Sen. Burris closes door on running for his seat

By J. Taylor Rushing - 09/10/09 06:00 AM ET

Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) on Wednesday backed away from an ambiguous statement he’d made last month on his 2010 election plans, saying he remains committed to not seeking the seat he was appointed to by former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D).

Burris told The Hill that his Aug. 10 interview with ABC News — the first since he announced in July he would not be a candidate in 2010 — was misunderstood. Burris had told ABC, “You never say never ... What I’m still hearing is people from all over the country saying, ‘Don’t give up that seat.’ ”

Burris on Wednesday said that was only a “throwaway comment” that was misunderstood.

“Things are the same,” he said. “I’m doing senatorial work, taking care of all the complicated issues to service my constituents in Illinois, and certainly there’s a lot of talk going on about what’s going to happen, but I’m moving forward with being senatorial.”

When asked if that meant he was definitely not seeking election, Burris said, “That’s correct.”

The senator is filling the seat left vacant by President Barack Obama’s election. In July, he attributed his decision to a lack of fundraising ability, and he has consistently denied any impropriety surrounding his appointment by Blagojevich, who was impeached this spring by the Illinois General Assembly and faces federal corruption charges.