Alfies’s mum speaks up

Pix of the day: A-Roid the $500M lying cheater

February 18, 2009

I am a cheater and I am not man enough to admit it even when I got caught. But I want kids to look up to me and I deserve to be in the Hall of Fame because I only “experimented” for three years and have been clean since. I did because I was young and naive…because I didn’t get to go to college…because I entered the league at 18…because my cousin made me do it…because it was the culture…because everyone was doing it…it wasn’t illegal then…but remember I didn’t know what it was and I don’t think we did it right anyway and I’m not really sure what the results were but I took it 36 times over 3 years until my agent told me I maybe could have tested positive and besides it’s just an over-the-counter medicine in the Dominican Republic…whose economy runs in part because of its other baseball cheaters like Sammy Sosa. And, by the way, I’m hoping you can’t count because I was 26, 27 and 28 when I “experimented” with something I wasn’t sure what it was and only did because I was young and naive and entered the league at 18.

(Photo) Alex “the best player in the history of baseball” Rodriguez

ps. Nobody can punish me and I’m laughing all the way to the bank to collect my $500M baseball career.

12-7-07 60 Minutes interview denying it

2-9-09 Interview with Peter Gammons (text)
2-9-09 Interview with Gammons (video)
2-9-09 Calls SI writer a liar

2-17-09 Press conference (text)
2-17-09 Press conference (video)

A-Roid: (2-17) Press conference (text)

February 17, 2009

12-7-07 60 Minutes interview denying it

2-9-09 Interview with Peter Gammons (text)
2-9-09 Interview with Gammons (video)
2-9-09 Calls SI writer a liar

2-17-09 Press conference (text)
2-17-09 Press conference (video)

AP Transcript of A-Roid’s press conference

“First, bear with me. I’m a little nervous, or a lot nervous, so bear with me a little bit.

“Let me start by thanking the Yankees, my teammates, our fans, for your support over the last couple weeks. The fact that you’re sitting with me here today means the world to me. The last couple weeks have been difficult and emotional.

“On the one hand, it’s extremely tough to admit mistakes. But on the other hand, it feels great to be moving forward. I know that I’m in a position where I have to earn my trust back, and over time I am confident that at the end of my career, people will see this for what it is: a stupid mistake and a lesson learned for a guy with a lot of baseball to play.

*A mistake* does not happen at least 36 times over 3 years.

“Last Monday, I began the first step in the process of earning back trust when I sat down with Peter Gammons. I did so to accomplish two things: to tell the truth and to apologize to my teammates and baseball fans everywhere. Now the next step is to address the media about what I took and where it came from.

What you’ll find is today’s truth is different than his Peter Gammons’ version of truth.

“On reflection, here’s what I remember:

Trying to cover himself for the Gammons interview.

“As I discussed with Peter Gammons, in the year 2001, 2002 and 2003, I experimented with a banned substance that eventually triggered a positive test.

*Experimentation* stops at one maybe two times – not 36. *Banned* substance = no admission. *Eventually* is an excellent word. He knew he was cheating and that he had gotten past some tests when he was. *Triggered* = no admission.

In September 2004, I had a meeting with Gene Orza. During that meeting, he explained to me that I had been among the players from which people might conclude that I tested positive. That was as specific as Gene could be, because Gene stated to me that there were a number of players on that list who might not have actually tested positive.

He knew he was caught. That’s all Orza could say in words. But one doesn’t need words – a look is enough – a dropped slip of paper. He knew and he later admits that he thought it would be ok since it had been 5 years. He can only admit that if he knew he had 100% sure he tested positive. And if he knew, why didn’t he have his come to Jesus moment then? Especially since he said he has been clean since then?

“I think it is important to know that the tests that were taken in 2003 were requested and voted by players to determine the extent of the drug problem in Major League Baseball.

This is a pathetic joke.

“Going back to 2001, my cousin started telling me about a substance that you can purchase over-the-counter in DR know as, in the streets, known as boli or bole. It was his understanding that it would give me a dramatic energy boost and otherwise harmless. My cousin and I, one more ignorant than the other, decided it was a good idea to start taking it. My cousin would administer it to me, but neither of us knew how to use it problem, providing (sic) just how ignorant we both were.

My cousin made me do it. A cousin he refuses to name. A cousin who smuggled the *banned* substance into the US.

“It was at this point, we decided to take it twice a month for about six months [the length of the baseball season] during the 2001, 2002 and 2003 season. We consulted no one and had no good reason to base that decision. It was pretty evident that we didn’t know what we’re doing.

We didn’t know what it was or what we were doing or the effect but we took it for 36 months. LIE LIE LIE,

“We did everything we could to keep it between us, and my cousin did not provide any other players with it.

Interesting tidbit to volunteer.

I stopped taking it in 2003 and haven’t take it since. I stopped taking the substance for several reasons.

Why did he need more than one?

In 2003, I had a serious neck injury and it scared me half to death. I was scared for my career and truly my career after baseball — my life after baseball. Secondly, after our voluntary test, all the players voted for a major league drug policy. At that time, it became evident to me how serious this all was, and I decided to stop then.

“Since that time, I’ve been tested regularly. I’ve taken urine tests consistent with Major League Baseball and blood tests for the World Baseball Classic. Before I walked here today, I took a test as part of my physical, and I’ll take another blood test next week for the Classic.

“In the days ahead, I know that a lot of people are going to debate my past with various opinions. People are going to talk about my future as though it’s already been determined, however, I realize that these opinions are out of my control. What is within my control is going out and doing the job that I am blessed to do. Spring training represents a new start for me and a chance to win a championship, two opportunities I’m very excited about.

“It isn’t lost on me the good fortune I’ve received from playing baseball. When I entered the pros, I was a young kid — the major leagues. I was 18 years old, right out of high school. I thought I knew everything, and I clearly didn’t. Like everyone else, I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. The only way I know how to handle them is to learn from them and move forward. One thing I know is for sure that baseball is a lot bigger than Alex Rodriguez.

I did it because I was 18 when I came into the league. I was young and naive. I didn’t know what I was doing or what the effects were even though I had been in the game since 1996 and didn’t take them till 2001. And, oh, by the way, I was 26, 27 and 28 when I took those drugs. How stupid was the person who wrote that statement? And how stupid are the reporters who walked out of there believing him? One thye talked to said he would still vote him into the Hall of Fame. That is criminal. Why did they want him to say anything then?

“And to my teammates — (37-second pause)

“Thank you.”

A very dramatic pause while he looked right at the photographers but said no words including a simple public ‘I’m sorry’. Nothing to the players he cheated out of their position or the ones who were cut by the team or not payed what they were worth because of his grotesque salary. Those players should speak out loud and thoroughly trash him. And someone who got caught who is out of the game – above and beyond Conseco – should come forward and testify that he saw A-Roid take them after 2003. All of them should come forward – especially the ones who have never cheated and have nothing to gain.

Change the rules: Mandatory one year contract first year in the league. Written into the contract drug penalties not related to MLB’s policies. He cheats – he loses money. It’s the only way they will stop. And if they don’t they suffer REAL consequences – not this I’m sorry because I got caught and please bear with me because it’s been a tough couple of weeks. He walked in making hundreds of millions of dollars and he walked out making hundreds of millions of dollars and is still eligible for the $30M bonus he would get if he breaks Bonds’ cheating record. And in some people’s minds he is still eligible for the home run record and the Hall of Fame.

So what did he lose by this admission?

Absolutely nothing.

And Michael Phelps? Who really is a kid and who allegedly took a decidedly NON performance-enhancing drug AFTER he won 8 gold medal? And he gets tested after every race – not 10 times over 5 years after he is warned by his agent. It’s ridiculous. Phelps tests positive for cold medicine and he would have to forfeit his medals and be banned from the Olympics for life and have his records stripped.

Is anyone taking away A-Roid’s trophies? His stats for those years? Stats that allowed him to get that grotesques salary? His distinction of being the youngest player to hit 500 homers accomplished by his “experimentation”?

This is all a joke. And that’s how every kid in America will view it. Nothing he did or said will make them stop. Not even pandering to Mr Hooton whose 16 y/o son, Taylor, hung himself in his bedroom because of steroid use.

A complete idiot GREG DOYEL thinks A-Roid is the victim and should sue because the tests should have been destroyed by the players’ union. That’s how much of a joke this is. And he wrote that on SI.com for all young kids to see and justify their won use.

A-Roid: “That’s the biggest bunch of baloney I’ve ever heard”

February 17, 2009

Selena Roberts was one of the authors of the Sports Illustrated outing A-roid article. He wasn’t exactly pleased. And being the upstanding man of integrity who kids can look up to, he said this to Peter Gammons during his come to Jesus 2-9-09 interview.

AROID: Prior to Texas, I really had — at that time in Seattle, I had never even heard of a player taking a substance, a steroid of any kind in my Seattle days. I mean, I know this lady from Sports Illustrated, Selena Roberts, is trying to throw things out there that in high school I tried steroids. I mean, that’s the biggest bunch of baloney I’ve ever heard in my life.

What makes me upset is that Sports Illustrated pays this lady, Selena Roberts, to stalk me. This lady has been thrown out of my apartment in New York City. This lady has five days ago just been thrown out of the University of Miami by police for trespassing. And four days ago, she tried to break into my house where my girls are up there sleeping, and got cited by the Miami Beach police. I have the paper here.

This lady is coming out with all these allegations, all these lies, because she’s writing an article for Sports Illustrated and she’s coming out with a book in May. Really respectable journalists are following this lady off the cliff and following her lead. And that, to me, is unfortunate.

That my friends is worse than being a liar and a cheater. But he apologized so it’s ok.

She is scheduled to release her book: “A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez” on April 14. What’s he going to say about the sexual liaisons?

(2-8-08) Q & A with Roberts and Sports Illustrated.

12-7-07 60 Minutes interview denying it

2-9-09 Interview with Peter Gammons (text)
2-9-09 Interview with Gammons (video)
2-9-09 Calls SI writer a liar

2-17-09 Press conference (text)
2-17-09 Press conference (video)

Sen Burris: “I have nothing to hide”

February 17, 2009

Not sure where these posts go to. I have 5 or 6 on Burris that have disappeared. This was when Burris first made the rounds – his “listening tour”. He would have been better off staying out of the news – his defensiveness and poor speaking style did him no favors. He might have not have engaged in pay to be a Senator, but he evaded the issue and that was a taint – law or no law.

