MICHELE NORRIS, host:
From NPR News this is All Things Considered. I'm Michele Norris.
ROBERT SIEGEL, host:
And I'm Robert Siegel. Today in Illinois, court action, a resignation and denials in the unfolding corruption scandal. The state's attorney general asked the Illinois Supreme Court to remove Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich from office and Blagojevich's chief of staff who was also arrested in the probe, step down. And to, Congressman Jesse Jackson Junior denied the news report that his brothers and fundraisers were part of a pay-to-play scheme to win him a Senate seat. NPR's Cheryl Corley has our story.
CHERYL CORLEY: After Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested this week on corruption charges, the state's Attorney General Lisa Madigan said before she took any action, she would wait to see if the governor would resign on his own. Today, the waiting game ended and Madigan announced that she had filed a request with the State Supreme Court asking the court to strip Governor Blagojevich of his powers.
Ms. LISA MADIGAN (Attorney General, Illinois): I have asked the Supreme Court to appoint the lieutenant governor as the acting governor. I recognize that this is an extraordinary request but these are extraordinary circumstances.
CORLEY: On Tuesday, the governor and his Chief of Staff John Harris were arrested, accused of engaging in pay-for-play politics. Federal prosecutors said the most egregious instance was the governor's alleged effort to get money and favors in exchange for his ability to appoint someone to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Obama. Next week, when state lawmakers gather, impeaching the governor is likely to be on the agenda, but Madigan says she'd filed her lawsuit because any impeachment would take time and state government would be paralyzed by a governor incapable of doing his job.
Ms. MADIGAN: Let me also be clear that my pleadings are not - they are not about whether the governor's conduct should result in his criminal conviction. This case is about whether the governor has the ability to legitimately and effectively carry out his duties and exercise his authority as governor.
CORLEY: Madigan's filing is the first of its kind in the state's history. Three citizens have filed a similar complaint. Everyday since his arrest, the governor has shown up for work at his Chicago office. Before he left home today, he and his family prayed with three ministers, Reverend Marshall Hatch says they avoided talking politics.
Reverend MARSHALL HATCH (Head Pastor, New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, West Garfield, Chicago): One of the things that we wanted to do was - you know, give people even in the state of reason to hope that at some point, you know, we'll be all able to move beyond the present tension and then get back to the business of understanding that we got some tremendous problems and people are suffering in so many ways in this state and across the country.
CORLEY: And so, says Reverend Hatch, they read Bible Scriptures and prayed. And then the governor left for work. A few hours after the attorney general's press conference, the governor's office issued a press release saying he had signed a bill that would give insurance coverage to parents of children with autism. The governor has ignored calls for him to leave office. But today, Chief of Staff John Harris who was also charged and arrested this week resigned. His attorney says it was the right thing to do. There remains a question about the vacant U.S. Senate seat and Congressman Jesse Jackson Junior who was once considered a leading contender denied again today that he was involved in any pay-to-play scheme. The Chicago Tribune reported today that one of the congressman's brothers and Jackson fundraisers may have tried to influence the process on the congressman's behalf. Jackson says no. But Robert Starks, a political science professor at Northeastern Illinois University says it will be difficult for Jackson to remain viable for the Senate post.
Professor ROBERT STARKS (Political Science, Northeastern Illinois University): It would be difficult. I don't think it would be impossible because there are, you know, many stories in American politics where people have been, you know, accused of wrongdoing and have bounced back and, you know, have made come backs. I think however, it does hurt his immediate chances at this point.
CORLEY: Despite that vacancy, the focus of Illinois lawmakers for now is ousting the governor. Cheryl Corley, NPR News, Chicago. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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