By Associated Press/Illinois Public Radio
Springfield, IL – A prosecutor in central Illinois says there isn't enough evidence to charge U.S. Sen. Roland Burris with perjury, and Burris says that supports what he's said all along.
Burris says he's pleased with the conclusion of Sangamon County State's Attorney John Schmidt's investigation. The Illinois Democrat says the investigation was both thorough and fair, and he's glad that the truth has prevailed. Burris also says the lack of perjury charges shows that he never engaged in any pay-to-play, never perjured himself and came to his Senate seat "in an honest and legal way."
Schmidt says he weighed the testimony against the definition of perjury.
"It is while under oath to make a statement you know to be false. That's what the law of perjury is and you have to take all the facts, look at them and determine if the facts warrant or if there's sufficient evidence to charge someone with that crime and there's not."
Burris spoke to the Illinois House impeachment committee that investigated former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.