Pro-Abortion Illinois Gov. Blagojevich Caught Trying to Sell Obama's Senate Seat

From http://www.lifenews.com/state3697.html


Pro-Abortion Illinois Gov. Blagojevich Caught Trying to Sell Obama's Senate Seat

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 9, 2008
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Springfield, IL (LifeNews.com) -- Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is one of the most ardent abortion proponents to occupy a gubernatorial position and, on Tuesday, a scandal of national proportions broke out involving him. Blagojevich stands accused of trying to sell the Senate seat incoming pro-abortion president Barack Obama vacated.
With Obama becoming president, his Chicago-area political buddy has the opportunity to appoint a replacement to serve out the remainder of his Senate term.
FBI agents arrested Blagojevich after federal wiretaps showed him talking with staff members about selling the seat.
Blagojevich apparently tried to exchange the Senate seat for financial favors for himself and his wife by getting a well-paying job from the appointee or a position on the board of directors of a company with which the Obama replacement may have ties.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Obama told reporters he was not aware of Blagojevich's attempt to sell his seat, which he has already resigned as he prepares his administration.
"I was not aware of what was happening," Obama said. "I had no contact with the governor or his office and so I was not aware of what was happening."
Whom Blagojevich appoints for the Senate seat could have an impact on national abortion policy by virtue of their vote on issues like the FOCA bill and taxpayer funding of abortions here and abroad.
Blagojevich has long been a thorn in the side of the pro-life movement.
In August 2007, he signed a bill that would force Illinois taxpayers to spend money on embryonic stem cell research.
The measure set up an institute under the Illinois Department of Public Health to award grants for the research, which has never helped any patients. It also makes embryonic stem cell research legal and establishes procedures for couples to donate their "unwanted" human embryos for studies.

Blagojevich had angered lawmakers over the last two years with executive orders spending state dollars on embryonic stem cell research without the backing of the legislature.He has previously spent $15 million on embryonic stem cell research and the bill put that funding into state law.
Meanwhile, Blagojevich was the subject of three separate lawsuits from pharmacists upset that he issued an executive order requiring that all pharmacists in the state should fill all legal prescriptions -- including those for drugs that sometimes cause abortions.