CHICAGO (AP):

President-elect Barack Obama called for the governor of Illinois to resign yesterday, hours after the embattled governor reported for work amid charges he plotted to sell Obama's vacant Senate seat.

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president-elect agrees with other prominent politicians in Illinois and elsewhere that "under the current circumstances, it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois".

Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday, accused of scheming to enrich himself by selling Obama's open seat for cash or a lucrative job for himself. The governor, a second-term Democrat, has authority to appoint the replacement.

Solution

In response to questions from The Associated Press, Gibbs said Obama believes the Illinois General Assembly should consider how to fill the Senate seat and "put in place a process to select a new senator that will have the trust and confidence of the people of Illinois". Aides say Obama is refraining from stating what that solution should be.

Blagojevich is out on bond and has denied any wrongdoing. He returned to work Wednesday.

One of his top aides, Deputy Governor Bob Greenlee, resigned yesterday, Blagojevich spokeswoman Kelley Quinn said. She did not give a reason for Greenlee's resignation, and it was not immediately clear if Greenlee was one of the deputy governors named in the complaint against Blagojevich.

Replace Obama

Two deputy governors are listed, one as a potential Senate candidate to replace Obama and another as a Blagojevich lieutenant who was deeply involved in an alleged scheme to shake down the Chicago Tribune.

After a lawyer for United States Representative Jesse Jackson Jr said the congressman is the "Senate Candidate 5" mentioned in the complaint, Jackson called a news conference in Washington to deny any wrongdoing.

The governor's attorney, Sheldon Sorosky, said Tuesday he did not know of any immediate plans for the governor to resign. Blagojevich believes he did not do anything wrong and asks Illinois residents to have faith in him, Sorosky said.