Review of embattled senator’s son called ‘unfair’
By Alan King
AFRO Staff Writer
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Pressure on Sen. Roland Burris to resign continues to mount. (Courtesy photo)
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(February 28, 2009) -- With U.S. Sen. Roland Burris' appointment already tainted, Illinois officials are now looking into how the son of the embattled senator got a state job during the administration of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, despite the younger Burris’ alleged tax problems and other irregularities.
The tax problems and irregularities include Roland Burris II being hit with a $34,163 tax lien by the Internal Revenue Service, and a foreclosure lawsuit filed on his Chicago home by a mortgage company.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the foreclosure lawsuit against the younger Burris and his wife is seeking $406,685, including interest and penalties.
The appointment of his father, Sen. Burris, was already being questioned when Blagojevich, who has been accused of trying to sell the Senate seat for cash or favors, picked him to fill President Barack Obama's vacant seat.
Despite calls for his resignation, Sen. Burris has refused to step down.
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 told the Associated Press, adding that the review of Burris' son was “so unfair.”
Burris’ media consultant, Delmarie Cobb, reportedly 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 Senate seat.
Current Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, who replaced Blagojevich when he was impeached last month, said his office was reviewing how the younger Burris got the job to “make sure everything is right and proper.”
Quinn noted that the city’s housing authority makes its own hiring decisions, but he said he might have some recommendations to make after looking into the issue.
The city’s housing authority oversees mortgage programs for low-income home buyers and anti-foreclosure initiatives.
Housing 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.