Transcript of Sen Burris’ comments in Peoria today. Emphasis added.

SENATOR ROLAND BURRIS:

Members of the press, I will have a prepared text, and I will not be responding to questions.

I have made an effort to be as transparent as I can, and I’m willing to take a further step as I have nothing to hide.

I welcome the opportunity to go before any and all investigative bodies, including those referred by Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan and the Senate Ethics Committee to answer any questions they have.

In fact, earlier today, one of my advisers placed a call to the Sangamon County State’s Atty. John Schmidt in an attempt to inform them that I welcome the opportunity to meet with him to review the facts in this matter and provide (a) full and complete account of my actions, statements and contacts.

I look forward to sitting down with the federal officials and addressing this with them, and I support having any other body or agency look into my testimony, as it was truthful and consistent.

There were never any inappropriate conversations between me and anyone else.

[Inappropriate operative word. And it was inappropriate of him not to reveal the conversations he did have. It was the point of his testimony.]

And I will answer any and all questions to get that point across to keep my faith with the citizens of Illinois.

We are working on a concise document that will be provided to the public later this week.

Thank you very much, and God bless each and every one of you all in the media.

Burris: Rod Blagojevich asked me to raise $10-15K

February 17, 2009

Senator Burris said he wasn’t going to comment anymore, but he did just that – and he shouldn’t have. He admitted that he did talk to blago people

Here’s a transcript from the Q & A after the THE ANNUAL PEORIA COUNTY DEMOCRATS’ PRESIDENTS’ DAY DINNER in Peoria as provided by Tribunes’ RAY LONG:

BURRIS: The testimony was over. We thought, you know, we’d done a decent job… We then got word on that Sunday night from Sen. Durbin or from somewhere that they were going to check over the information that we had submitted, that came from the Secretary of State.

“I mean, can you all imagine what’s going on now, when the secretary of state wouldn’t sign the petition? And we had to try to deal with all that…”

Q: We watched it on national TV?

“Yeah, right. It was a lot of, a lot of confusion going on. And so we finally–and by the way, we had to deal with the Supreme Court. We’re trying to draft petitions. We’re also trying to draft petitions for the federal court.  And (had) to hire all these lawyers. And they were looking at all the law and doing all this research. This is all going on and so we can be prepared to go to court in case they didn’t seat us.

“So now the timeline after that was that we did get the word on that Monday that they had OK’d my appointment, that I would come on down, I would be seated. But then they tried to get in touch with Vice President Cheney and to find out when they could swear me in, and so they decided on Wednesday, but then they changed it and said he couldn’t be available until Thursday. … This is now Thursday Jan. 15. So we went out on Jan. 15, and we stayed in Washington because I was sworn in. And guess what? I had to vote that evening. At 4:30 or 5 o’clock, I had to cast my first vote in the Senate. So now we’re in Washington Jan. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20th was (President Barack Obama’s) inauguration. The 21st, I understand from my lawyer who had to leave and go to California, when he got back to the law office, that on the 22nd, the transcript of the trial (meaning impeachment hearing) arrived.

“He reviewed that on the 23rd, I think, and talked to me and said, ‘I thought you said that you had talked to the governor’s brother about fund-raising.’ I said, ‘Well I did.’ He said, ‘Well, his name was in the transcript by the, um, by by by (Republican state Rep. Jim) Durkin–we were (under) question, and we didn’t respond to that.

“I said, ‘We (did or didn’t, unintelligible) respond to it?’ He said, ‘no.’ I said, ‘Look, we got to respond to that because that is, you know, because I did talk with him.'”

“He said, ‘Well, we can prepare an affidavit, Roland.’ I said, ‘Well, let’s prepare whatever we need to prepare.’ And not only did I respond to him, but then he read off the other names. ‘Well, did you have anything to do with John Wyma?’

“I  said, ‘Yes.’ I talked to John Wyma and Doug Scofield at the June fund-raiser, expressing to them that I was interested in being appointed to the Senate seat.

As a matter of fact, I’ll tell everybody I knew that I was interested in getting appointed to the Senate seat. I mean, you know, because I wanted to be a United States senator and I thought I was qualified to be that.

“So we then voluntarily filed that affidavit that then said in part that we had talked to Scofield and Wyma, we had talked to John Harris on another matter, but it was only a question when he was talking about the reference on my nephew that I called him about, seeking to assist him as a reference. And at the end of that conversation with John Harris, who was then the governor’s chief of staff, I said, ‘Is there any progress or any word on the Senate seat?’ You know what his answer was? One word, ‘No.’ And he cut it off.

“So that was my conversation with the governor’s chief of staff. You know, that sent me up a wall. Because I’m now (wondering),  If the chief of staff said no, where am I?

“So I then also indicated, and, of course, I talked with, that happened sometime in—I don’t even remember when that was when I talked to John Harris. But I know when it was when I talked to the governor’s brother. The governor’s brother’s on a routine fund-raising call indicated, ‘I am now the new fund-raiser for the governor, and Roland you’ve been helpful for us in the past,’ and I said, ‘Yes, you know, I’ve certainly tried to work with the governor. I’ve tried to help you all. A lot of people didn’t.'”

“And he says, ‘We need to raise some funds. We hope that you could probably get some of your friends together.’ I said, ‘What type of money we looking for?’ He says, ‘Can you raise us 10 or 15 thousand dollars?’

“I said, ‘I don’t know but I can’t do it now because we are in the midst of an election. Call me after the election.’ He said, ‘Fine.’”

“So some time shortly after Obama was elected, the brother called. And now in the meantime, I’d talked to some people about trying to see if we could put a fund-raiser on. Nobody was—they said we aren’t giving money to the governor. And I said, ‘OK, you know,  I can’t tell them what to do with their money.’”

“So when the brother called me back, I said, ‘Well, look Rob…I can’t raise any money from my friends. I said, maybe my partner and I, you can talk this over and see, could we go to some other people that we might be able to talk to that would help us out if we give–because we give a fund-raiser in the law office, nobody going to show up. We’ll probably have a thousand dollars for you or something to that effect.’”

“Oh, by the way, in that first conversation with him (Rob in October), so that part is where I raise a question about the Senate seat with him. But no other time do we talk about the Senate seat.

So then we came back, and when he called me back the third time, because I went to talk to my partner, and we then assessed the situation and said, ‘Look, you know, I’m interested in the Senate seat. I can’t raise any money for him.’

And so he called me back and I told him back and I told him that. I said, ‘No. 1, I can’t raise any money for you and I can’t give you any money because I don’t want to have a conflict.’

I mean, that should give some indication of my commitment right there to get out of pay to play and they’re still trying to tie me in to pay to play.”

Q. Do you think this is amounts to a witch hunt on the part of reporters?

“I don’t want to criticize you all because I’ve been criticized for criticizing you all, and I don’t think that gets me anywhere.

“But I just wish that the reporters would look into this, look at the action that is taken and look at the steps in the process. I mean, I have not done anything wrong. I have not given any money. I have not even raised any money. So this whole thing is because of the governor’s problem with trying to sell the seat.

“So if I didn’t give any money, I didn’t raise any money, why would I be having the problems that I’m having? Someone please explain that to me.”

Q: You’re a very bright man and you have served Illinois very well throughout the course of your lifetime?

“Yes.”

Q: You understand, though, how people in the state of Illinois are kind of feeling a rebuke, though, from the process?

“I think that that’s because some of that has come from the media about not being fair to me. The media has not said how I, in the statement, about how, you know, that they tied in, (they) say, well, ‘Burris said, here give you money. But he’s dealt with his brother, (it’s) pay to play….'”

“So that’s confusing the public. And the public know me. I mean, I met with some ministers this morning. And they’re saying what is going on? We know Roland Burris hasn’t done anything wrong.

“But the media now is almost destroying my character because they’re not accurately reporting what really transpired. And I think, and I’m not, and I say this, and I get into trouble… But it’s continued to make the thing go.”

Q:  Clarify when the last two calls with Rob were?

“They were in November after the election… about Nov. 10th and about Nov. 15th or 16th.

“Thank you. Look. I hope that this is OK. God bless you.”

A-Roid: 2007 60 Minutes denial (video)

February 10, 2009

12-7-07 60 Minutes interview denying it

2-9-09 Interview with Peter Gammons (text)
2-9-09 Interview with Gammons (video)
2-9-09 Calls SI writer a liar

2-17-09 Press conference (text)
2-17-09 Press conference (video)

This is Aroid’s 12-17-2007 60 Minutes interview with Katie Couric where he denies unequivocally that he DID NOT use any performance-enhancing drugs. Couric didn’t mention specifically amphetamines so he should be able to say it depends on what the meaning of is is. Aroid’s *tell* are his lips, left cheek and his voice. He is not much of a blinker, which shows he is a pretty accomplished liar (as far as this) and has justified it in his mind that he has done nothing wrong. He has had plenty of years to do so and hundreds of millions of dollars as incentive to lie.

His denial is the first part. Following that is the transcript of the rest of the interview and videos of his batting cage and his trophy room. He showed her that knowing he cheated to get them.

KATIE COURIC: For the record, have you ever used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing substance?

AROID: No.

LIE

COURIC: Have you ever been tempted to use any of those things?

AROID: No.

LIE.

COURIC: You never felt like, ‘This guy’s doing it, maybe I should look into this, too? He’s getting better numbers, playing better ball’.

AROID: I’ve never felt overmatched on the baseball field. I’ve always been in a very strong, dominant position. And I felt that if I did my work as I’ve done since I was, you know, a rookie back in Seattle, I didn’t have a problem competing at any level. So, uh, no.

LIE. He did more than his work – he cheated.

COURIC: What is your reaction to this investigation?

AROID: Katie, you’re putting me in a tough spot. I mean, these are guys that I play with. They’re my teammates. If anything comes of this, I will be extremely disappointed. And it will be a huge black eye on the game of baseball.

HE is the black eye on the game of baseball. HE has disappointed his teammates, the game of baseball and the world. He was in a tought spot because he had to keep lying.

COURIC: It sounds like this is rampant. According to the Mitchell Report, every single club has a player using banned substances. Did you ever witness or hear about or even suspect this was going on?

AROID: You hear a lot of things. I mean, I came in 1993. And you heard whispers from the ’80s and ’90s. But I never saw anything. I never had raw evidence. And, quite frankly, I was probably a little bit too naïve when I first came up to understand the magnitude of all this.

