinois Tribe of the Algonquin Nation does not sue to have its name removed from the state. At worst, the legislature could then take bids for the renaming. Maybe the State of Soros or the Commonwealth of Winfrey or Spielberg.
#18

On February 26th, 2009 at 1:55 pm, rambler said:

Chicago was built on a swamp and nothing has changed since.
#19

On February 26th, 2009 at 2:08 pm, John Deaux said:

What? a Democrat with financial problems?

Are we all out of cabinet positions?
#20

On February 26th, 2009 at 2:23 pm, vickisoup said:

Nothin’ left to say that hasn’t already been said.
#21

On February 26th, 2009 at 2:52 pm, Stillwaiting said:

In “Left Behind”, there was only one airport that was still operational after the 2nd coming. It wasn’t in London or Paris. It wasn’t New York or even Washington. The only airport that did not lose many employees was O’Hare in Chicago. Regardless of your beliefs, you’ve got to admit that was a very appropriate choice.
#22

On February 26th, 2009 at 3:48 pm, tpitman said:

Burris II’s employment by the agency, whose mission includes overseeing mortgage programs for low-income home buyers and anti-foreclosure initiatives

Hell, that makes him a pro. He oughta use the old ABSCAM claim that he was “conducting his own investigation into ‘shady characters’.”

Burris II, 42, once worked at the same law firm as his father: Burris, Wright, Slaughter & Tom. That firm merged with another in the fall.

I guess after the old man left, they figured they didn’t need to keep the kid around.

Say what you will about Blagojevich, you gotta hand it to him. After the chickensh!t Democrats threw him under the bus, he showed them exactly how the “take no prisoners” style of Chicago politics REALLY works!
#23

On February 26th, 2009 at 4:34 pm, wrcnossen said:

Ya just gotta wonder how many 0′s were included in BurrisII’s job application.

And of course, daddy didn’t know anything about it.
#24

On February 27th, 2009 at 1:37 am, emjem24 said:

Do any Dems believe in ethics, morals, or integrity? I mean…. why wasn’t this investigated when Burris became senator? Why are we only finding out about this now?

It’s obvious that this Burris character (both father and son) haven’t made some of the best life choices yet they continue to get rewarded regardless. If it was you or me… our reputations (let alone credit) would be tarnished.

Every time I hear another instance of Chicago insider politics and cronyism I just get more and more numb. It just never ends….
#25

On February 27th, 2009 at 3:00 am, Papa Louie said:

That lien against his property seeks unpaid taxes for 2004, 2005 and 2007.

A spokeswoman for the Illinois Housing Development Authority indicated Wednesday there was nothing improper about Burris II’s employment by the agency.

So there’s nothing improper about hiring someone for a government job in Chicago who does not pay his taxes or his mortgage? I guess this is part of the new morality Obama is bringing to the rest of the country.

Chicago cockroaches have evolved into a new species. They don’t even bother to scurry away when you turn on the light.