Blago back at work signing bills even as Madigan tries to remove him

Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a health care measure into law just hours after Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan moved to ask the Illinois Supreme Court to strip his power, arguing he can "no longer fulfill his official duties with any legitimacy."

Meanwhile, more cracks appeared in the governor's inner circle. Chief of staff John Harris, who was arrested and charged with Blagojevich, resigned from his state job, the governor's spokesman said. A deputy governor referenced in the prosecutors criminal complaint resigned on Wednesday.

Still ducking questions three days after his arrest on sweeping corruption charges, the governor's office issued a statement from Blagojevich this afternoon that only pertained to the legislation he signed into law.

"I have continued to fight for this cause and I am pleased to sign this bill into law today," the statement read.

The measure mandates insurance companies cover expenses for autistic children, and was the focus of one of many battles this year between Blagojevich and House Speaker Michael Madigan, the attorney general's father.

Blagojevich gained a measure of praise in pushing for its approval before his arrest and his moves today only add to the perception that he has no immediate thoughts of stepping down despite repeated calls from all corners for him to do so.

The governor has not publicly defended himself following federal charges he was caught on tape trying to sell a U.S. Senate, legislation, state grants and state help with Wrigley Field for personal profit.

However, his attorney has said he did nothing wrong and ministers who where called by Blagojevich to his North Side home emerged this morning to say the governor insists he is innocent.

The Rev. Leonard Barr of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, told reporters they "prayed that he would continue to be a great governor for the state of Illinois."

But moves to kick him out of office have only grown stronger.

All eyes are now on the state's Supreme Court justices as they weigh whether to even hear Madigan's argument to seat Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn as the state's chief executive and strip the governor of his powers. A group of citizens has also made a similar filing.

Madigan said she doesn't know when the justices may make a decision, but she anticipated it could come "soon."

Madigan's announcement came shortly before noon and the governor's release came out at about 2 p.m. The governor was in the Thompson Center for only a few hours today. He went to his office for about 8 hours on both Wednesday and Thursday, dodging hordes of press who tracked his every move.

Madigan's filing with the Supreme Court is the strongest move yet taken to oust the sitting governor.

At the same time, lawmakers are discussing whether or not to press forward with impeachment proceedings against Blagojevich, who has not made any public statements since his arrest early Tuesday morning.

Madigan said she supports those efforts, but knows it could take weeks or months for that process to work.

Madigan is using an obscure rule that outlines the justices ability to oust a sitting governor if the chief executive can't perform the duties of the office.

"The attorney general is moving into untested ground with this motion," said Robert F. Rich, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois. "It will be extremely interesting to see how the Supreme Court reacts."

Standards for the rule have not been set and Madigan acknowledged the rule, in existence since the early 1970s, has never been used to remove a governor.

"The Illinois Supreme Court could do virtually anything," under the rule, Madigan said at a hastily called afternoon news conference in downtown Chicago.

As part of her basis for the filing, Madigan argues state business will grind to a halt because he can't effectively operate the state given the charges against him. However, the governor still has all the legal authority he had as the state's chief executive Friday that he had before the arrest. His move to sign legislation today is part of a broader effort to project a sense of "normalcy," the governor's spokesman has said.

Madigan, however, faced questions about her own political stake in the court's decisions. She has expressed interest in running for governor in 2010 and Quinn has floated her name as a possible choice for President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat should he take over the reins of the state.

Madigan said this afternoon that politics didn't play a role in her decision to go to the Supreme Court.

"Political issues and political matters are not even on my radar screen," she said.

The two-term attorney general also said she supports moves by lawmakers to hold a special election for the Senate seat.

Madigan's move to strip the governor of his authority came after it became clear Blagojevich was showing no signs he might step down.

Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero told the Daily Herald Thursday may sign other pieces of legislation. He is also moving forward with a massive borrowing plan to pay a backlog of bills owed to schools and health care providers, Guerrero said.

"He wants to make sure that state government continues to operate," Guerrero said.

The governor has been alternately holed up in his home or his downtown office since his arrest on federal corruption charges. He met with clergymen at his North Side home on Friday morning.

The Rev. Ira Acree of the Greater St. John Bible Church said Blagojevich discussed trying to get a legal and political consultation team in place, but feels as if everything is closing in on him and that he's not getting "any space or chance to sort anything out."

Acree and two other pastors - The Rev. Steve Jones, president of the Baptist Pastor's Conference, and the Rev. Marshall Hatch of the New Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church - met with Blagojevich for about 20 minutes this morning.

Jones said they prayed with Blagojevich and his family.

"I look at it like this: Everybody that's hurting needs hope and the family needs hope and that's what our jobs are as pastors," Jones said. "Nobody should be left hopeless. Nobody, no matter what the circumstances."

Shortly after they left, a fourth minister, the Rev. Leonard Barr of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, arrived at the governor's house with his wife, Rita.

He said they were invited by the governor and that the two "prayed that he would continue to be a great governor for the state of Illinois."

Meanwhile, calls for the governor to step down are intensifying. The lieutenant governor has joined a bevy of lawmakers in demanding that Blagojevich be impeached, saying he has become an embarrassment to the state and can no longer lead. His approval rating plummeted to a shockingly low 8 percent.

"When you have no confidence from the people, in a democracy there's nowhere else to go but to resign," Lt. Pat Quinn said Thursday

Daily Herald Senior State Government Editor John Patterson and news services contributed to this report.

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