The emphasis on *first* was his. It is what he is now using as the basis of his apology and excuse – he had it thought out even then. He is beyond a liar and a cheater – he is a pre-meditated liar about his cheating. All he had to do is look in the mirror.

COURIC: Given this controversy, Alex, who do you think has the real homerun record? Barry Bonds at 762 or Hank Aaron 755?

AROID: Well, I think Barry Bonds. He has 762.

Of course he is going to say that – it involves him – his records. Which in my opinion should be wiped out for the years he admits to using steroids. The years he used to extort his money.

COURIC: But, he has an asterisk next to his name.

AROID: Does he? Not yet.

Funny he used *yet*. I remember hearing this the first time I watched him say this and I was hoping Couric would have pressed him on it. Derek Lee also said the same thing. The players all know who is cheating and who isn’t. And now that Aroid has admitted to it it will allow them to come forward – especially the ones whose jobs (and money) he took. It explains why Jeter was not moved from shortstop.

COURIC: In the minds of many, he does.

AROID: The federal government is going to make its decision on that. Barry’s been a phenomenal player. And I’ve really enjoyed watching him play. But, he’s innocent ’til proven guilty.

Again, he is speaking for himself. And he thought he would be able to slip by until he was found guilty.

****

Here’s the rest of the interview even though it’s not on this video.

This is what he attributes his success to.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

He was asked why he thinks he gets so much grief over his salary.

AROID: Cuz I make a lot of money.

Based on cheating – that is what they are mad about. Money the ones who haven’t cheated deserved and didn’t get. The money fans had to play to get into the park.

COURIC: Your new contract is worth $300 million-plus. Are you worth it? Is any player worth that kind of salary?

AROID: I’m not sure. I mean, that’s not my job to evaluate or appraise players. I love to play baseball.

But the game that got Alex Rodriguez the most attention this past season was one he wasn’t even in. It was the fourth game of the World Series and the Red Sox were about to sweep the Colorado Rockies, when the announcer suddenly broke away from the game, saying that Rodriguez had decided to opt out of his Yankees contract. Opt-out, meaning he was leaving to become a free agent. That announcement upstaged one of the biggest nights in baseball.

COURIC: Can you understand why so many people found that so incredibly offensive?

AROID: Absolutely. A hundred percent. If I was a sports writer, if I was a fan, I would have been very, very upset. I was angry and upset. Shocked — disbelief. I mean, I’m sitting in my living room.

COURIC: You were watching the game?

AROID: Yes. And that was very, very difficult.

What about the players he again upstaged? He knew what was going on or at least that it might happen. What more publicity could he have gotten?

COURIC: What did you do when you heard it?

AROID: Nightmare — you know, I got white like a ghost. I just couldn’t believe my eyes. I was under the impression that it would come out a day or two after the World Series concluded. And I would never do anything to harm the game [this is laughable]… to the Red Sox and the Rockies, my deepest apologies, and to all of Major League Baseball.

COURIC: You got hammered by the press. A number of respected sports writers called you, among other things, ‘A gold plated phony.’ ‘Pay-Rod in Pinstripes.’ They say you upstaged more World Series games than you actually played in. Were you surprised at the level of vitriol that came your way?

You want to know who uses steroids – look at their post season records – if they have any. Soriano is 0 for the post season as in no hits…not that I am saying he uses anything…I just find it curious – and disgusting – that he comes to the Cuns and makes this huge salary and then spends most of the time on the DL and sucks in the outfield and never gets on base and therefore cannot use this speed I’ve never seen evidence of. In othe words, since he got his deal, which cannot be broken, he has sucked. I haven’t calculated how much he gets for each at bat but he doesn’t even run to first base half the time and he stands at the plate after his homers like he just did something great when that is exactly what he is getting paid for. Jim Hendry made a HUGE mistake with him and made a UNBELIEVABLE mistake trading Mark DeRosa. That was wrong and ranks up there with what they did to Mark Grace. And getting rid of Kerry Wood who has been very active with Children’s Memorial Hospital and kids said who said pay me whatever I’m worth? Wrong. The two bright lights of last season are now gone.

ROID: No. If I was a writer, I would have done the same thing, because it was unacceptable. And inappropriate. And, you know, when you do things the wrong way, that’s what you get.

The whole debacle started, he says, when his agent, Scott Boras, told him the Yankees didn’t want him anymore.

COURIC: But they were trying to reach out to you. It’s kind of hard to believe that you were taking Scott Boras’ word as gospel when you had all these other signs coming from Yankee management.

AROID: You’re right.

COURIC: Why did you fall for that?

He didn’t fall for anything he is using him as a fall guy.

AROID: Why wouldn’t I trust my attorney. Most people trust their attorneys. I’m a baseball player. I’m not an attorney. I’ve never negotiated a contract. When I realized things were going haywire, at that point, I said, ‘Wait a minute! I got to be accountable for my own life…this is not going the way I wanted to go and I got behind the wheel,’ and I called Hank.

Hank, as in George Steinbrenner’s son, who is now in charge of the Yankees. Taking the advice of his friend billionaire Warren Buffet, A-Rod says he negotiated directly and personally with the Yankees. Scott Boras, who told 60 Minutes he couldn’t talk about his clients, was not welcome at the table, but he still stands to make about $15 million on the deal. A-Rod says he will pay him, and will keep him.

COURIC: What is your relationship like with him today? Why do you have to think about that so much?

AROID: Well, the whole situation saddens me a little bit.

Asked if he talks with him at all, Rodriguez said “No.”

COURIC: Do you think that will change?

AROID: We’ll see.

He’s still standing at his side. This guy lies about things that don’t matter.

Asked if he was talking to Boras during the negotiation process.

AROID: No, I wasn’t. I was talking with my wife.

COURIC to AROID’s (then) wife: Cynthia, how do you think Alex changed as a result of this?

AROID: He wasn’t used to having to take such initiative and such action, especially in this arena….and he actually had to pick up the phone, make the calls, make some decisions and stand behind them…be confident and be sure…it was very difficult, but it was a huge growing experience.

COURIC: Is it all about the money for you?

AROID: No. But economics always play a part of it. I wanted the best deal the Yankees had for me. Whatever that number was.

Yes it is. He wanted to be the best ever and make the most ever and he cheated his way to it. He is a cheater. He should be treated as such. If he got caught using steroids even once without a prescription let alone smuggling them into the country he would be charged with a crime. Whether it stuck is another matter. And that number was based on his numbers in Texas where he admits to using “banned substances”. He’s a CHEATER, A LIAR and an overpaid criminal. This whole discussion on his grotesque salary shows what a truly dishonorable man he is. He was greedy and he was asking for more money based on his past cheating. Cheating is one thing, lying about it another, but extortion because he did both is beyond the pale.

COURIC: Some people say you overplayed your hand. That there wasn’t that much interest in you among other teams.

AROID: I beg to differ.

COURIC: Why?

AROID: I thought there was a lot of interest out there.

COURIC: You thought or you knew?”

AROID: I knew.

By the time this contract is over, Rodriguez will have made nearly $500 million playing baseball. Life in Coral Gables, Fla., is a far cry from his childhood in Miami, which changed dramatically when he was only nine. His father abandoned his family, leaving his mother to support them.

$500M every penny of it tainted.

AROID: My mother’s been a rock for a long time. And again, she’s working two jobs, secretary in the morning. She was a waitress at night. And it’s funny ’cause when she got home and she would pick me up at the Boys and Girls Club in her beat-up car that half the times couldn’t start, we would go home. And I was so excited to kind of get all her money out of her pocket. And I would sit there and count, you know, 23, 24, 25, 38, 40. Mom, you did great.

COURIC: Why haven’t you done better in the post-season

AROID: I’ve stunk. You know? I’ve done very poorly. And that’s not acceptable.

Acceptable? And the drugs you injected and then lied about at this very minute to make you not stink.

Asked what it is like being booed by his own fans, Rodriguez told Couric, “Oh, that’s awful. That’s terrible.”

Here’s the cheater’s spoils.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

This year there was a lot less booing. He seemed more relaxed and says he was finally comfortable enough to laugh at himself.

A state-of-the-art batting cage he built near his home raised his game. Every day in the off-season, he blasts his music and gets to work.

COURIC: How much of getting a good hit is technical and how much of it really is psychological?

AROID: I think it really comes down to 90 percent mental and you know, once Yankee Stadium, the lights are on, you have 55,000 people there. It’s all about your mind. You know you better than that guy on the mound, and you cannot let that guy beat you. It becomes a competitive battle, one on one.

But the lights are on Alex Rodriguez 24-7, and he’s gotten singed, routinely described in the press as arrogant and disingenuous, not a team player. Then there were the tabloid reports about an alleged extramarital affair.

AROID: It was a challenging time. And you know, we’ve learned from it, we’ve regrouped, we’ve stood up and now I think we’ve become much closer because of the whole situation.

AROID: These are the two MVP awards. And this right here is the Babe Ruth Award — for most home runs in Major League Baseball. But I would like to yank all three of ’em and put World Championship there. That’s my goal. That’s my ultimate goal. I feel comfortable my team can expect me to be in the line up every day and at the end of the day, I get paid to be a Major League Baseball player, not anything else, and I do that pretty well.

Can you imagine what Babe Ruth would have done to these guys? They wouldn’t even have their pea-sized nuts. There is a very simple way to tell if someone has used steroids for a while. I’ll go into this in another post.
[Produced By Kyra Darnton, Michael Radutzky, and Lori Beecher]

A-Roid: (2-17) press conference (video)

February 17, 2009

Here’s the video of his press conference. I’ll add the body language later. As I’ve said before he is a good liar. His *tell* are his lips, left cheek and his voice. He is not much of a blinker, which shows he is a pretty accomplished liar (as far as this) and has justified it in his mind that he has done nothing wrong. He has had plenty of years to do so and hundreds of millions of dollars as incentive to lie.

CBS

12-7-07 60 Minutes interview denying it

2-9-09 Interview with Peter Gammons (text)
2-9-09 Interview with Gammons (video)
2-9-09 Calls SI writer a liar

2-17-09 Press conference (text)
2-17-09 Press conference (video)

Sen Burris: “Absolutely, positively” not prompted by the Feds (video)

February 16, 2009

[reposting – Burris posts just disappeared for some reason]

Sen Burris makes a brief statement that. No questions.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

BURRIS: We said in our testimony before impeachment committee…we would have to file additional information in our report…because it might be incomplete…we might not have answered all the questions.

When we got the transcript, it was determined – I had said yes in the transcript to all those name – but we had not addressed those names…..prompted me to file a separate affidavit that would show who we talked to and what was said.

