Illinois Gov tries selling Obama's seat, gets nailed

Springfield (Illinois), Dec 10: Illinois Senator Dick Durbing has called on the State Legislature to call for a special election in the wake of the criminal complaint against Governor Rod Blagojevich that alleges that he basically sought to sell the senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Urging the legislature to order the election, CBS quoted Senator Durbin as saying that anyone selected by appointment under the current circumstances would carry a cloud.

"No appointment by this governor, under these circumstances, could produce a credible replacement," he added.

Meanwhile, even though US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said there were 'no allegations' that President-elect Obama was aware of any efforts on the part of Blagojevich to personally benefit from a senate appointment, South Carolina GOP Chair Katon Dawson, a candidate to become chairman of the National Republican Party, called on Obama's transition team to "immediately release all records of discussions about the appointment of Obama's successor that he and his transition team may have had with Governor Blagojevich or Governor Blagojevich's office."

"The American people expect and deserve nothing less," Dawson said in a statement e-mailed to reporters.

ANI