The dilemma for Roland Burris revolved around perceptions. How would it look, once he was appointed, if he donated to the Rod Blagojevich for Governor of Illinois campaign?
No worries on the legality of it. Not for a Chicago politician.
How would it look? Would he "catch hell", as he put it?
Maybe he could have his attorney make the donation. Then Mr. Burris could remain clean and spotless, and he could call in the stone cutters to emblazon his elaborate mausoleum with another accomplishment.
No worries on the legality of that tactic, either. Hiding campaign contributions is illegal, but Roland Burris wasn't the least bit concerned. He wanted to be a Senator with all his heart and soul.
Now the junior Senator from Illinois, Mr. Burris is shouting it from the rooftops. The FBI wiretaps that reveal the wheeling and dealing he engaged in to snag the Senate seat prove that he did nothing wrong.
He did nothing wrong because he never actually paid for the seat. It was all talk. No blood, no foul.
So there's nothing wrong with having a serious discussion about buying the Senate position? No taint, no stink of filthy corruption in showing an unquestionable willingness to write a check in return for the title of Senator?
It's all a matter of looking in a mirror that's already so filthy, one's image as a clean operator is artificially enhanced.
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