Durbin to Burris: Resign

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin told his junior colleague, Roland Burris, that he should resign during a meeting today, the Chicago Tribune reports. Burris declined, and also would not confirm whether or not he would run in 2010, despite earlier accounts that he would give up the seat. Durbin said he was “disappointed” by both responses, and will not support Burris in a future campaign.

Burris, entangled in the Rod Blagojevich scandal, told reporters “I'm under orders not to say anything,” in reference to his lawyer’s counsel. On returning to Capitol Hill after the holiday, Burris has been something of a persona non grata, rarely socializing with other senators, except for brief talks with Durbin and Majority Leader Harry Reid.
(More Roland Burris stories.)