Obama Wants Rod Blagojevich to Step Down

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said on Wednesday:

“It is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois. The president-elect believes that the General Assembly should consider the issue and put in place a process to select a new senator that will have the trust and confidence of the people of Illinois.”

As governor of Illinois, Blagojevich was to appoint the successor to Obama in the Senate. However, according to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald yesterday, Blagojevich schemed for financial gain, either for himself or his wife, during the selection process.

It should be noted that federal prosecutors have been pursuing Blagojevich for years over various corruptions issues.

The "prccess" Obama speaks of would likely be a special election.

The Illinois state legislature is expected to reconvene Monday (it is currently adjourned) to strip Blagojevich of his appointment powers, or perhaps even begin impeachment procedures.