This is excellent news for everyone. Everywhere.

I was just going to start a thread and thought, maybe Balta already did . . .

 

Congrats on ending his political career as a Senator, albeit a tainted one.

How do you get over $100,000 in campaign debt, while never having run for the office?

How do you get over $100,000 in campaign debt, while never having run for the office?

I guess that means he won't have to return the over 800 dollars he raised.

 

He hired a political staff, I'd wager.

How do you get over $100,000 in campaign debt, while never having run for the office?

Legal fees?

How do you get over $100,000 in campaign debt, while never having run for the office?

 

At what point can they start for the next cycle? Exploring reelection chances seems like a campaign debt.

At what point can they start for the next cycle? Exploring reelection chances seems like a campaign debt.

The day after the old cycle ends.

The day after the old cycle ends.

 

So $100,000 for a Senate race seems like a blink of an eye.

The day after the old cycle ends.

It's more complicated than that though, because there are rules for what you can do with money if you have some left in the bank after an election cycle ends.

Now he just gets another government pension check for a job he didnt deserve. Added to the Illinois pension checks he gets, I don't think he will be eating Ramen noodles anytime soon, regadless of his campaign debt.

Now he just gets another government pension check for a job he didnt deserve. Added to the Illinois pension checks he gets, I don't think he will be eating Ramen noodles anytime soon, regadless of his campaign debt.

 

Ah no he won't. Not enough time served.

Sen. Roland Burris, who was appointed to replace President Obama in the U.S. Senate and plans to announce Friday that will not seek election to keep his seat, won't have much to celebrate at his retirement party.

 

Burris, 71, is at retirement age, but he won't get a congressional pension because he hasn't served in Congress long enough.

 

Lawmakers are eligible for a pension at 62 if they have served at least five years in the House and Senate combined. Burris was appointed to the Senate in late December by then Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Ah no he won't. Not enough time served.

 

Well that is nice at least...

Well that is nice at least...

 

I'd be really pissed if I thought he qualified. 5 years seems OK, based on the level of benefit. I never thought about it until now, but how would term limits and retirement work out? That just might be one area I like term limits.

Ah no he won't. Not enough time served.

That makes me happy. For a moment.