Burris' son hired by state housing authority

The son of embattled Sen. Roland Burris landed a job with the Illinois Housing Development Authority five months ago under the administration of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported the hiring of Roland Burris II as senior counsel came six weeks after the Internal Revenue Service slapped him with a $34,163 tax lien and three weeks after a mortgage company filed a foreclosure lawsuit on his Chicago home.

The Housing Authority oversees mortgage programs for low-income home buyers and anti-foreclosure initiatives.

Authority spokeswoman Rebecca Boykin told the Sun-Times that Burris II was given the $75,000 job based on his qualifications and in response to a published job posting.

The senator is fending off calls for his resignation because of conflicting testimony he provided the House panel that drafted impeachment charges against Blagojevich.