Roland Burris (D)

Burris has said his interest in a political career began in 1953, as a result of the furor that resulted when he celebrated his 16th birthday by diving into Centralia's segregated public swimming pool.

In his first job out of law school, Burris went to work at the Treasury Department, becoming the first African American to work as a bank examiner for the U.S. Comptroller of the Currency. He also worked for the Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company, which later became part of Bank of America.

Burris ran unsuccessfully for the state House in 1968 before he was appointed by Gov. Dan Walker (D) in 1973 as director of the Department of Central Management Services, putting him in a position to build political contacts. (Walker was later sent to prison for his role in a failed savings and loan.) Burris lost a bid to become state comptroller in 1974 but succeeded the next time around in 1978.

Burris served briefly as executive director and chief operating officer for the Rev. Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH in 1977 before going into private law practice. Two years later, Burris was elected state comptroller. He won three consecutive terms and remained in that office until 1991.

In 1991, Burris was elected attorney general and for four years in that position he was in charge of more than 500 lawyers around the state. It was the highest position of responsibility he would attain and controversy dogged him. He would later be accused of pushing for the execution of an innocent man, Rolando Cruz.

Burris has run for office in Chicago and Illinois four times since stepping down as attorney general and never survived a Democratic primary or a statewide general election. Burris was rejected by voters seven times between 1964 and 2002, including unsuccessful bids for the state House, the U.S. Senate and governor.

Burris insists that he's not a perennial candidate searching for whatever path will return him to power. However, he was defeated in his race for Chicago mayor in 1995 and he was rejected three times in his bid to become governor - in 1994, 1998 and 2002. He was beaten by Blagojevich in his last race.

In 1995, Burris returned to private practice after being crushed by Richard M. Daley (D) in his run for mayor of Chicago. He worked at several law firms in the ensuing years, and in 2008 he was manager and chief executive officer of his own political consulting business, Burris & Lebed Consulting, and special counsel to Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan, a large minority-owned firm based in Wisconsin. The firm is representing Burris in his legal fight to be seated in the Senate.

U.S. Senate Seat

Burris expressed interest in Obama's Senate seat the day after Obama was elected president. Burris later called a press conference to say he wanted to take over the seat to bring "some sanity and help to the people of this state." Burris said he would serve only as a caretaker and not seek election to a new term in 2010. He also criticized Blagojevich's actions."The evidence that's been presented is pretty appalling should that come out to be the case of what our governor is attempting to do," he said.

Burris wasn't Blagojevich's first choice. One of Blagojevich's defense lawyers, Sam Adam Jr., approached Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) on Christmas Eve offering him the seat. Two days later, on Dec. 26, 2008, Davis formally turned it down. Blagojevich called Burris on Dec. 28, 2008, offering him the job and the two appeared publicly to announce Burris' appointment on Dec. 30, 2008.

"Please don't let the allegations against me taint this good and honest man," Blagojevich said at the time.

Appointment Controversery

On Jan. 15, 2009, Burris was finally seated after a storm of controversy, including opposition from Obama and Sens. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.).

But by mid-February 2009, Burris was fending off questions about his contact with then-Gov. Blagojevich's brother, who he now says asked him three times for donations to the governor's campaign during the period under which Burris was being considered as a Senate candidate. Burris said he did not contribute to Blagojevich, but did talk about collecting money for the governor. Nor did he mention these contacts in earlier testimony before the state committee investigating the governor's impeachment.

On July 9, 2009, Burris announced that he wouldn't seek re-election in 2010 because of the heavy demands of fundraising. "I love serving in the U.S. Senate. I love serving the people of Illinois," he lamented. "I will not be a candidate for the 2010 election."

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