Obama's Intervention for Ethics Bill Indirectly Led to Case Against Governor  —  In a sequence of events that neatly captures the contradictions of Barack Obama's rise through Illinois politics, a phone call he made three months ago to urge passage of a state ethics bill indirectly contributed …

Attorney: Blagojevich has no plans of resigning  —  CHICAGO— The attorney for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said the governor will be vindicated and he has no plans to resign.  —  “He didn't do anything wrong,” attorney Sheldon Sorosky told reporters after Blagojevich was arraigned.

Chicago reporter suggests Rahm Emanuel may have ‘tipped’ off federal investigators about Blagojevich.»  —  Marcy Wheeler catches local Chicago press reporting that Rahm Emanuel may have tipped off federal investigators that Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) was engaging in corrupt acts.

Illinois' top lawmakers to strip Blago of senate pick power  —  (Crain's) — The state's top two legislative leaders Tuesday said they will move fast to seize control of the process of selecting a replacement for Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate, taking that power away from Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Aide: Ax ‘misspoke’  —  An Obama aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity, took back David Axelrod's remark last month that Barack Obama and Rod Blagojevich had spoken recently.  —  “What the president-elect said today is correct, David Axelrod misspoke,” the aide said.

Obama works to distance himself from Ill. governor  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - Though Barack Obama isn't accused of anything, the charges against his home-state governor - concerning Obama's own Senate seat no less - are an unwelcome distraction.  And the ultimate fallout is unclear.

Blago calls Obama “motherf—er”  —  The tapes reveal a two-term governor who no longer wants his job, badly wants cash and is determined to leverage a financial benefit out of his appointment powers.  —  He also appears to think little of the president-elect, whom he calls a “motherf***er” at one point.