Hurdles Burris must clear

OBAMA'S SEAT | Money explanations, Jesse White's signature, GOP votes

Democratic Senate leaders outlined a road map Wednesday allowing Roland Burris to fill President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat, despite being appointed by the tainted Gov. Blagojevich.

The hurdles Burris must clear:

1. Testify today before the Illinois House Blagojevich impeachment panel and clear any doubts about the appointment, made by a governor arrested for, among other crimes, trying to sell the Obama seat.

Expected topics:

• • $1.2 million in loans Burris, as a 2002 candidate for governor, received from a firm owned by Tinley Park broadcasting magnate Joseph Stroud. Burris closed out his campaign fund with no sign the loans were repaid to Stroud, who also donated $100,000 through the same company to Blagojevich in 2006.

• • $20,296 in cash and services that Burris, his lobbying firm and a law firm he's associated with gave to Blagojevich's campaign fund, and whether the donations might have swayed the governor.

• • Burris' lobbying clients, who have given $107,690 to Blagojevich's campaign and were under contract with the state for $3.09 million while Burris represented them.

• • A contract that Burris' lobbying/consulting firm had with the state transportation department under Blagojevich -- a deal that paid the firm $294,546.

• • $30,000 in lobbying payments to Burris that are linked to a $10 billion pension bond deal Blagojevich orchestrated in 2003.

• • The role one of Blagojevich's criminal-defense lawyers, Sam Adam Jr., played in recruiting Burris.

• • Burris' statement Wednesday that he "don't have no money." His state government pension is about $118,200 a year.

2. Figuring out if Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White needs to sign the Burris nominating certificate. Burris is asking the Illinois Supreme Court to force White to sign -- something White refused to do after Blagojevich sent it to him. Without White's signature on the document, Democratic Senate leaders say they won't seat Burris.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan argued Wednesday on White's behalf that Burris can't force White to sign anything. But a court filing by her office seemed to indicate that the U.S. Senate could seat Burris regardless of what White does.

The state Supreme Court has offered no timeline for a decision.

3. Approval from the Democratic-controlled Senate Rules Committee, not much of a problem unless some damaging information surfaces.

4. Approval by the entire Senate, which will take a three-fifths vote, meaning Burris will need some Republicans on his side.