There was no change of any of our testimony.

We followed up as we promised the Impeachment Committee.

We have done everything here that we said we would.

Whether it was prompted by the Feds?

Absolutely, positively not true.

However the Sun Times’ DAVE MCKINNEY, NATASHA KORECKI AND MAUREEN O’DONNELL report:

A source close to Burris Monday said that the senator was alerted he could be interviewed by the feds before his House testimony. The source said Burris had contact with feds about the potential interview before and after his testimony. But Monday he denied that contact had anything to do with that revised affidavit.

Octuplets: Publicist Joan Killeen quits amidst death threats

February 16, 2009

(2-3) Octuplets: Publicist Joann Killeen on Larry King
(2-16) Octuplets: Publicist Joann Killeen quits amidst death threats
(2-18) Octuplets: New agent?
(2-28) Octuplets: Dr Phil talks with new publicist, Victor Munoz, on Larry King
(3-9) Octuplets: Second publicist, Victor Munoz, quits: “This woman is nuts!”
(3-10) Octuplets: Updated list of  posts

Nadya Suleman’s publicist has had enough. Who would want to try and make money promoting octobirther? Might have looked good at the beginning but not now. What possible defense or explanation is there for what that woman did? None.

Joann Killeen on Larry King explaining the situation. She doesn’t understand why America is so angry and says Nadya denies having had plastic surgery, thinks welfare is a resource and that once Nadya goes back to school and gets her degree she won’t need the “resources”.

Transcript & video & video

Larry King: When you did this show February 3, you were representing her. Now you’re not. Why not?

Joann Killeen: Well, Larry, the number of death threats that came into our office, both by e-mail and voice mail, we had to make a decision about what was in the best interests of our own personal safety and that of our firm.

So we met with the police department on Friday. We filed a criminal report. We provided them with all the information with all the threats. And they told us that we should take this very seriously.

King: Why you and not her?

Killeen: Well, they’ve also threatened her. But the majority of the threats are coming to our office. I mean, Nadya doesn’t have an e-mail account. She doesn’t have a computer. So there’s no way to reach her. So the closest thing they can do is come after me. And they have — and just in painful, painful ways.

King: How would do you characterize the nature of the threats?

Killeen: Well, they’ve said to me that I should be put down like an old dog, I should be paralyzed, my client’s uterus should be ripped out, she should be put on an island. I mean, Larry, I don’t know what’s happened with America, but they are really, really angry and letting me know what they think about this issue.

King: Do you take special security precautions?

Killeen: Yes, I do. Yes, I do. We have extra patrols on our street. … We’re very conscious. The police department has been absolutely wonderful to work with. They’ve given me a special number to call if anybody stakes out my house, as they have before. I’ve been followed by paparazzi. I’m not a celebrity, so it’s a different position for me to be in.

King: How did you inform Nadya that you were no longer…

Killeen: Well, we talked on Friday. And she’s had death threats, and I’ve had death threats. And she’s very upset that someone would come after us and come after her. I mean she says: “I’m just a mom. I don’t know why everybody is so upset. I’m just a mom trying to do the best job that I possibly can.”

[She has no idea? Having 8 more kids when you can’t feed, clothe or shelter the 6 you already have?]

King: Why do you think people are so angry — crazy enough, angry to threaten killing?

Killeen: Well, I think they are frustrated by a lot of things. When the news came out that Nadya was receiving some state disability from an injury and that she was trying to rehab and find a new career and go to school and she also had children at the same time, I think the taxpayers just absolutely flipped out and said, you know, we’re paying for this and we’re not getting our own fair share of government services. We pay a lot of taxes, the economy is bad, there’s no jobs. They’re angry. And they’re just taking it out on me. For some reason, they’re taking it out on me.

KING: You’ve got a lot of clients, right?

KILLEEN: Yes, we do.

KING: You ever experienced anything like this?

KILLEEN: Never. Never. And what’s happening is, thanks to social media, people are organizing and they’ve called our clients. They’ve e-mailed our clients. They’ve threatened our clients and said they’re going to boycott their goods and services and make sure nobody ever does business not only with the Killeen Furtney Group, but also with any of my clients.

KING: Nadya Suleman’s fielded a lot of flak, of course, since giving birth. Among the critics were her own mother.

Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM RADARONLINE.COM)

ANGELA SULEMAN: To have them all is unconscionable to me. She really, really has no idea what she’s doing to her children.

Why would she do this?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The person has got to cringe when they see something…

KILLEEN: I’ve cringed the few times…

KING: …your client’s mother.

KILLEEN: …that I’ve seen it. Yes, I have.

KING: Were you shocked?

KILLEEN: Well, you know, grandma is tired. Grandma and grandpas are in their 70s. You know, they’ve raised a daughter. I’m sure they didn’t think that they were going to be helping to raise six children. Remember, Nadya was on bed rest for 10 — almost 10 weeks before the octuplets were born. So Mom and dad had to come in and help out with six kids and school and schedules. And it’s stressful. They’re six little kids that have high energy and big demands.

KING: Has she retained someone else, another firm?

KILLEEN: No, she has not.

KING: Do you think that will be a problem, getting a firm?

KILLEEN: Well, I think she needs to listen to the advice of people that are closest to her. She’s in a really challenging situation. And I hope she takes the good counsel that’s available to her and makes the right choice and decisions, so she and her kids can be together in the future.

King: If you’re getting threats, what do you imagine she’s getting?

Killeen: Well, and I’ve seen them, because, again, there’s no e- mail account. So they’re sending them to me. … People will call my office and just say profanity on the phone. And with caller ID, I know exactly who they are. Others have sent handwritten notes to me with horrible words that I never would repeat on the air, Larry. And they even put their return address on them so — as if I’m going to return that call.

KING: Well you could give those to the police…

KILLEEN: I’ve given every…

KING: …because threatening of death is a crime.

KILLEEN: Right. Yes. I have given them to the police. In fact, this morning I was even recording more for the police, to give them — the threats, that continue to come in.

KING: The last time you were with us, you called Nadya a wonderful woman, said you couldn’t wait for the media to meet her.

Here’s part of her interview with “The Today Show.”

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM “TODAY,” COURTESY NBC)

NADYA SULEMAN: You wake up one minute, you know, you’re thinking about your children and how they’re doing and their safety and their — their well being. And then all of a sudden, someone just opens you in half — you know, cuts you and opens you. And it just wants to dissect you and just wants to put you under a microscope. And it’s really kind of sick, because I think people really need to focus on their own lives.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: You think she did well there?

KILLEEN: I think she told the truth. I mean, one of the things I know about Nadya is that she’s very honest and very candid. And she speaks her mind. And I think she finds it offensive that people are so willing to, you know, provide shame and blame and judgment. And they don’t know her. She’s doing the best job that she can with all of these children. And yet people are ready to write her off. People are even willing to take her kids away from her.

[What type of maternal judgment has she shown? And how much more does one have to hear her say to be convinced that she is not delusional?]

King: What about the stories that she’s obsessed with Angelina Jolie — even had work done on her face to look like her more?

Killeen: You know, I asked her about that. And she just laughed. She said remember, with the octuplets, I put on 100 pounds — a hundred pounds of extra body weight for my babies. So of course things are going to look a little different than they did when I first started.

King: She does look like her.

Killeen: Well, I think hair and makeup, you could probably look like anybody you’d want to look like. She has said to me she has not had plastic surgery of any kind. And so I have to believe what my client tells me to be factually correct.

King: So the only reason you’re out of this is threats on you and the firm, not because of any qualms with her?

Killeen: Oh, no. Not at all. Larry, I just can’t run my business and continue to do the things that I need to do for my clients with constant death threats and phone calls and interruptions. You know, I took on this account because I’m a mom and a grandma, and I wanted to help someone who needs help with the media. I did this pro bono. I’ve made no money. I have no intention of getting any money. And I think people need to realize I just did this out of the goodness of my heart to help a woman who didn’t know how to work with the media.

[She hasn’t made any money because nobody wants anything to do with that woman. Despite the fact she was not getting paid, she was getting PR for her firm, which is no longer positive which is why she’s signing off.]

KING: Is your husband involved, too?

KILLEEN: Yes, he is.

KING: Did you regret taking this account?

KILLEEN: No, never regret. One of the things Grandma Murphy (ph) taught me as a young girl is to grow as an individual, you need to go toward your fear. And my concern was that I would do something that would not help her cause. And in reflecting upon my two weeks of working with her, you know, I’m very proud of our work. We did, you know, a great job of answering every media call that came in from around the world. I went on every show that I could to tell the positive story about my client and let people know and to just give her a chance.

KING: How much did the media bug her?

KILLEEN: Oh, they were around the clock. I mean, people were coming to my house. I was being followed, calls night and day. My — I had so many hits to my company Web site, Larry, it crashed twice.

KING: From around the world?

KILLEEN: From around the world. We had almost like 50,000 hits in a half an hour.

[Who sponsors her website?]

KING: Television, radio and print?

KILLEEN: Everybody. I’ve heard from media from every continent in the world.

KING: Money offers?

KILLEEN: Oh, of course. The tabloids in London. Of course, they offer all kinds of money. But any legitimate news organization in the United States doesn’t offer money. We know that. So there was no money offered nor was there money exchanged from NBC.

KING: How about the tabloid television shows?

KILLEEN: Well, of course they always offer. Of course.

KING: They did?

KILLEEN: Of course.

KING: So no money was made in this?

KILLEEN: No. No money was made on my part. NBC didn’t give her any money. In…

KING: “People?”

KILLEEN: No. No.

KING: Why didn’t she ask for money?

KILLEEN: Well, you know what, she didn’t ask for money. She’s just solely focusing on being the best mom that she can be and telling her story.

KING: So that never came up, how much can I get for this?

KILLEEN: No.

KING: The question of a single mom supporting her children, that caused a lot of controversy. She addressed the welfare issue with “The Today Show” this way.

KILLEEN: She did.

KING: Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM “TODAY,” COURTESY NBC)

SULEMAN: No, I’m not living off of any taxpayer money. If I am, if it is food stamps, it’s a temporary resource. You receive no cash. And it’s every month, about $190. And that’s only for food. Yes, that’s an excellent resource if used appropriately and not for too long. So it’s not affiliated with welfare.

[And the disability money for herself and 3 of her children?]

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Is that part of the anger — food stamps, taxpayers’ money, etc.?

