Obama: Blagojevich appointee shouldn't be seated

[December 31, 2008]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- President-elect Barack Obama says he supports the decision by Senate Democrats to deny his vacated Senate seat to an appointee of embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

On Tuesday, Blagojevich appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris. He would be the nation's only black senator.

Democratic leaders in the Senate are rejecting the appointment, arguing that because of accusations that Blagojevich tried to sell the seat to the highest bidder, any appointment by him would be tainted.

In a statement, Obama called Burris a fine man but said he agreed that the Senate cannot accept an appointment from Blagojevich. Obama repeated his call for Blagojevich to resign and allow the seat to be filled by other means.

[Associated Press]

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