Roland Burris and The Chicago Way

Is Roland Burris a Rod Blagojevich kind of Democrat? It appears he is.John Patterson and Joseph Ryan have unearthed some interesting information on Chicago Machine operative Roland Burris.Here's an extract from a Chicago Tribune article from the 1980's :

Illinois Comptroller Roland Burris urged a federal judge last month to place a Chicago pharmacist, who contributed to Burris' campaigns, on probation after the man was convicted of defrauding Medicaid out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Burris, the state's chief bill payer, wrote to U.S. District Judge Charles P. Kocoras on behalf of George Leonard, convicted of defrauding the state by submitting hundreds of false prescriptions bills to Medicaid, administered by the Illinois Department of Public Aid.
...
A spokesman for Burris said that the letter, dated Feb. 22, was written "not in an official capacity as a comptroller, but as a friend."
The spokesman acknowledged that the letterhead listed Burris as comptroller for the State of Illinois but said that the stationery was printed at Burris' expense, which was noted at the bottom of the page.
The letter urged Kocoras to place Leonard on probation and to order him to do community service rather than sentence him to prison.

Imagine that.