KILLEEN: That’s what people are complaining about. They’re upset.

KING: What do they think, the kids shouldn’t eat?

KILLEEN: Well, no, Larry. They think that my client is in denial about, you know, what’s welfare — any type of state assistance or federal assistance, based on the e-mails that are coming into my office, the general public believes, is a form of welfare. And she believes it’s a resource. She’s taken two semesters leave of absence from school. And when she goes back to school, she doesn’t believe that she will need that continued resource to help her get along.

[Who is more delusional? When is she going to have time to go back to school?]

King: Does she keep in touch with the father?

Killeen: The sperm donor?

King: Yes.

Killeen: They have a very limited relationship. He’s not active in their life at all.

KING: There have been, historically, multiple moms. I was just a baby, I think, when the Dionne quintuplets happened. But he became and she became a family — this was a family in New York — no, maybe Canada…

KILLEEN: Canada.

KING: …gave birth to five daughters.

KILLEEN: That’s correct.

KING: And they were world famous. They were hailed all over the world — magazine articles, stories praising them. Nobody criticized them.

King: Why are we mad at her?

Killeen: That’s a good question to ask America. If you look at the e-mails that are coming into my office, they’re saying they think that she’s worked the system. They think that she’s been able to stay home and live off of the taxpayers and have these multiple children. She’s not organized. She doesn’t have any kind of structure, you know; isn’t six children enough? She intentionally went out to get eight children.

And, you know, remember, Larry, she worked with the same doctor for every [in vitro fertilization] attempt. Based on her history of six embryos implanted, she got one child. The doctor told her the most this last attempt would be would be either one baby or twins, at the most.

[So she was implanted with 6 each time.]

So she was shocked, he was shocked. Nobody expected eight children. That’s the big — big misnomer here. Everybody thinks she went and ordered eight and she got eight. She didn’t.

[She ordered six and got eight. There is no defending her choice to even implant one more. Period.]

King: Where does she go from here?

Killeen: Well, I’m confident, as we continue to talk, that there are resources that are available to her, and she will collaborate with, you know, church leaders in her area. And hopefully the American public can get beyond their anger about her choices and her decisions and think about those eight little kids, Larry.

You know, it’s all about those kids. That’s the whole reason why I took on this account, was to help the mom with those eight little kids.

KING: Any move to try to take the kids away?

KILLEEN: Well, you know, I read in the news last week that Carol Lieberman, a local doctor, has filed papers to have the octuplets removed and not even let them go home, you know, which I think is rushing to judgment.

KING: Thanks, Joann.

KILLEEN: Thank you, Larry.

KING: I hope that the threats stop now.

KILLEEN: I hope they will, too.

Thank you.

KING: It’s not her account anymore. Leave her alone.

Joanne Killeen, president of the Killeen Furtney Group. Thank you.

===

(2-3) Octuplets: Publicist Joann Killeen on Larry King

(3-10) Octuplets: Updated list of posts

A-Roid due to tell more lies tomorrow

January 16, 2009

A-Roid is scheduled to have a press conference tomorrow. From CBS:

JOE GIARDI, Manager of the New York Yankees, to speak with Rodriguez before the event “just to look him in the eyes and see how he’s doing.”:

I don’t think it’s necessary in my eyes that he answer every detail.

I don’t think it’s window dressing. I think it’s out of their hearts and their feelings for Alex and them wanting to stand behind him and help him through this situation.

It’s going to be different, I’m sure, just because of the magnitude of who Alex is. I think the record that he’s chasing has something to do with it, too. Would he like to probably put it behind him tomorrow? Yes. But I don’t think that’s realistic.

His truth telling squad:

• Agent Scott Boras and his staff, manager Guy Oseary.
• William Morris Agency and publicist Richard Rubenstein.
• James E. Sharp, a lawyer who represented Pettitte and Sammy Sosa before Congress.
• Outside Eyes, a media strategy and crisis management company based in Newport Beach, California.

ANDY PETTITTE (admitted using to Human Growth Hormone last year):

It’s part of playing here. Everything is somewhat magnified to a certain degree being here, and just some things you’ve got to deal with.

2003 Texas Ranger teammate of A-Roid’s, MARK TEIXEIRA:

When I see him tomorrow, I’m going to give him a big hug and just tell him I’m there for him. I’m going to be a teammate and a friend if he needs one.

A lot of people think that, you know, this is going to tear the team apart. I think it’s going to bring the team together.

(2-7) SI broke the story. (2-9) A-Roid spoke with ESPN’s Peter Gammons where he admitted to using banned drugs while playing for Texas from 2001-03, but did not come clean on the details such as: what he used, how it was administered, how often he used them, who supplied them and whether he used them off season too. Don’t exactly expect him too.

A-Roid is a cheater and liar. He may not have done anything in baseball as far as against the rules but obtaining and using the substances with a doctor’s prescription is. Will he be punished inside or outside baseball?

A-Roid: It didn’t matter what lawyers said or whatever, I was going to get it all out.

He wasn’t going to “get it all out” until he was caught. And what now? He will not lose any endorsements, his salary is guaranteed and there is nothing in place at present to take away his records. And what type of shaming did he get as opposed to Michael Phelps who used a decidedly NON-performance enhancing drug and had already won his gold medals.

Mr HANK AARON worked had for every one of his homers only to see cheaters pass him by while denying they were cheating. ERNIE BANKS, who started out in the Negro league, said “black-eyed peas” gave him the strength to play at his level of excellence. RON SANTO, who played with diabetes and never told anyone until he was out of the game because he didn’t want to lose his job or get special treatment, has still not been enshrined in Cooperstown, even though he was the best third baseman of his era (all time greatest 3rd baseman in my mind) and his numbers are right there with Brooks Robinson. JOE MORGAN is a selfish pig as is the rest of the Veteran Committee for not voting anyone in from their eras.

What are the chances that A-Roid won’t be enshrined in the Hall of Fame?

12-7-07 60 Minutes interview denying it

2-9-09 Interview with Peter Gammons (text)
2-9-09 Interview with Gammons (video)
2-9-09 Calls SI writer a liar

2-17-09 Press conference (text)
2-17-09 Press conference (video)

Burris: Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (text)

February 14, 2009

PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT of Burris’ Jan 8th testimony before the Illinois House Impeachment Panel.

Rep. Jim Durkin: Prior to his arrest, did you have any conversations with the governor about your desire to be appointed to the seat?

Roland Burris: No.

Durkin: OK. Did you talk to any members of the governor’s staff or anyone closely related to the governor, including with family members or any lobbyists connected with him, including oh, let me throw out some names: John Harris, Rob Blagojevich, Doug Scofield, Bob Greenlee, Lon Monk, John Wyma?

Did you talk to anybody who was associated with the governor about your desire to seek the appointment prior to the governor’s arrest?

Burris (confers with his attorney off-mic and says): I talked to some friends about my desire to be appointed, yes.

Durkin: I guess the point is I was trying to ask: Did you speak to anybody who was on the governor’s staff prior to the governor’s arrest or anybody, any of those individuals or anybody who was closely related to the governor?

Burris (again confers with attorney and says): I recall having a meeting with Lon Monk about my partner and I trying to get continued business and I did bring it up, it must have been in September-maybe it was in July of ’08 and you know, ‘If you’re close to the governor, well let him know that I will feel certainly interested in the seat.'”

Durkin: OK.

(Later in the hearing)

Durkin: At any time were you directly or indirectly aware of a quid pro quo with the governor for the appointment of this vacant Senate seat?

Burris: No, sir.

Durkin: Ok. If you were aware of a quid pro quo, what would you have done?

(Burris’s lawyer calls it a hypothetical question and inappropriate. Durkin calls it “highly relevant” and what his response would have been. Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) says his response to something that did not occur was “irrelevant” and “speculative.” Durkin says its “germane” to the hearing and a “reasonable request” of what he would have done. Burris’ lawyer says Burris will respond because he wants to be “clear and open.”)

Burris: Rep. Durkin, knowing my ethics, I would not participate in anybody’s quid pro quo. I’ve been in government for 20 years and never participated in anybody’s quid pro quo.

Durkin: I guess the point is, would you have gone to the federal authorities if you were aware of that?

Burris: I have no response to that.

***

(1-5) Jan 5th affidavit to the impeachment committee
(1-7) Jan 7th Press conference denying contact

(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (relevant text)
(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (full text pdf)
(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before the impeachment committee (vide0)

(2-4) Feb 4th affidavit to impeachment committee

(2-14) Burris comes cleans
(2-14) Burris questioner Jim Durkin doesn’t buy it

(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (text)
(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (video)

America’s Most Wanted Sexual Predator in Sheriff Lott’s jurisdiction

February 16, 2009

Sheriff Leon Lott’s 15 Seconds of Shame

February 16, 2009

Dear Sheriff – I have already wasted words ranting at you so I will keep this short.

You should be ashamed of yourself. You wanted your 15 seconds of shame and you got it.

Are you proud of yourself? Are you proud of your use of resources?

Did you get the reaction you were seeking?

While you were investigating this ridiculousness against Micheal Phelps – who had already apologized for his behavior and was already shamed beyond recompense – how many women were beaten by their boyfriends or raped by their spouses in your jurisdiction?

How many children were destroyed for life by pedophiles and unregistered sex offenders in your jurisdiction?

How many single mothers lost their jobs in your jurisdiction?

How many seniors lost their homes in your jurisdiction?

How many parents were sent to war and how many came home battered and broken to your jurisdiction?

Could you not have used your resources to sit and talk with them? To ask them how they are coping? To simply say thank you?

They are over there fighting for your family’s freedom and you chose to bring shame to the greatest American Olympian – something they could take pride in as an American – instead of welcoming them home.

Look into the camera with your hand on the Bible and swear that you never took one hit, one pill, one snort, one shot or one anything of any illegal substance and then American children can take you seriously.

15 SECONDS HALL OF SHAME

Sheriff Leon Lott, Richland County, South Carolina

[curiously, his picture which was embedded her has disappeared]

Yo, sheriff, what’s barry doing in this picture?

TIME’S PERSON OF THE YEAR

(LISA JACK)

barry – the Commander in Chief and President of the United States – is in charge of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, CIA, FBI, DEA, ATF, NSA, Secret Service, US Marshalls, Homeland Security, Justice Department and whatever else he couldn’t even do your job with his history of drug use.

How many of your officers have been suspended for drug use?

And what did Michael Phelps not do that barry the bonger has?

SNORT COCAINE.

