Press Conference-Call for Burris Resignation

Illinois Republican Rep. Peter J. Roskam and Mark Kirk held a press conference Monday morning and called on democrat Sen. Roland Burris to resign. They also said the state legislature should schedule a special election to elect a new senator.

"We live in the most corrupt state government," said Roskam. "It is completely incompetent and extremely corrupt."

Burris is being investigated on charges in connection with the effort by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich to sell the senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. The Illinois Legislature impeached Blagojevich in January on charges that he attempted to sell the senate seat for campaign contributions or a high-paying job.

After Blagojevich named Burris to the seat, Burris admitted talking about fundraising with Blagojevich’s brother.

Gov. Pat Quinn, who took over for Blagojevich last month, also called on Burris to resign.

Burris has refused to give up his seat, saying he broke no laws.

Kirk said Burris had embarrassed the people of Illinois and linked the state with corruption. “I fear for the long-term branding of our state,” he said.

Roskam said, "Springfield Democrats put their party before the state and they put their party before the country."

Roskam and Kirk also discussed major problems within the food industry at the press.

Roskam and Kirk are reintroducing their bill with a goal of preventing contaminated foods, giving the Food and Drug Administration a "tool they are lacking," said Kirk.

The new bill would require all food companies to release their testing data to the FDA if it did not meet federal standards.

They said they had introduced a similar bill to the House of Representatives last April, which did not pass. They said deaths could have been prevented and that there needs to be an “enhanced penalty that says there is a consequence for bad actions.” Said Roskam.

The bill come on the heels of the deaths of nine people from salmonella poisoning linked to contaminated peanut products. Also, 637 people have been reported ill, and 2,000 products have been recalled. It was the largest recall in FDA history.

A plant owned by Peanut Corp. of America in Blakely, Ga., has been linked to the contaminated peanut butter. The president of the company declined to comment and the company has declared bankruptcy.

Roskam said there was direct evidence of criminal activity within the company and that it is "costing huge dollars and lapses in time."

Roskam and Kirk called for the passage of their new bill and said it is “appropriate for government to protect public ground.”