Who am I?
I am the senior Senator from Illinois.
What I have done for Blagojevich
I endorsed him for reelection in 2006. "Durbin, who is assistant Democratic leader of the Senate, said he supports fellow Democrat Blagojevich for re-election.
'He's had a tough time,' Durbin said. 'It's not easy to cut spending. It's not easy to avoid raising taxes. And there are people that are unhappy with many decisions that he's made. But I believe that he has demonstrated that he's made progress and that in a second term we can, I hope, turn the corner and put this state on sound financial footing." (State Journal-Register, Durbin skeptical of privatizing lottery, June 5, 2006)
I admitted two years later that Blagojevich's actions in his first term "troubled me" but obviously not enough to keep me from endorsing him. "U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, during a wide-ranging interview with the Tribune editorial board, also said he was "troubled" by some of Blagojevich's early appointments. Some of those appointees, Durbin noted, played prominent roles at the public corruption trial of Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a former top fundraiser for Blagojevich." (Chicago Tribune, Durbin says ties to governor thin, May 31, 2008)
I donated $34,500 to his campaign
21st Century Leadership Fund
$500.00, 7/24/2002
Friends of Blagojevich
21st Century Leadership Fund
$5,000.00, 9/23/2002
Friends of Blagojevich
21st Century Leadership Fund
$29,000.00, 11/6/2002
Friends of Blagojevich
(Illinois State Board of Elections)
I was Blagojevich and Mike Madigan's go-between when they clashed in the 2002 campaign. "Durbin was the go-between who tried to keep everybody talking when nothing was happening. Two parallel Democratic universes evolved: one, the Durbin, Blagojevich, Daley and Illinois labor alliance; the other, the Madigan and state party apparatus axis. Everybody is getting along under this alignment, and the political work is getting done." (Chicago Sun Times, An outsider? No chance, October 17, 2002)
I held joint rallies with him. "Democrats in DuPage: Former Comptroller Michael Bakalis of Darien, who withdrew from the Democratic governor primary, is holding an old-fashioned political rally for Blagojevich and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin." (Daily Herald, Blagojevich appears to have trouble keeping priorities straight, September 23, 2002)
How I abandoned the people of Illinois
I refused to try and end the dispute in Springfield so the people's work could get done. "U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., the second-ranking senator on Capitol Hill and a veteran of many partisan battles, said on at least three separate occasions he'd rather negotiate a truce in Iraq than mediate the conflict in the Statehouse. He told The Associated Press, "I'd rather deal with the Sunnis and Shias than an open civil war. It's easier to figure out who your enemy is." (Stateline.org, Democrats' dysfunction hobbles Illinois, September 17, 2007)
I refused to do anything about Blagojevich, despite my claimed 'unease'. "Asked whether he should have registered his unease to Blagojevich about appointees like Levine, Durbin said, "When it comes to dealing with the state and all of the decisions involved in it, there's just so much I can do, to be honest with you." (Chicago Tribune, Durbin says ties to governor thin, May 31, 2008)
I called for a special election for Barack Obama's Senate seat when Blagojevich was arrested. "In December, after Blagojevich was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint, Durbin urged a special election to let voters choose Barack Obama's replacement. He said no Blagojevich appointee could be an acceptable replacement." (Chicago Tribune, That Durbin 'election', January 12, 2009)
But a few weeks later I rolled over and welcomed Blagojevich's handpicked Senator with open arms. "We committed to Mr. Burris that once those requirements were satisfied, we would be able to proceed. We are pleased that everything is now in order, we congratulate Senator-designee Burris on his appointment and we look forward to working with him in the 111th Congress." (ABC News, U.S. Senate will seat Roland Burris, January 12, 2009)
I even threw him a welcoming party. "Once embattled and now embraced, Illinois Senate nominee Roland Burris will be sworn in to the chamber on Thursday at 2 p.m. ET by Vice President Dick Cheney, acting in his role as president of the Senate.
Following the swearing-in, Burris's senior colleague, Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin will host a private reception for Burris. (Wall Street Journal 'Washington Wire', January 13, 2009, http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/01/13/roland-burris-to-be-sworn-in-as-senator-on-thursday/trackback/"
