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Embattled Illinois governor won't resign Monday
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-15 08:28 CHICAGO - Scandal-plagued Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will not resign on Monday, his spokesman said on Sunday, but pressure to do so continued to grow on the governor to step aside before he is impeached.
Blagojevich was arrested last week on charges of conspiracy to swap political favors for cash, including an attempt to sell the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Barack Obama following his November presidential election victory. "We have heard that there is a possibility that tomorrow he will make an announcement where he will step aside," Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan told NBC's "Meet the Press." But Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero on Sunday denied the governor planned to resign on Monday: "I can confirm the no resignation." The controversy over Blagojevich has been a distraction for Obama and his team as the president-elect announced Cabinet nominations and tried to lay out plans for dealing with the recession and other crises after his January 20 inauguration. The charges against Blagojevich come after years of investigation detailed by court-approved wiretaps.
But the governor has not been indicted and remains governor with full powers including being the only person who can name a replacement for Obama in the Senate. Through his lawyer, Blagoevich has denied doing anything wrong. Guerrero said he could not confirm that Blagojevich has retained Edward Genson, a prominent Chicago defense attorney who recently worked for R&B star R. Kelly, helping the singer gain acquittal on child pornography charges, and for disgraced media mogul Conrad Black. Reports suggest that Blagojevich faces considerable legal costs and Madigan, who went to the state Supreme Court on Friday to try to get him removed from office, said on "Meet the Press" that standing down may permit him to remain on the public payroll. "That ... option would potentially allow him to keep his salary and I have heard as well that that is one of his main concerns -- his financial circumstances right now," she said. PRESSURE TO RESIGN GROWS The Illinois House and Senate will meet as early as Monday to take up motions to specifically strip Blagojevich of his ability to appoint Obama's replacement in the Senate, and potentially start impeachment proceedings. The selection of someone to fill Obama's Senate seat remains in limbo. Madigan ducked the question of whether she would be a candidate for the job, saying it was "not even on my radar screen" and repeated her call for Blagojevich to go. "We think absolutely obvious that he is incapable of governing and it is best thing to do is move aside," she said. That view was seconded by Illinois Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn, who would replace Blagojevich should he leave office. "I hope the governor does resign. I think that is best for the people of Illinois ... He's got to do something because our state is in crisis," Quinn told "Meet the Press". If the Illinois Supreme Court removes Blagojevich, Quinn has said he would appoint a replacement for Obama in the Senate rather than hold a special election next year. "I am concerned that we always have two senators from Illinois representing us in Washington," Quinn said. "I think it is very important that whoever is governor is given an opportunity to appoint at least a temporary person until an election could take place," he said. The Chicago Tribune reported on Saturday that Rahm Emanuel, Obama's choice for White House chief of staff, had spoken to Blagojevich's office about who the governor should appoint to replace Obama in the Senate. The talks did not suggest that Emanuel, currently a Chicago congressman, was involved in an alleged deal-making scheme for the Senate seat. Obama officials on Saturday did not respond to requests for comment on the Chicago Tribune report. Obama said last week he will report on contacts his staff had with Blagojevich's office in coming days. |
