The Lawyer: Who Is This Guy?

Timothy Wright is the lawyer at Roland Burris's side who has played a key role in his client's controversial testimony and amended affidavits.

So who is he?

"A fixture at City Hall during the Washington and Sawyer administrations, Wright moved to the Chicago law offices of Sachnoff & Weaver in 1989, after the election of Richard M. Daley as mayor. Jobs with the Clinton campaign and the Clinton transition team followed, after which came offers for high-level posts in Washington," a Sun-Times column said in 1993.

"In coming back to Chicago, Wright makes it clear he will amass personal income that will be in excess of what he would have gotten from doing government work. Wright lso isn't shy about expressing longer-term political ambitions."

Wright also served in both Bush administrations, according to his law firm bio. The firm, Gonzalez, Saggio and Harlan, was the result of a merger involving the firm of Burris, Wright, Slaughter & Tom. Yes, that Burris. Wright became a partner in 2007.

Wright was also once chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, who accused those opposed of the seating of Burris of being racially motivated.

"I was almost through with the law for awhile," Wright said in 2002. "I'm a little jaded."

Hold your laughter; Wright is also on the Board of Directors of Business and Professional People For The Public Interest.

Perhaps the board will take up Wright's cover letter to Burris's amended affidavit, in which he wrote that his client "answered 'truthfully and to the best of his recollection,' but that the 'fluid nature' of the questioning and a review of the transcript showed Burris that he 'was unable to fully respond to several matters'.”