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Illinois governor faces ultimatum Blagojevich faces removal attempt
(1 day 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 filed a lawsuit asking the US state's top court declare Governor Rod Blagoejvich "unfit to serve".
Lisa Madigan said she could file a suit with the Illinois Supreme Court asking to declare him "unable to serve". Mr Blagojevich was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly trying to "sell" Barack Obama's Illinois Senate seat.
Mr Blagojevich has been arrested for allegedly trying to "sell" the Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama. He denies the charges but the perceived abuse of his role has led to calls for him to stand down.
Barack Obama has said he is "appalled and disappointed" by the Illinois governor's alleged actions. Mr Obama, the US president-elect, has said he is "appalled and disappointed" by Mr Blagojevich'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. "In light of his arrest in the filing of the criminal complaint, Governor Blagojevich can no longer fulfil his official duties with any legitimacy," said Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, announcing her decision to file a complaint to the Illinois Supreme Court.
As governor, Mr Blagojevich has the sole authority to pick Mr Obama's temporary successor as senator until an election is held. "I recognise that this is an extraordinary request, but these are extraordinary circumstances," she added.
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'
"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.
Obama 'appalled' over seat-selling claim
"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.
"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".
Mr Obama said he had not discussed his vacant Senate seat with Mr Blagojevich and was confident that nobody on his staff had either.
He promised to release shortly a record of any contacts with the governor's office regarding the vacancy.
"Let me say that this Senate seat does not belong to any politician to trade - it belongs to the people of Illinois and they deserve the best possible representation," he told reporters in Chicago.
WiretapsWiretaps
Mr Blagojevich caused outrage by returning to work on Wednesday, a day after he was released on bail having appeared before a federal judge. 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 class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7773972.stm">Profile: Rod Blagojevich class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/justinwebb/2008/12/connections_and_patronage.html">Read Justin Webb on US patronage On Tuesday, federal investigators, who had been working on a case against Mr Blagojevich for several years, charged him with a number of offences including soliciting a bribe.
His lawyer told reporters that Mr Blagojevich believed he had done nothing wrong and had no plans to resign. 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. 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 class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7773972.stm">Profile: Rod Blagojevich class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/justinwebb/2008/12/connections_and_patronage.html">Read Justin Webb on US patronage
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 US Attorney's Office released a 76-page FBI affidavit on Tuesday detailing the charges against Mr Blagojevich, which includes transcripts of his telephone conversations intercepted by court-authorised wiretaps over several weeks.
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.
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.
As governor, Mr Blagojevich has the sole authority to pick Mr Obama's temporary successor as senator until an election is held.
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."
Outrage
Mr Obama said on Thursday he had not discussed his vacant Senate seat with Mr Blagojevich and was confident that nobody on his staff had either.
He promised to release shortly a record of any contacts with the governor's office regarding the vacancy.
"Let me say that this Senate seat does not belong to any politician to trade - it belongs to the people of Illinois and they deserve the best possible representation," he told reporters in Chicago.
Mr Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who, like the president-elect and Mr Blagojevich, has his political roots in Illinois, is not a target of the FBI's investigation, officials said.
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.