SPRINGFIELD, Ill. AP – Roland Burris gambled that he could accept a U.S. Senate appointment from a political pariah and still be seen as an honest, hardworking public servant. He lost.

Burris was permanently tainted when he happily took the offer from Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich just three weeks after Blagojevich was arrested for trying to sell a Senate seat to the highest bidder. He fought waves of criticism, opposition from fellow Democrats, court battles and even a perjury investigation.