A federal judge today OK'd the release of a secret FBI wiretap involving U.S. Sen. Roland Burris and Rod Blagojevich's brother to a U.S. Senate committee investigating Burris.

The conversation is at issue because the committee is probing whether Burris was misleading during his testimony before an Illinois House impeachment panel. A Downstate prosecutor is also investigating whether Burris perjured himself.

Burris' lawyer, Timothy Wright, said the tapes will vindicate his client.
"I think the Senator told the truth the whole time and I think the tapes will indicate such."
In court, Wright did not oppose the tape's release.
"Senator Burris is not objecting to the Senate Ethics Committee hearing the tape," Wright said.
U.S. District Judge James Holderman made the issue public this morning. Myself and an AP reporter were inside the courtroom before the hearing but were asked to leave because the hearing was closed.
We left and Holderman asked prosecutors and defense laweyrs if they opposed unsealing the matter. No one opposed it, so Holderman opened the courtroom doors.

Here's the latest: Burris tapes to be public