Burris Subpoenaed By Funeral Directors

A group of funeral directors who say they have lost millions of dollars from mismanagement of a pre-need funeral trust fund have filed a subpoena against U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, seeking documents dating back as far as 1980.

Burris was Illinois Comptroller in that year and allowed the Illinois Funeral Directors Association to manage the trust. He later served as a lobbyist for the IFDA.

The plaintiffs, who are suing the IFDA for alleged mismanagement, say they want to know why Burris allowed the group to manage the trust, and they want records of his lobbying activities.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register could not reach Burris for comment Friday, and Edward Wallace, an attorney for the plaintiffs, declined comment.

Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com