Burris seeks OK to start legal fund
Request to ethics panel cites costs from controversies
WASHINGTON -- Embattled Sen. Roland Burris is asking the Senate Select Committee on Ethics for permission to open a legal expense fund.
Burris filed the request with the committee Monday.
The law firm handling the filing is Gonzalez, Saggio, Harlan, led by Burris attorney Tim Wright, who has been advising Burris since his controversial appointment by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The treasurer named on the filing is Roderick Sawyer, former Mayor Eugene Sawyer's son. (Eugene Sawyer's nephew Kerry is a senior adviser on the Burris Washington staff.)
The purpose for establishing the fund, according to the filing: "to pay for expenses incurred by the senator in connection with his appointment to the U.S. Senate on December 30th, 2008. Due to the controversy surrounding his appointment by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, Senator Burris incurred legal expenses to support his eventual swearing-in on January 15th, 2009, in both Illinois and Washington, D.C.
"In addition, even after he was seated, Senator Burris has continued to require representation amid accusations of perjury and other alleged improprieties relating back to his appointment to the Senate seat."
Lynn Sweet