After submitting a "revised" affidavit earlier this month to clarify what he had said in his testimony in front of the IL House Impeachment Committee in early January, Roland Burris has now offered further clarification that once again seems to contradict previous statements. After asserting that he had refused to engage in any fundraising activities on behalf of then Governor Blagojevich during the time when he was seeking the Senate seat, Burris now admits to having tried to raise money for Blago at his brother's behest.

From The Chicago Tribune:

U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has acknowledged he sought to raise campaign funds for then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich at the request of the governor's brother at the same time he was making a pitch to be appointed to the Senate seat previously held by President Barack Obama.

Burris' latest comments in Peoria Monday night were the first time he has publicly said he was actively trying to raise money for Blagojevich. Previously Burris has left the impression that he always balked at the issue of raising money for the governor because of his interest in the Senate appointment.

In comments to reporters after appearing at a Democratic dinner, the senator several times contradicted his latest under-oath affidavit that he quietly filed with the Illinois House impeachment panel earlier this month.

You can read his comments in all their cringe-inducing glory HERE.

The extent to which this is mere haplessness versus malicious intent to deceive isn't actually entirely clear since Burris's handling of this matter has been so monumentally incompetent. But that may ultimately be irrelevant. As I wrote on Sunday, Burris's public relations meltdown at the very least gives Dick Durbin cover to pursue a challenger to Burris in 2010. In fact, at this rate, if Burris even makes it to 2010, he may feel ample pressure to withdraw from running for the seat at all. One sign that the pressure is beginning to mount is that it's not just the Illinois Republicans calling for action.

Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan today referred several documents associated with U.S. Senator Roland Burris and his testimony last month before the Illinois House Special Investigative Committee to Sangamon County States Attorney John Schmidt.

No doubt, one winner in all of this is Russ Feingold whose constitutional amendment requiring special elections to fill vacant Senate seats makes more and more sense every day.