And who are kids supposed to look up to?

What’s it all about, Alfie?

Roland Burris: The Feds had nothing to do with his affidavit

February 16, 2009

Roland Burris is sticking to his story — he read the transcripts and supplemented his testimony. He says the Feds did not prompt his second affidavit.

AP

(1-5) Jan 5th affidavit to the impeachment committee
(1-7) Jan 7th Press conference denying contact (text)

(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (text)
(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before the impeachment committee (vide0)

(2-4) Feb 4th affidavit to impeachment committee

(2-14) Burris comes cleans
(2-14) Burris questioner Jim Durkin doesn’t buy it

(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (text)
(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (video)

Madame Secretary Hillary Clinton arrives in Japan

February 16, 2009

Madame Secretary arrives in Japan on her maiden voyage as Secretary of State. A country that is already wary of barry and (another) one he has never visited…just like he hasn’t visited anywhere in Latin America or Australia. I imagine Clinton will be doing more than sipping tea with ambassadors. How many countries to you think First Lady Michelle Obama will go to? And what are the chances barry will ever make it to 80 countries in his lifetime – ye of an “international upbringing in Muslim countries” from age 6-10? How did you folks fall for that…and everything else??

AP

She will go on from Tokyo to Jakarta, Seoul and Beijing – two more countries he has never visited . I wonder how many people in Beijing will remember her 1995 “Women’s Rights are Human Rights” speech – ranked #35 in the top 100 speeches of the 21st Century, which she accomplished while she was having tea with ambassadors. I bet that neither the First Lady nor the President have read it. A little context:

1. 1 Martin Luther King “I Have a Dream”
2. 2 John F Kennedy Inaugural Address
3. 57 Anna Eleanor Roosevelt “The Struggle for Human Rights”
4. 58 Geraldine Anne Ferraro Vice-Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech
5. 70 Ted Kennedy Eulogy for Robert Francis Kennedy
6. 73 Lou Gehrig “Farewell to Baseball”
7. 92 President Clinton “Oklahoma Memorial Bombing Address”

Neither Bush is listed.

Fight 1549: bird bits = Canada geese

February 12, 2009

Senator Burris appearances (Feb 16-20)

February 16, 2009

Sen Burris is back here in Illinois for hos senatorial trip to see what damage his changing story has had on the voters. It is being billed as a “listening tour”. I had been behind him in the beginning. From what is known now, he did nothing wrong as far as pay to play, but he intentionally evaded the questions. Not perjury – but still wrong and unseemly for a man of his age.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16
Chicago -> Peoria

• MEETING WITH WEST SIDE ELECTED OFFICIALS
• BREAKFAST WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS
• THE ANNUAL PEORIA COUNTY DEMOCRATS’ PRESIDENTS’ DAY DINNER
• Evening (5:30)
• Open to the press

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17
Peoria -> Bloomington ->Normal

Peoria

• MEETING WITH PEORIA MAYOR
• VISIT WITH PEORIA AIR NATIONAL GUARD
• MEETING WITH PEORIA PUBLIC OFFICIALS
• MEETING WITH REGIONAL UNION LEADERS
• 12:30 LUNCH AT KELLEHER’S IRISH PUB
• MEETING WITH BRADLEY UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT
• MEETING WITH SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOL DISTRICT 150

Bloomington

• TOUR OF STATE FARM’S EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

Normal

• MEETING WITH ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT
• MEETING WITH AGRICULTURAL LEADERS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18

• 11:30 ADDRESS CITY CLUB OF CHICAGO
• Maggiano’s
• Open to the press.
• MEETING WITH ILLINOIS DIRECTOR OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
• MEETING WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
• MEETING WITH MACARTHUR FOUNDATION LEADERS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Rockford

• MEETING WITH ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS
• MEETING WITH ROCKFORD-AREA MINISTERS
• 1:00 LUNCH AT TBD LOCATION
• MEETING WITH ROCKFORD MAYOR
• MEETING WITH FREEPORT MAYOR

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20
North Chicago

• VISIT TO NORTH CHICAGO VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER
• TOUR OF GREAT LAKES NAVAL TRAINING CENTER
• 12:30 LUNCH AT HILLERY’S BBQ

###
Mar 12 2009 – 6:00pm
Citizens for Giannoulias at The Joynt
The Joynt

• Hosted by Alderman Brendan Reilly & Mia Phifer
• Sponsors: Stella Black, Alex duBuclet, Tony Romanucci
• Host Committee: Julie Bisbee, Ald. Manny Flores, Chris Ganschow, Rashila Grady, Brian Hopkins, Michael McRaith, Rep. Susana Mendoza, Becky Novak, Karen Polet, Jaimey Sexton, Smita Shah, Donnie Storino, Jeff Troupe, Diana Turowski

Burris: Jan 5th affidavit to impeachment committee

February 16, 2009

(1-5) Jan 5th affidavit to the impeachment committee
(1-7) Jan 7th Press conference denying contact

(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (text)
(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before the impeachment committee (vide0)

(2-4) Feb 4th affidavit to impeachment committee

(2-14) Burris comes cleans
(2-14) Burris questioner Jim Durkin doesn’t buy it

(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (text)
(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (video)

January 5th affidavit to impeachment committee before his Jan 8th testimony.

Source: Daily News (pdf)

Page 1 05-09; 03: 20PÍ
GONZALEZ SAGGIO HARLAN
VIA FACSIMILE (217) 557-7599

Barbara Flynn Currie
Chairperson
Special Investigative Committee
Illinois House of Representative
300 State Capitol Building
Springfield, iL 62706

January 5, 2009

Re: Senator Roland Burris’ Subpoena before the Special Investigative Committee

Dear Chairperson Currie:

As you have discussed with Timothy Wright, Senator Burris has sworn the attached Affidavit reciting the events leading up to his appointment as United States Senator by Governor Blagojevich. The Affidavit is not intended to be a substitute for testimony before your Committee, but may be useful to you pending the Senator’s actual appearance.

Thank you for the consideration the Committee has extended to Senator Burris.

Very truly yours,
Emmitt C. House
An Attorney for Senator Roland W. Burris
GONZALEZ,SAGGIO AND HARLAN, L.L.C.
Attorneys at Law
w.gslichicagollc.cam I
Chicago
35 East Wacker Drive
Suile 500a
Chicago. IL 60601
Tal (312)236-0175
Fax (312) 236-1750

01-O5-09;03:20PI
STATE OF ILLINOIS
COUNTY OF COOK
AFFIDAVIT OF ROLAND W. BURRIS

I, ROLAND W. BURRIS, being first sworn on oath, depose and state that the following is true to the best of my knowledge and recollection:

1. I am the Senator-Designate for the State of Illinois.

2. I am a resident of the State of Illinois, at least 30 years of age and a natural-bom citizen of the United States of America.

3. On Friday, December 26, 2008, I received a telephone call from Sam Adams, Jr., (“Mr. Adams, Jr.”) an attorney employed by Rod Blagojevich, the
Governor of the State of Illinois (“Governor Blagojevich”).

4. During the December 26,2008 telephone conversation with Mr. Adams, Jr., he asked if he couid come to my residence to discuss a matterwith me and I [sic]

5. At my residence Mr. Adams Jr. asked if l had an interest in accepting Governor Blagojevioh’s appointment to fill the Senate seat left vacant by President-Elect Barack Obama. I responded to Mr. Adams, Jr. that I needed a couple of days to confer with friends and family and that I would inform him of my decision within a couple of days.

6. On Sunday, December 28,2008, Mr. Adams Jr. contacted me by telephone and then visited me at my home to ask me if I had reached a decision with respect to accepting or rejecting Governor Blagojevioh’s appointment to the United States Senate.

7. I told Mr. Adams Jr. that, should Governor Blagojevich offer the appointment to the United States Senate, I would accept.

8. On Sunday, December 28, 2008, at approximately 4:00 p.m., Governor Blagojevich personally contacted me by telephone, praised my public service record and offered to appoint me to the United States Senate to fill the Senate seat left vacant by President-Elect Barack Obama.

9. During the December 28, 2008 telephone conversation with Governor Blagojevich, I formally accepted the appointment to the United States Senate. Governor Blagojevich then indicated that he would formally announce my appointment at a press conference within the next couple of days. The telephone call then ended.

10. Other than greetings, Governor Blagojevich praising my public service record, his offer and my acceptance of the appointment to the United States Senate, and the discussion of the future press conference to announce my appointment, Governor Blagojevich and I discussed no other topics or subject matter during the December 28, 2008 telephone conversation.

11. Prior to the December 26, 2008 telephone call from Mr. Adams, Jr., there was not any contact between myself or any of my representatives with Governor Blagojevich or any of his representatives regarding my appointment to the United States Senate.

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NAUGHT.
ROLAND W. BURRIS
Senate-Designate for the State of Illinois

Subscribed and sworn to me thfe &j* [sic] of January, 2009
OFFICIAL SEAL DARHYLTOM
Notary Public -State of Illinois
My Commisslon Expires Jun 1a, [sic] 2012

Burris: Jan 8th testimony before the impeachment committee (video)

January 16, 2009

3-1 UPDATE See here for C-SPAN video of relevant testimony

(1-5) Jan 5th affidavit to the impeachment committee
(1-7) Jan 7th Press conference denying contact

(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (text)
(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before the impeachment committee (vide0)

(2-4) Feb 4th affidavit to impeachment committee

(2-14) Burris comes cleans
(2-14) Burris questioner Jim Durkin doesn’t buy it

(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (text)
(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (video_

NOTE: I don’t know why he just made these videos private. Probably because of the demand to see them. We have used his and his brother’s videos before and they were freely accessible a few hours ago. Click on his name to get to his website if you want to subscribe to see them. It’s too bad because you could see Burris evade the questions by talking to his lawyer. And he was asked several other ways by different people. You don’t forget by conferring with your lawyer to answer the questions.

Videos courtesy of PaulFVillarreal2

The rest should be in the play list – if not the links are below. The relevant testimony in response to Rep Durkin’s questioning is Part 2.

