Ethics Panel Admonishes Obama Senate Replacement

In taking the action, the panel decided the Democratic Illinois senator's behavior, while "reflecting unfavorably upon the Senate," did not merit censure or expulsion from Congress.

After Obama resigned from the Senate to be sworn in as president in January, Rod Blagojevich, then-governor of Illinois, considered a number of possible candidates before appointing Burris to temporarily replace him.

Blagojevich was indicted in April on corruption charges, including that he tried to sell the Senate seat. He was impeached and removed from office by state legislators.

Burris has said he did not offer Blagojevich anything in exchange for the seat, and has refused calls to resign.

In a letter of "qualified admonition" to Burris, the panel said it found he had provided "incorrect, inconsistent, misleading or incomplete information" about his appointment.

"While the committee did not find that the evidence before it supported any actionable violation of the law, senators must meet a higher standard of conduct," the panel wrote.