Senator Roland Burris is scolded for 'misleading' statements

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. Senate ethics committee on Friday admonished a Democratic senator for making "inconsistent, misleading or incomplete" statements about the circumstances surrounding his appointment to the seat once held by Barack Obama. The committee did not recommend any punishment.

Sen. Roland Burris was appointed by disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was impeached and driven from office after he was accused of trying to sell the Senate seat.

The committee's told Burris that while it found no violations of law, "Senators must meet a much higher standard of conduct."

The committee wrote Burris that his phone conversation with the former governor's brother was inappropriate. It says Robert Blagojevich called Burris on Nov. 13, 2008, seeking to raise funds for his brother, and Burris appeared to agree.

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