Blagojevich defies party; names replacement for Obama (Roundup)

Washington - Embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich appointed a replacement Tuesday for the US Senate seat vacated by president-elect Barack Obama, defying warnings from his own party that his choice would not be accepted because of the corruption charges against him. Blagojevich named former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, 71, to the post, even as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other Democrats said any Blagojevich candidate will not be viewed as credible and vowed they will not seat the successor. 'Anyone appointed by Governor Blagojevich cannot be an effective representative of the people of Illinois and, as we have said, will not be seated by the Democratic Caucus,' Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in a statement. Federal agents arrested Blagojevich on December 9 on numerous corruption charges, including a plot to solicit bribes from potential candidates to replace Obama. 'If I don't make this appointment then the people of Illinois will be deprived of their appropriate voice and vote in the United States Senate,' Blagojevich, a Democrat, said in a press conference in Chicago. Blagojevich, 52, has promised to fight the charges against him and steadfastly refuses to resign or relinquish his power to appoint a new senator despite the litany of corruption related allegations against him. Federal agents alleged that in wiretapped conversations the governor discussed ways to use his power to pick a new senator for his personal benefit. The Illinois legislature has initiated impeachment proceedings against him, and the state's top election official has said he will not certify Blagojevich's pick. Obama and other top Democrats had urged the Illinois state legislature to either hold a special election or strip Blagojevich of his authority to name the successor. The president-elect called the governor's move 'extremely disappointing' and said he agreed with the Senate leadership's decision not to seat anyone named by the governor. 'While Governor Blagojevich is entitled to his day in court, the people of Illinois are entitled to a functioning government and major decisions free of taint and controversy,' Obama said in a statement. Reid praised Burris for his years of public service but said any choice made by Blagojevich was not acceptable. 'This is not about Mr Burris. It is about the integrity of a governor accused of attempting to sell this United States Senate seat,' Reid said in a joint statement with other top Senate Democrats. Blagojevich and his top aide, who has resigned, face up to 20 years in prison if convicted for wire fraud and conspiring to solicit bribes. The Justice Department also accused the two men of threatening to withhold state assistance for a media firm, the Tribune Co, unless it sacked editorial writers seen as unfriendly to the governor. They were additionally charged with seeking campaign contributions in exchange for official actions in a 'pay-to-play' scheme. The scandal has also disrupted Obama and his transition team as the president-elect prepares to take office January 20. Obama last week released a report by his legal team of all contact between his staff and Blagojevich. The report concluded there was no inappropriate communications. Neither Obama or any staff were implicated in the investigation. Burris became the first African-American to win Illinois statewide office in 1978, when he was elected comptroller. He later went on to serve as attorney general.

And Also

Look Back at the Worst Celebrity Breakups

Look Back at the Worst Celebrity Breakups - PopEater
GASP: Goldstriker creates world's most expensive iPhone - The Tech Herald
Corey Feldman, Bronson Pinchot, and Brian OÂ’Halloran Are Hooking Up On DVD - Cinema Blend
Guide to Avoiding Red Carpet Faux Pas - PopEater
A&E series 'Hoarders' and 'Intervention' premiere Monday, Nov. 30th, preview

Your Talkback on this Story

Latest Headlines in US

Older Talkback

page: 1

SP4: Does heDec 30th, 2008 - 23:48:16

..have to wait for the check to clear before taking office, or is it just a briefcase full of cash to deliver? Who carries it, Mr. Rezko?

Report this comment

SpitfireDec 31st, 2008 - 07:14:07

Wow!

Is this little Morlock toxic or what? He's friggin' kryptonite! And his eyes are too close together like Putin's.

Now he's playing at sinking everybody else along with him in the hope that somebody, somewhere, will cut him some slack. Even his choice of a Black guy as Obama's successor smells as rotten as he does. I hear Burris has a good record, but I guess he can't be clean if he associates with the likes of Blagojevich (pronounced bluh-GOYE-shit)

If I were one of those dirty little Illinois politicos, and I hear there's quite a few of those, I'd be thinking about retirement right now. I think, I hope, that their clock is about to be cleaned big time.

If that Blagojevich (pronounced suhn-OVA-bitch) scumbag gets away with it, I'll lose all faith in mankind.

Wait! I lost that already...

If the he gets away with it, I'll... I'll break my wristwatch. There.

It's a Timex!

Spitfire

Report this comment

Pride before a FallJan 1st, 2009 - 12:49:15

This is a classic case of political luciferian arrogance.

Report this comment

SP4:'Come on Dooown!'Jan 1st, 2009 - 20:07:13

'Come on down to crazy Rod Blagojevich's political emporium! We have a postion for anyone with cash! Wanna be an Alderman, just $9,900 and $99 dollars! Honest! It even avoids federal cash transaction reports!! How about a state legislator??? For a scant $50 grand, it's yooours! But the plumb of them all....US senator! Yep...for $500 grand, I can guanrantee it! Just comeon down to crazie Rod Blogojevich's Political Emproium! ...cause We're CUUURRRAAAZZZY!'

Report this comment

page: 1

US

US News

Blagojevich defies party; names replacement for Obama (Roundup)

And Also

Your Talkback on this Story

Similar articles

Latest Headlines in US

Older Talkback

From Sites we Like

In Monsters and Critics

Corporate

The Fine Print