PART 1 Removed
PART 2 Rep Jim Durkin questioning
PART 3
PART 4
PART 5
PART 6
PART 7
PART 8
PART 9
PART 10

Burris: Feb 15th press conference about re: (2-4) affidavit (video)

February 16, 2009

(1-5) Jan 5th affidavit to the impeachment committee
(1-7) Jan 7th Press conference denying contact

(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (text)
(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before the impeachment committee (vide0)

(2-4) Feb 4th affidavit to impeachment committee

(2-14) Burris comes cleans
(2-14) Burris questioner Jim Durkin doesn’t buy it

(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (text)
(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (video)

Video of press conference – statement and press questions courtesy of Page 10.org

Part 1

Part 2

His lawyer got the transcript on January 22, 2009

Part 3

Land of Obama license plates

February 15, 2009

Now the Land of Lincoln is the Land of Obama. For $50 you can get his face on a temporary (60 days) license plate. But this merchandising is for a good cause and doesn’t go to barry. $40 goes to libraries and the state’s i-READ program, a summer reading program for kids. The other $10 pays the inmates’ salary pounding them out. How long do you think they will last on people’s cars before somebody rips them off and starts selling them on eBay?

Burris: Jan 7th press conference denying contact (text)

February 15, 2009

(1-5) Jan 5th affidavit to the impeachment committee
(1-7) Jan 7th Press conference denying contact

(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (text)
(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before the impeachment committee (vide0)

(2-4) Feb 4th affidavit to impeachment committee

(2-14) Burris comes cleans
(2-14) Burris questioner Jim Durkin doesn’t buy it

(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (text)
(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (video)

January 7th transcript that shows him denying or at least evading Lynn Sweet’s direct questions.

Official transcript courtesy Lynn Sweet

MR. BURRIS: Thank you all of the media very much. You all have been very kind to me and my staff and we really appreciate your professionalism.

This morning, I had a great meeting with Majority Leader Reid and Majority Whip Durbin. And in that meeting, we discussed quite a few things. But I had an important phone call before I went to that meeting, and that phone call was from my friend, President — Former President of the United States Jimmy Carter. And we chatted very briefly and he indicated to me to just tell everybody I said, “When you’re in the Senate, Roland, you will make a great senator.” And I said, “Thank you very much, Mr. President.”

And of course that gave me a little edge, even going in to meet with my good friend and fellow colleague Dick Durbin, who I’ve known for years. We’ve campaigned up and down Illinois for many, many years, and watching all those parades and stepped on each other’s toes and got pushed over by a few anxious people.

And, of course, I met Majority Leader Harry Reid for the first time. And he’s a very warm and charming gentleman. As a matter of fact, we have a lot in common. And we began to chat about that and about our families. And, of course, he was glad to hear, you know, about some of my upbringing and my family, my education and my experience. And most of all, Senator Reid was very glad to hear about my love for public service, my love for the 13 million people of the great state of Illinois.

And therefore, when we get these two matters — as you heard in his press conference — out of the way, the signature of my good friend, and I say my good friend — Secretary Jesse White — because we are friends, and of course my testimony before the impeachment committee tomorrow in Springfield, then we will proceed then to submit our documentation to the Senate.

And as you heard chairman — President (sic) Reid say, this will go to the Rules Committee, and they will then assess it and let me know what the outcome is.

So I’m very pleased this afternoon. I’m happy. My whole interest in this experience has been to “be prepared, Roland,” to represent my great state. And that is my love, that is my desire. And very shortly, I will have the opportunity to do that as the junior senator from the fifth-largest state in this great country of ours. Isn’t it great?

Thank you so very much.

Q Roland —

Q Just a quick question —

(Cross talk.)

MR. BURRIS: Yes — a couple of questions. A couple of questions. That’s all I can take.

Q Senator Reid and Senator Durbin did a 180-degree turnaround here, and went from totally opposing you to apparently supporting the idea of your filling this seat.

MR. BURRIS: And Jack, that you’d have to ask them, because all I know is when I sat down in that room with them, they were very — well, I’ve known Durbin for 30 years, but it was as if I’d known Senator Reid for 30 years. I mean, they were very warm, they were very charming. And so you have to ask them that question.

I don’t know what pressure they were under, but I guess they have to keep the integrity of the Senate. And they did not want to rush into anything and make a decision where they have to then be trying to reverse that, and that would even be worse than what this situation is that they were in before.

Yes, Lynn? Yes, Lynn? Lynn Sweet.

Q Thank you so much.

MR. BURRIS: Yes.

Q Towards that end, and I know one of the things they were interested in is your testimony tomorrow in the house impeachment committee.

MR. BURRIS: Yes.

LYNN SWEET: And I think they do want to know what kind of contacts, if any, you had with Blagojevich. I’ve read the affidavit that you sent, but I have a question a little deeper.

I was under the impression that when — before Blagojevich’s arrest, that you did want to put yourself in play for an appointment.

And if so — your affidavit said you had no contact with the governor — how were you putting yourself in play?

Who were you talking to specifically?

MR. BURRIS: Oh, I was putting myself in play, Lynn, by friends from Illinois and across the nation saying, “Roland, what would you” — well, you know, “You want to be senator, or you ought to be senator,” you know, “What can we do?”

My statement was, “Call the governor’s office, send an e-mail to the governor’s office, send in letters.” And they were doing that from all over the country.

And so I thought, you know, that that would raise some level of interest on behalf of my – of my interest in the Senate seat.

And evidently it didn’t, because — because they didn’t even mention my name. I mean, I — I didn’t even show up anywhere.

And I don’t know what they were doing with the names of the people calling in because one of my high-school classmates — by the way, I was in the class of ’55, Lynn — and one of them called into the governor’s office, and she called back to my classmate in Centralia, my hometown, who had started this, and said, this lady said you’re the thousandth person to call in for Roland Burris. We know about Roland Burris. Somebody said that. (Laughs.)

Q Do you think that anyone, on your behalf, might have talked to — that — this wasn’t covered in the affidavit.

Do you think anyone ever actually talked to the governor?

Are you concerned that it might be with the wiretap?

You know, the phone conversations that might surface —

MR. BURRIS: I have no knowledge of that, Lynn. And if they did, it’s — there was certainly no pay-to-play involved because I don’t have no money. (Laughter.)

Q Mr. Burris —

MR. BURRIS: Yeah, right here.

Q Mr. Burris?

MR. BURRIS: Yeah, I’ll be — yes, yes.

Oh, look — there’s a gentleman — excuse me — I just saw him. This gentleman is from Summerfield — Dick Barbour (sp), stand up. He’s from Summerfield, New Jersey. Dick, how many people did you e- mail across the country saying that Burris should be the senator?

DICK BARBOUR (SP): About a hundred. And I sent it to the press, including Chicago, New York, L.A. The press didn’t respond.

I’ve known Roland for 30 years.

MR. BURRIS: Thank you, Dick.

MR. BARBOUR (SP): Thirty years.

MR. BURRIS: Thanks, Dick. Thank you.

I’m sorry, go ahead.

MR. : We have time for one more question.

Q Mr. Burris?

MR. BURRIS: Yes.

Q One of the things that some Democratic officials have brought up as a deal to seat you would be a commitment from you not to run in 2010. Now, in your discussions with Mr. Reid and Durbin and their staff and the Democratic leadership, did you make any sort of commitment concerning the 2010 election? And specifically, did you make any commitment not to run for reelection?

MR. BURRIS: That is very interesting. I want to know where these — where this information come from. This wasn’t even on their radar screen. They hadn’t even brought it up. And I was getting these rumors about conditions. They weren’t talking any conditions. What Majority Leader Reid said at his press conference, that is exactly what took place. It didn’t come up.

Q So would you run for reelection in 2010?

MR. BURRIS: Well, now, let me get my Senate legs under me and get in and raise some money to pay for all this stuff we’ve been doing, and figure out that once we get in and get settled and learn where the — where the bathrooms are.

MR. : That was the last question.

Q So you haven’t made any commitment at all on that.

MR. BURRIS: I’m sorry?

Q You haven’t made any commitment at all.

MR. BURRIS: No, no, no. I have no commitment at this point.

Q Thank you very much. Thank you.

MR. : Thank you all very much.

MR. BURRIS: Thank you all, press. Thank you so much.

END.

Burris: Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (text)

February 15, 2009

(1-5) Jan 5th affidavit to the impeachment committee
(1-7) Jan 7th Press conference denying contact

(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (text)
(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before the impeachment committee (vide0)

(2-4) Feb 4th affidavit to impeachment committee

(2-14) Burris comes cleans
(2-14) Burris questioner Jim Durkin doesn’t buy it

(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (text)
(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (video)

Roland Burris held a rather contentious press conference. The press is looking for blood because they are so pist off about barry’s waffling. They were not at all respectful. Just once I would like to see them attack barry like this. He’d caved.

Thing is Burris – from his most recent statements – did not do anything wrong. It’s the perjury that will cost him the job. It’s the IL Dems’ fault for not going with a special election. Even blago wanted one and he said he would gladly defer to it. (Of course he knew they wouldn’t do it.) But they said no hoping Pat Quinn would get in there and nominate his co-conspirator Lisa Madigan. How pist off is Harry Reid at barry? What a fortuitous start to barry’s love affair with the senate.

Anyway. Burris said it was all above board and that he filed the affidavit voluntarily to make sure all the facts came out. He did not do it because the Feds were coming after him. Someone had to have tipped him off…does blago’s lawyer have all the taped conversations? Because he would know about Burris’ contacts. And then there’s his brother Rob, who, unless he has amnesia, too, had to have mentioned he talked to Burris.

And then there’s the covert nature of the filing of the affidavit that makes it look like he was trying to hide it all. You want it to come out – you come out with it. He stuck with his story that he answered consistently in the time allotted and that he didn’t get a chance t0 answer because Rep Durkin took the questioning in a different direction.

(hand transcribed)

BURRIS: Throughout my career, I have always conducted myself with honor and integrity.

I responded to the questions by the impeachment committee in the time allotted.

At no time did I ever make any inconsistent statements.

….Yes. I had contacts with representatives and friends of the former governor about the senate seat — none of it inappropriate.

When asked by Rep Durkin, during the committee hearing about contact with representatives of the governor, I responded: Yes, I did have contact, and mentioned an encounter with Lon Monk.

Sen Durbin–Sen (sic) Durkin then took the line of questioning in a different direction.

To be clear, I had contact with 6 individuals in total: Lon Monk, who is not a member of the governor’s staff, Doug Scofield, John Wyma, Ed Smith, the labor leader, John Harris, and Rob Blagojevich, along with many other friends. And, as I said on the record, I was telling nearly everyone I knew that I was interested in the senate seat.

Rob Blagojevich reached out to me in three separate phone calls to ask for assistance raising money for his brother, then Governor Blagojevich. A fact that I fully disclosed in my affidavit to the impeachment committee

I made that it very clear to him that I would not contribute, that it would be inappropriate, and a major conflict, because I had expressed an interest in the senate seat.

