Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, who was arrested Tuesday on federal corruption charges, sought to enhance his political stature by trading an appointment to the Senate seat formerly held by President-elect Obama for a Cabinet position, with secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) being one of the posts mentioned.

On Nov. 5, the day after the presidential election, “Blagojevich spoke with [an unidentified] deputy governor regarding positions that [he] might be able to obtain in exchange for the soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat. Among the potential positions discussed were secretary of Health and Human Services [HHS] and various ambassadorships,” according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

But the unidentified deputy governor reminded Blagojevich that “the cabinet position of secretary of energy is ‘the one that makes the most money.’ [The] deputy governor stated that it is hard not to give the secretary of energy [post] to a Texan, but with Rod Blagojevich’s coal background it might be a possibility.”

Two days later on Nov. 7, however, Blagojevich dismissed the idea of DOE secretary, saying instead he was willing to “trade” the vacated Senate seat in exchange for the position of HHS secretary.

Obama Wednesday joined a chorus of other Democrats calling for Blagojevich to step down as governor.

Both Blagojevich, 51, and aide John Harris, 46, were charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. Blagojevich was taken into federal custody Tuesday in Chicago and later released.

In exchange for Obama’s former Senate seat, Blagojevich was accused of seeking either a substantial salary for himself at a nonprofit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions; placing his wife on paid corporate boards where he speculated she might have received as much as $150,000 a year; obtaining campaign funds; or being named to the Obama administration.

“The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering,” said U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald for the Northern District of Illinois. “They allege that Blagojevich put a ‘for sale’ sign in the naming of a United States senator; involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism.”

The probe was part of Operation Board Games, a five-year-old public corruption investigation of the pay-to-play schemes.

Blagojevich still retains all of his powers as governor, including the right to choose Obama’s successor, CQ Today reported. The Illinois House is expected to convene a special session on Dec. 15, at which time the state House Elections Committee will meet to consider a bill to amend state law to strip Blagojevich of his appointment power and provide for a special election to fill the Senate seat, it said.

A fighter, Blagojevich is not expected to resign, according to CQ Today. But the Illinois legislature could impeach him and remove him from office.

Blagojevich, who is in his second term, was elected as a reformer to clean up the corruption of former Gov. George Ryan.

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