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| Illinois governor faces ultimatum | Illinois governor faces ultimatum |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The attorney-general of Illinois has told under-fire state Governor Rod Blagojevich to quit or she will take legal action against him. | The attorney-general of Illinois has told under-fire state Governor Rod Blagojevich to quit or she will take legal action against him. |
| Lisa Madigan said she could file a suit with the Illinois Supreme Court asking to declare him "unable to serve". | Lisa Madigan said she could file a suit with the Illinois Supreme Court asking to declare him "unable to serve". |
| Mr Blagojevich has been arrested for allegedly trying to "sell" the Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama. | Mr Blagojevich has been arrested for allegedly trying to "sell" the Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama. |
| Barack Obama has said he is "appalled and disappointed" by the Illinois governor's alleged actions. | |
| Mr Blagojevich denies the charges but the perceived abuse of his role has led to calls from Mr Obama and others for him to quit. | |
| As governor, Mr Blagojevich has the sole authority to pick Mr Obama's temporary successor as senator until an election is held. | As governor, Mr Blagojevich has the sole authority to pick Mr Obama's temporary successor as senator until an election is held. |
| In transcripts of intercepted conversations released by the FBI on Tuesday, Mr Blagojevich is quoted as saying that a man referred to by officials as Senate Candidate Five would "raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him a senator". | |
| 'Unable to serve' | 'Unable to serve' |
| "The easiest way for us to move on in the state of Illinois is for Governor Blagojevich to do the right thing for the people and resign," Lisa Madigan said. | "The easiest way for us to move on in the state of Illinois is for Governor Blagojevich to do the right thing for the people and resign," Lisa Madigan said. |
| CHARGES AGAINST BLAGOJEVICH Federal agents say Mr Blagojevich Tried to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions;Tried to use state funds for the private purpose of inducing the Tribune Company to fire Chicago Tribune editorial board members critical of him;Tried to obtain personal financial benefits for himself in return for his appointment of a US senator Profile: Rod BlagojevichRead Justin Webb on US patronage | CHARGES AGAINST BLAGOJEVICH Federal agents say Mr Blagojevich Tried to obtain campaign contributions in exchange for official actions;Tried to use state funds for the private purpose of inducing the Tribune Company to fire Chicago Tribune editorial board members critical of him;Tried to obtain personal financial benefits for himself in return for his appointment of a US senator Profile: Rod BlagojevichRead Justin Webb on US patronage |
| "Now, it doesn't appear that he has any inclination to do that. Maybe things will change today or tomorrow." | "Now, it doesn't appear that he has any inclination to do that. Maybe things will change today or tomorrow." |
| But she warned she would not wait "terribly long" before taking action. | But she warned she would not wait "terribly long" before taking action. |
| "I have the opportunity to go to our Illinois Supreme Court and ask them to declare our governor is unable to serve and put in our lieutenant governor as acting governor," she said. | "I have the opportunity to go to our Illinois Supreme Court and ask them to declare our governor is unable to serve and put in our lieutenant governor as acting governor," she said. |
| Ms Madigan said she was "working quickly to move forward on the next legal steps should the governor refuse to resign". | Ms Madigan said she was "working quickly to move forward on the next legal steps should the governor refuse to resign". |
| Other high-level state officials have also been calling on Mr Blagojevich to resign, including Mr Obama whose office said on Wednesday: "Under the current circumstances, it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois." | Other high-level state officials have also been calling on Mr Blagojevich to resign, including Mr Obama whose office said on Wednesday: "Under the current circumstances, it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois." |
| Wiretaps | Wiretaps |
| Mr Blagojevich caused outrage by returning to work on Wednesday, a day after he was released on bail having appeared before a federal judge. | Mr Blagojevich caused outrage by returning to work on Wednesday, a day after he was released on bail having appeared before a federal judge. |
| His lawyer told reporters that Mr Blagojevich believed he had done nothing wrong and had no plans to resign. | His lawyer told reporters that Mr Blagojevich believed he had done nothing wrong and had no plans to resign. |
| Federal investigators, who have been working on a case against Mr Blagojevich for several years, have charged him with a number of offences including soliciting a bribe. | Federal investigators, who have been working on a case against Mr Blagojevich for several years, have charged him with a number of offences including soliciting a bribe. |
| The charges relate to a variety of corruption schemes in which the governor was allegedly involved, including so-called "pay to play" deals - the doling out of jobs, contracts and appointments in return for campaign contributions. | The charges relate to a variety of corruption schemes in which the governor was allegedly involved, including so-called "pay to play" deals - the doling out of jobs, contracts and appointments in return for campaign contributions. |
| The US Attorney's Office released a 76-page FBI affidavit detailing the charges against Mr Blagojevich, which includes transcripts of his telephone conversations intercepted by court-authorised wiretaps over the last month. | The US Attorney's Office released a 76-page FBI affidavit detailing the charges against Mr Blagojevich, which includes transcripts of his telephone conversations intercepted by court-authorised wiretaps over the last month. |
| In the conversations, the Democratic governor allegedly discussed offering Mr Obama's Senate seat in return for a well-paid position at a non-profit organisation or a group affiliated with trades unions, according to the affidavit. | In the conversations, the Democratic governor allegedly discussed offering Mr Obama's Senate seat in return for a well-paid position at a non-profit organisation or a group affiliated with trades unions, according to the affidavit. |
| In the transcripts, on 3 November Mr Blagojevich said the seat was a "[expletive] valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing". | In the transcripts, on 3 November Mr Blagojevich said the seat was a "[expletive] valuable thing, you just don't give it away for nothing". |
| The day after the presidential election, according to the affidavit, Mr Blagojevich was recorded as saying: "I've got this thing and it's [expletive] golden, and uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing." | The day after the presidential election, according to the affidavit, Mr Blagojevich was recorded as saying: "I've got this thing and it's [expletive] golden, and uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing." |