Once more, I’ve always conducted myself with honor and integrity.

We have provided information to the impeachment committee, as well as Senators Reid and Durbin.

And I did not donate one single dollar, nor did I raise any money or promise any favors, of any kind, for the governor.

Then he said that if anyone suggests anything different they are playing partisan politics. And then the press had at him. Have the feds questioned him? No…but they want to. Is that why barry was in town too?

BURRIS: What I understand is some of the agents have reached out to my lawyers. They want to meet with me.

And then his lawyer Timothy Wright III said “the FBI has not come to us and they’re not asking us for anything” and then when asked about Burris’ statement that the Feds want to meet with him Wright said “there may have been some contact”.

So which is it and did it take place before they amended his affidavit?

Burris: Feb 4th affidavit to Impeachment Committee

February 15, 2009

(1-5) Jan 5th affidavit to the impeachment committee
(1-7) Jan 7th Press conference denying contact

(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (text)
(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before the impeachment committee (vide0)

(2-4) Feb 4th affidavit to impeachment committee

(2-14) Burris comes cleans
(2-14) Burris questioner Jim Durkin doesn’t buy it

(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (text)
(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (video)

Text of Sen. Roland Burris affidavit to Illinois state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, chairman of the Illinois House impeachment committee.

February 4, 2009
State of Illinois
County of Cook

Affidavit of Roland W. Burris

I, Roland W. Burris, being first sworn on oath, depose and state that the following is true to the best of my knowledge and recollection:

1. I am the Junior United States Senator for the State of Illinois.

2. On January 8, 2009, I testified before the Illinois House of Representatives Impeachment Committee and was asked, among other things, whether I had talked to “anyone closely related to the Governor” about my “desire to seek (the U.S. Senate) appointment” prior to Governor Blagojevich’s arrest. I mentioned a conversation with Lon Monk but was then asked another question and did not mention anyone else. I wish to supplement my answer with other events that I have been able to recall, to make certain the record is complete.

3. On June 27, 2008, I attended a fundraising event for then-Governor Blagojevich, at which I encountered Doug Scofield and John Wyma. During that event, I likely asked Mr. Scofield and/or Mr. Wyma to tell Governor Blagojevich that I was interested in filling now-President Barack Obama’s Senate seat if he were to be elected President of the United States.

4. I recall that Governor Blagojevich’s brother, Rob Blagojevich, called me three times to seek my assistance in fund-raising for Governor Blagojevich. The first conversation was in early October, 2008, and the other two were shortly after the election. During the first conversation I asked Rob Blagojevich what was going on with the selection of a successor if then-Senator Obama were elected President, and he said he had heard my name mentioned in the discussions. In 1 of the other conversations (I believe the last one), I mentioned the Senate seat in the context of saying that I could not contribute to Governor Blagojevich because it could be viewed as an attempt to curry favor with him regarding his decision to appoint a successor to President Obama. I did not raise or donate any funds to Governor Blagojevich after the fundraiser on June 27, 2008.

5. In October, 2008, I attempted to contact John Harris via telephone to give a recommendation for my nephew who had applied for a job with the State of Illinois. Mr. Harris was unavailable and I left a voicemail message for him. Approximately three weeks later, Mr. Harris called and I discussed with him my nephew’s qualifications for the job with the State of Illinois. At the conclusion of the conversation, I inquired as to the whether there was any news regarding then-Governor Blagojevich’s possible picks to fill President Obama’s Senate seat. Mr. Harris indicated that there was no news as to President Obama’s replacement.

6. Before the November election I also called Ed Smith, a friend and supporter of then-Governor Blagojevich. Although I do not consider Mr. Smith closely related to or a representative of Governor Blagojevich, I mention for completeness that I asked Mr. Smith whether I had any chance to be appointed to the Senate seat. He said he would get back to me but he never did.

Further affiant sayeth naught

Signed

Roland W. Burris

United States Senator for the State of Illinois

Subscribed and sworn to me this 4th day of February, 2009

Signed

UPDATE: Here is the actual pdf file of the affidavit. It is upside down but still readable. It includes Burris’ lawyer’s introductory letter and a list of Burris’ clients. One wonders why those weren’t produced in the original Jan 5th affidavit.

Burris questioner Jim Durkin: “I don’t accept that this is a lapse in memory”

January 14, 2009

(1-5) Jan 5th affidavit to the impeachment committee
(1-7) Jan 7th Press conference denying contact

(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (text)
(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before the impeachment committee (vide0)

(2-4) Feb 4th affidavit to impeachment committee

(2-14) Burris comes cleans
(2-14) Burris questioner Jim Durkin doesn’t buy it

(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (text)
(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (video)

Rep Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), a member of the Impeachment Panel questioned Roland Burris about his possible contacts with Blagojevich about quid pro quo. He asked Burris specifically about Rob Blagojevich, John Harris, Lon Monk, Doug Scofield and John Wyma. Burris admitted only to talking with Monk, which he now admits is a lie. Well he doesn’t admit that – he says he didn’t get a chance to clarify things. Needless to say Durkin is pist and wants an independent to investigate possible perjury charges. Just what The People of Illinois need to pay for.

Burris also said that before the November election he spoke to Ed Smith, a Downstate labor leader and longtime Blagojevich supporter who had significant sway in the governor’s administration.

DURKIN: I can’t believe anything that comes out of Roland Burris’s mouth any more. I just don’t know how to reconcile this. I don’t accept that this is a lapse in memory.

How would you forget talking to the governor’s brother? This is the third variation of him describing his relationship with the governor and the circumstances of his appointment.

This wasn’t a couple of questions that I can understand someone may forget, it goes way beyond that.

To say that he wasn’t given the opportunity to explain himself is a load of B.S.

I don’t know what hearing he was at. No one stopped Mr. Burris from explaining himself.

He said he is going to ask the now-dormant impeachment committee to refer the matter to Sangamon County State’s Atty. John Schmidt (Republican). And he’s going to team up with House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego to recommend an independent investigation because the Republicans have no confidence the Democratic-led General Assembly would do a credible probe.

Burris sent the affidavit to the chairwoman of the impeachment committee, Rep BARBARA FLYNN CURRIE:

We’ll look at it. I’m not at this point prepared to say there’s something wrong. He has consistently said there wasn’t pay to play.

Say it ain’t so, Mr Burris

February 14, 2009

(1-5) Jan 5th affidavit to the impeachment committee
(1-7) Jan 7th Press conference denying contact

(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before impeachment committee (text)
(1-8) Jan 8th testimony before the impeachment committee (vide0)

(2-4) Feb 4th affidavit to impeachment committee

(2-14) Burris comes cleans
(2-14) Burris questioner Jim Durkin doesn’t buy it

(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (text)
(2-15) Feb 15th press conference re: (2-4) affidavit (video)

Well Senator Burris has gone under a little more scrutiny since he has both he and barry have been sworn in and the ooops I didn’t get a chance to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth…as far as pay to play.

He had initially joked that there wasn’t any pay to play involved cuz he doesn’t have any money.

In his Jan 6th written affidavit to the Impeachment Committee he swore that there was no contact between him or any of his representatives with Blago or any of his representatives regarding the Senate appointment, prior to Dec 26th, when he met with a Blago attorney.

In his Jan 8th sworn testimony before the impeachment committee he said that he had no conversations with blago about the senate seat before blago was arrested on Dec 9th but that he had told Lon Monk (ex-blago chief of staff, now lobbyist) he was interested in the position sometime during the summer. Lon Monk is also under federal investigation.

In his Feb 4th (voluntarily submitted) amended affidavit to the impeachment committee:

BURRIS: There were several facts that I was not given the opportunity to make during my testimony to the impeachment committee, so, upon receiving the transcripts, I voluntarily submitted an affidavit so everything was transparent.

Anyone getting tired of that word transparent? And why was he not given the opportunity to make them? Why now is he coming forth with the truth? Because he was forced to by the FBI wiretaps?

Burris’ lawyer, TIMOTHY WRIGHT III, said in a cover letter Burris answered “truthfully and to the best of his recollection,” but that the “fluid nature” of the questioning and a review of the transcript showed Burris that he “was unable to fully respond to several matters.

Feb 4th affidavit – hDuring the first conversation I asked Rob Blagojevich what was going on with the selection of a successor if then-Senator Obama were elected President, and he said he had heard my name mentioned in the discussionsIn his Feb 13th statement accompanying the release of the Feb 4th affidavit:

BURRIS: I was asked to raise money by the governor’s brother and made it unequivocally clear to him that it would be inappropriate and pose a major conflict because I was interested in the Senate vacancy. I did not donate or help raise a single dollar for the governor from those conversations and would never consider making a donation through a third party.

He also said he spoke with Doug Scofield and John Wyma about the seat during a fundraiser in June – the last time Burris had participated in blago fundraising – and then later with John Harris Blago’s chief of staff. Harris was arrested with blago.

Recall that during his sworn impeachment hearing testimony, he was specifically asked about, Rob Blagojevich, Scofield, Wyma and Harris. He said no – just Lon Monk.

AP: A log of Harris’ calls released to The Associated Press by the governor’s office indicates Burris called Harris four times in November — the last time on Nov. 26, when the log indicates the two spoke. Burris’ affidavit says he had called Harris to recommend his nephew for a state job and during the conversation asked about the Senate seat.

Which is worse?

Burris had three requirements to getting sworn in as senator:

Get Jesse White’s signature or have the Illinois Supreme Court make a ruling.

Go before the Impeachment panel (and tell the truth).

Pass muster with the Senate Rules Committee.

Harry Reid’s famous last words:

Roland Burris, to me, appears to be candid and forthright.

Without any hesitation, he prepared an affidavit that the impeachment committee for the Illinois state assembly already has. (His Jan 6th version.)

And he’s going to go answer any other questions they might have. (His Jan 8th version.)

He’s not trying to avoid any responsibility or trying to hide anything. (Feb 4th version.)

We want to do what we can do to make sure that everything has been done in the Blagojevich hours is transparent.

Transparency achieved (?) with his Feb 13th statement.

Business as usual.

AP: A spokesman said Reid was reviewing the affidavit, and a spokeswoman for Durbin said he had no comment Saturday. The White House also had no comment.

Today Show: Drew Peterson & Christina Raines (transcript)

Saudi King appoints first woman to his Cabinet

February 14, 2009