Ill. Sinks Deeper Into Chaos Over Scandal

Spokesman Lucio Guerrero said the governor has concerned himself with bills that are time sensitive, like Friday's autism measure.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich kisses one of his daughters goodbye as they depart their home in Chicago, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

(AP)

"He wants to show that he's still the governor and still has the authority and responsibility to sign into law important pieces of legislation," Guerrero said.

Blagojevich's attorney said the governor also stopped at the federal courthouse for several minutes Friday to complete pretrial paperwork that is required of all defendants. As he left his office, Blagojevich refused to answer questions from reporters, saying only, "I'll have a lot to say at the appropriate time."

The fallout over the scandal resumed Friday as John Harris, the governor's chief of staff, resigned. He was arrested with his boss on corruption charges. Harris attorney Jim Sotos said his client resigned "because it was the right thing to do, and that's all I'm going to say."

The taint of the scandal followed Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. for a third straight day. A report in the Chicago Tribune said businessmen with ties to the governor and the congressmen discussed raising $1 million for Blagojevich to get him to appoint Jackson to Obama's seat.

Jackson flatly denied any wrongdoing. "It is unfortunate that every appearance the governor makes and meeting he has taints everyone in attendance," Jackson said.

In Washington, people who have been briefed on the Illinois governor corruption investigation said Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is not a target of the probe.

Emanuel has refused to answer questions about whether he's the "president-elect adviser" referred to in the criminal complaint that accuses Blagojevich of putting Obama's Senate seat up for sale. The complaint does not say that Blagojevich ever spoke to the unidentified Obama adviser about the Senate seat.

Blagojevich faced a growing threat of impeachment when lawmakers gather Monday in Springfield. Because that process could take several weeks, Madigan said she felt compelled to go to the Supreme Court to deal with the Blagojevich matter in quicker fashion.