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December 18, 2008

Blago says he will not fill senate seat

Rick Moran
Through his attorney, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich said he would not name a senator to replace Barack Obama.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich will not appoint anyone to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, the governor's lawyer said today.

Speaking at a news conference following his appearance before a committee weighing Blagojevich's impeachment, lawyer Ed Genson was asked if Blagojevich would make an appointment against the wishes of Democrats across the state and country.

"No," Genson replied. "(U.S. Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid said that they're not going to accept anybody he picks. Why would he do that?"

A Blagojevich spokesman could not confirm that the governor would not make the appointment, but said Blagojevich has repeatedly expressed a desire for the seat to be filled through the will of voters via a special election. 

Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly initially liked the idea of legislation to hold a special election for the Senate seat, but left town without approving the idea.

Democrats were gung ho for the idea of a special election until it dawned on the dolts that the public may be just a teensy bit upset at their party for the revealed corruption in the Blago Affair. The prospect that a Republican may actually win a special election sent the Dem lawmakers scurrying for cover and they won't emerge until after the Christmas break.

So unless something remarkable happens, when the new Congress is sworn in on January 3 in Washington, Illinois will have only one senator present. And Blagojevich, who stubbornly refuses to resign, will apparently have to be dragged out of the governor's office kicking and screaming via impeachment.



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