Burris plots

CHICAGO(Yahoo) — In a middle-class neighborhood here in the city's South Side, Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) is hunkered down at his house, plotting with aides on how to respond to a political crisis that has put his brief Senate career in serious jeopardy.

The political terrain for the man who replaced President Barack Obama in the Senate has shifted so dramatically in the past few days that he canceled all public events Thursday, shutting down a high-profile listening tour where he had planned to meet with local officials and constituents.

Now, Burris has sworn off talking to the press, which he blames for characterizing his statements as inconsistent regarding the circumstances that led to his Dec. 30 appointment by ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

But the local news media here are watching his every move. Outside his one-story home, four live TV news trucks are waiting for the senator or his advisers to emerge. There are no signs of activity inside his snow-covered home, with blinds and drapes shut to prevent reporters and camera crews from peering in. His backyard is empty, with an old basketball hoop surrounded by a handful of bushes.

Burris is basically backed into a corner, so it’s unclear what his next move will be if he is resolute against resigning. Burris has lost nearly all political support, with the latest blow coming from Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin, the senior senator from Illinois, who said Burris' political future was in question. He called on Burris to huddle with his closest advisers and determine how to respond.

"Every day there are more and more revelations about contacts with Blagojevich advisers, efforts at fundraising and omissions from his list of lobbying clients. This was not the full disclosure under oath that we asked for,” Durbin said late Wednesday.

Burris appears to be taking his advice. He had been scheduled to meet with mayors of the northwestern Illinois cities of Rockford and Freeport, in addition to meeting with local ministers in the area. Instead, Burris is trying to right his political future.

Last night, one of his closest advisers, Jason Erkes, stepped down from his position, saying his position was only temporary and he was continuing now on his private work.

But he is relying on advice from his former business partner, Fred Lebed, to determine his strategy in dealing with a media firestorm, which began Saturday when an affidavit he released showed his contacts with Blagojevich associates were broader than he had disclosed with state legislators.

He later told reporters that he even tried to fundraise for Blagojevich at the same time he was interested in the Senate seat. Over the past few days, Burris' legal and political problems have grown, and he is now facing a criminal probe by a state's attorney and a preliminary inquiry from the Senate Ethics Committee.

Democrats and Republicans worry that Burris sat on the information to ensure he was sworn into office despite being appointed by a governor arrested for trying to sell the Senate seat. Burris has maintained he has done nothing wrong and has said his latest statements only meant to clarify the record.

Yet he has managed to make matters only more confusing. Wednesday, speaking to the City Club of Chicago, Burris was asked if he was wrong to attempt to raise funds at the time he was being considered for the seat.

"I was never considered for the seat," Burris, 71, said defiantly.

His office later said he would not be talking about the matter further, citing the ongoing probes.

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