Roland Burris Discussed Senate Seat With Blago Insider

Burris testified that in either July or September he told Monk: “Lon, I'm interested in that Senate seat and I think you've got access to the governor, so just let him know that I'm interested."

Burris said he doesn’t know if Monk passed along the message.

Burris also confirmed Thursday that he and his companies had donated over $21,000 to Friends of Blagojevich since 2002.

The Chicago Sun-Times has reported that clients of Burris’ lobby firm have donated $107,690 to Blagojevich while winning over $3 million in contracts from the state. Burris also hosted a $1,000 a plate dinner for Blagojevich during his 2006 bid for reelection as Illinois’ governor, and the governor’s wife obtained an $80,000-a-year job at a non-profit organization whose directors include longtime Burris partner Fred Lebed.

In transcripts of federal wiretaps made public when Blagojevich was arrested on Dec. 9, the governor said the opportunity to fill the seat was “golden” and indicated he expected to get some personal benefit in return for the appointment.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, federal authorities tapped Monk’s cellphone in November.

The Chicago-Tribune reports that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has asked a judge for permission to give the impeachment committee FBI recordings “in which Blagojevich and Monk allegedly discussed how the governor would sign horse-racing legislation in exchange for campaign contributions.”