Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan on Tuesday set in motion a process that could take the appointment of a successor to President-elect Barack Obama away from indicted Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

He says he'll strip governor of power to pick senator.

Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan on Tuesday set in motion a process that could take the appointment of a successor to President-elect Barack Obama away from indicted Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, said he was prepared to convene the Illinois House on Monday to change state law to provide for a special election for the U.S. Senate replacement.

Madigan said the indictment of Blagojevich on charges he sought money for his choice for that Senate spot was a "new low" for Illinois politics.

"I believe in the rights of individuals to due process," Madigan said, "but I also believe action must be taken to avoid certain functions of state government from being irrevocably tarnished by Gov. Blagojevich's continued exercise of power."

Senate President Emil Jones said he would also call senators back into special session.

In Washington, Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said a special election was the only good option.

"The alternative of a vacancy or a tainted appointment — those alternatives are not acceptable," Durbin said. "I think that's the only way out of this."

He urged Illinois legislators to act quickly and to agree on a bill that could withstand a Blagojevich veto.

And Durbin said he wouldn't rule out a veto. "Most executives don't like to give up any power," Durbin said.

Many Republican legislators called on Blagojevich to resign or face possible impeachment.

"Today our state is facing a crisis," House Republican leader Tom Cross said. "Illinois citizens are victims of a corrupt governor."

Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, said the ideal scenario would be for Blagojevich to resign.

"I'd like him to give a press conference by the end of the week in which he could say, 'I will need to devote all my energies to proving my innocence, and given the scope of these charges, I hereby resign, effective Jan. 15, 2009,'" Black said.

He said an impeachment process would take about three months to complete.

Most observers don't expect a resignation.

"If I were Gov. Blagojevich's attorney, I would advise him not to do anything until the criminal case is settled," said Robert F. Rich, a law professor and director of the university's Institute of Government and Public Affairs. "To resign would be seen as an admittance of guilt."

State Sen. William Haine, D-Alton, said a resignation would remove the immediate crisis but leave Illinoisans' confidence even more damaged than it has been by earlier scandals.

Steve Brown, a spokesman for Madigan, said, "If you've been following Illinois politics over the last several years, then you know the governor's behavior has been extremely erratic. Unfortunately, I think we're going to have to put up with a lot more of that, at least in the short term."

Brown added, "Let me give you a little hint: Go to a computer and Google 'sociopath.' In layman's terms, it lays out the traits and diagnosis of behavior that accurately fits Blagojevich."

If convicted, Blagojevich would share in the fate of three other Illinois governors, Otto Kerner Jr., Daniel Walker and George Ryan. However, they were charged after they left office.

According to researchers from Rich's office, Blagojevich is only the second Illinois governor charged with a federal crime while in office. Lennington Small, a Republican who served from 1921 to 1929, was indicted on charges that he embezzled and laundered $600,000 when he was state treasurer. He was acquitted. Four of the jurors in the trial subsequently got state jobs.

Terry Hillig and Bob Albrecht of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

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