Ill. atty. gen. moves to oust Blagojevich
CHICAGO, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan moved Friday to temporarily remove Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office in the wake of federal charges filed against him.
"I think the state would be best served if Governor Blagojevich would resign," Madigan told a news conference.
She said she filed a motion with the Illinois Supreme Court, asking the justices to declare Blagojevich unfit to serve in office. She is seeking a temporary restraining order barring Blagojevich from disbursing state funds or making appointments. She said she is hoping the court will act within 10 days.
"We are focused on making sure state government runs for the benefit of the people," Madigan said.
Blagojevich is accused of attempting to sell to the highest bidder the vacated U.S. Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama for personal gain among other things.
Among those involved in handling the case is former federal appellate Judge Abner Mikva.
"The law gives the authority to the Illinois Supreme Court to make a determination whether the governor is fit to serve ... We're hoping the court will appoint Lt. Gov. (Pat) Quinn to serve" in Blagojevich's place at least temporarily, she said.
The action leaves open the possibility the Illinois Legislature can still move forward with impeachment proceedings. The state House is scheduled to convene next week in emergency session.
Mikva noted the action is temporary and the court action would become moot should Blagojevich resign or be impeached. He said the attorney general's office is hoping the temporary nature of the action will encourage the court to act.
Madigan said she consulted with all the legislative leaders, including her father, House Speaker Mike Madigan, D-Chicago, encouraging them to proceed with impeachment proceedings.
Blagojevich's chief of staff quits
CHICAGO, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- John Harris, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's chief of staff and co-defendant, submitted his resignation Friday.
Lucio Guerrero, a spokesman for the governor, said that Harris's resignation was effective immediately, WBBM-AM, Chicago, reported.
His lawyer said that Harris gave the letter to the governor in person, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Blagojevich and Harris were arrested Tuesday on corruption charges. Blagojevich, among other things, allegedly hoped to capitalize on his power to appoint someone to President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat, U.S. prosecutors said.
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald released an obscenity-laced tape of a telephone conversation between the two men in which Blagojevich talked of what he hoped to get for the seat.
Blagojevich remains in office and at work although he is under pressure to resign. Obama is among those who have said he should resign.
Tribune subpoenaed in Blagojevich case
CHICAGO, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- The Chicago Tribune has confirmed it has been subpoenaed by federal investigators as part of the inquiry into Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The newspaper said Friday, according to an unidentified source, federal authorities want to the use the subpoena to uncover any documents linked to the governor's alleged extortion efforts against the Tribune.
Blagojevich, who was arrested Tuesday on fraud and bribery charges, has been accused of threatening to withhold funds for Wrigley Field unless the newspaper fired certain editors. Those editors involved in the alleged extortion plot had previously been critical of the state official, the Tribune said.
The newspaper also said the unnamed associate of Tribune Company Chief Executive Officer Sam Zell said to be involved in the alleged plot is Nils Larsen.
Zell wouldn't comment on his alleged involvement in the incident, while a company spokesman said no company officials did anything inappropriate in regards to the incident.
Bush not ruling out TARP funds for autos
WASHINGTON, Ill., Dec. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush pledged Friday to seek new options, such as Wall Street rescue funds, to help U.S. automakers after a bailout bill died in Congress.
While preferring to let market conditions dictate the fate of private business, "given the current weakened state of the U.S. economy, we will consider other options if necessary – including use of the (Troubled Asset Relief Plan) program -- to prevent a collapse of troubled automakers," Bush said in a statement issued by spokeswoman Dana Perino. "A precipitous collapse of this industry would have a severe impact on our economy, and it would be irresponsible to further weaken and destabilize our economy at this time."
TARP is the U.S. Treasury Department program to rescue U.S. financial markets.
The president expressed disappointment at Congress's failure to pass "appropriate and effective legislation" to help the troubled Big Three automakers. The House passed the measure but the Senate failed to endorse the plan or come up with an alternative.
The legislation, among other things, would have provided $14 billion in bridge loans to cash-strapped General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC from already appropriated money. In addition, the measure would have set out terms for Ford Motor Co., which said it needs a $9 billion credit line. It also would have directed Bush to name a "car czar" to monitor the automakers' progress in their return to private, self-sustaining status or consider bankruptcy protection if they didn't.
"The approach ... presented the best chance to avoid a disorderly bankruptcy while ensuring taxpayer funds go only to firms whose stakeholders were prepared to make the difficult decisions to become viable, competitive firms in the future," Bush said.
FBI: White powder sent to 30 governors
DALLAS, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- More than 30 envelopes containing white powder have been mailed to governors' offices around the United States this week, the FBI said Friday.
The envelopes have also contained notes, Robert E. Casey Jr., special agent in charge in Dallas, said. All were postmarked in Texas.
After field screening, the powder has been sent to laboratories for testing.
"It's likely there will be more," the FBI said in a statement. "These letters are all similar in nature."
The Utah Capitol was evacuated for several hours Thursday after one of the envelopes arrived at Gov. Jon Huntsman's office. On Friday, Idaho Gov. C.L. Otter received one, the Deseret News reported.
White powder hoaxes have become common since 2001, when several people died after letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to members of Congress and several news organizations. But Casey said that even hoaxes can have "severe consequences" by draining emergency resources.
Poll: Palestinian elections very popular
RAMALLAH, West Bank, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- An estimated 75 percent of Palestinians support a new round of elections if regional reconciliation efforts fail, poll results in the West Bank and Gaza show.
The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research said Friday a recent public opinion poll of 1,270 adults found that an estimated 75 percent of Palestinians asked supported early 2009 elections if Hamas and Fatah officials are unable to reconcile their differences.
The electoral proposal comes from Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The poll respondents supported his proposal if the elections are allowed to take place in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the center said.
The poll, conducted Dec. 3-5 in the two troubled regions, also found two-thirds of all respondents feel the presidential term of Abbas expires in January. Hamas officials have maintained that term limit, while Abbas and Fatah leaders say the president's term officially ends in January 2010.
The center said 48 percent of those surveyed in the poll, which has a margin of error of 3 percent, said they would vote for Abbas in a presidential election. Top Fatah presidential candidate, Ismail Haniyeh, earned 38 percent of respondents' support.
