February 11, 2009 1:54 PM
- Text
Obama Calls For Blagojevich To Resign
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald talks about the criminal complaint against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on corruption charges during a news conference in Chicago, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008. (AP)
(CBS/AP)
President-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday joined others calling for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to resign, distancing himself further from the unfolding scandal over allegations that the governor schemed to barter Mr. Obama's vacant Senate seat for personal gain.
"The president-elect agrees with Lt. Gov. (Pat) Quinn and many others that under the current circumstances it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois," Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said in response to questions from The Associated Press.
Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday, accused of scheming to enrich himself by selling Mr. Obama's vacant Senate seat. The governor has authority to appoint the replacement.
In response to questions from The Associated Press, Gibbs said Mr. Obama believes the Illinois legislature should consider a special election to fill the seat. Gibbs says the hope is to put a process in place to select a new senator who will have the trust and confidence of the people of Illinois.
Over the past two days since Blagojevich's arrest, Mr. Obama and his aides have largely refrained from commenting on the scandal. When he has spoken about the case, he's been cautious.
In brief comments to reporters Tuesday, Obama said "like the rest of the people of Illinois I am saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the U.S. attorney's office today," but he didn't go so far to condemn Blagojevich's alleged actions.
He did add about Blagojevich's process of considering a successor: "I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening."
But three weeks ago, Obama's top aide David Axelrod told an interviewer, "I know he's talked to the governor," referring to Obama. "There's a whole range of names, many of which have surfaced."
Axelrod later said that he had misspoken, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds reports.
There has been no hint from prosecutors of any wrongdoing by Obama Indeed, Blagojevich was heard on the tapes repeatedly disparaging and even cursing the president-elect for not playing politics his way. But inconsistencies remain, Reynolds reports. If Obama hadn't been in contact with Blagojevitch, how did the governor know that Obama wouldn't play the favors game?
"If the descriptions of these contacts come out differently over time, that will raise suspicions," former U.S. Attorney Joseph diGenova told Reynolds.
Mr. Obama reiterated his position in an interview published in the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday. "I have not discussed the Senate seat with the governor at any time," he said.
But Mr. Obama wouldn't answer a question on whether he was aware of any conversations between the governor and his top aides, including incoming White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel. "It's an ongoing investigation," Mr. Obama said. "I think it would be inappropriate for me to ... remark on the situation beyond the facts that I know."
And, aides didn't say whether Emanuel, a Democratic Illinois congressman, was ever approached by the governor's emissaries involved in allegedly corrupt schemes.
It now appears likely that investigators will at least want to hear from transition officials, especially Chicagoans like Axelrod and Emanuel, who have past associations with Blagojevich, Reynolds reports.
"The president-elect agrees with Lt. Gov. (Pat) Quinn and many others that under the current circumstances it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois," Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said in response to questions from The Associated Press.
Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday, accused of scheming to enrich himself by selling Mr. Obama's vacant Senate seat. The governor has authority to appoint the replacement.
In response to questions from The Associated Press, Gibbs said Mr. Obama believes the Illinois legislature should consider a special election to fill the seat. Gibbs says the hope is to put a process in place to select a new senator who will have the trust and confidence of the people of Illinois.
Over the past two days since Blagojevich's arrest, Mr. Obama and his aides have largely refrained from commenting on the scandal. When he has spoken about the case, he's been cautious.
In brief comments to reporters Tuesday, Obama said "like the rest of the people of Illinois I am saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the U.S. attorney's office today," but he didn't go so far to condemn Blagojevich's alleged actions.
He did add about Blagojevich's process of considering a successor: "I had no contact with the governor or his office, and so I was not aware of what was happening."
But three weeks ago, Obama's top aide David Axelrod told an interviewer, "I know he's talked to the governor," referring to Obama. "There's a whole range of names, many of which have surfaced."
Axelrod later said that he had misspoken, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds reports.
There has been no hint from prosecutors of any wrongdoing by Obama Indeed, Blagojevich was heard on the tapes repeatedly disparaging and even cursing the president-elect for not playing politics his way. But inconsistencies remain, Reynolds reports. If Obama hadn't been in contact with Blagojevitch, how did the governor know that Obama wouldn't play the favors game?
"If the descriptions of these contacts come out differently over time, that will raise suspicions," former U.S. Attorney Joseph diGenova told Reynolds.
Mr. Obama reiterated his position in an interview published in the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday. "I have not discussed the Senate seat with the governor at any time," he said.
But Mr. Obama wouldn't answer a question on whether he was aware of any conversations between the governor and his top aides, including incoming White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel. "It's an ongoing investigation," Mr. Obama said. "I think it would be inappropriate for me to ... remark on the situation beyond the facts that I know."
And, aides didn't say whether Emanuel, a Democratic Illinois congressman, was ever approached by the governor's emissaries involved in allegedly corrupt schemes.
It now appears likely that investigators will at least want to hear from transition officials, especially Chicagoans like Axelrod and Emanuel, who have past associations with Blagojevich, Reynolds reports.
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