Often I’ve thanked Claire McCaskill sarcastically, but there’s none of that here. McCaskill has joined every single Democratic (and independent) Senator in signing a letter that asks Rod Blagojevich to step down as governor and to pass the task of appointing a US Senator to fill Illinois’ vacant seat to his successor.

Full text of the letter in the link or below the fold.  

December 10, 2008

Dear Governor Blagojevich:

We write to insist that you step down as Governor of Illinois and under no circumstance make an appointment to fill the vacant Illinois Senate seat.  In light of your arrest yesterday on alleged federal corruption charges related to that Senate seat, any appointment by you would raise serious questions.  

It is within the authority of the Illinois legislature to remove your power to make this appointment by providing for a special election.  But a decision by you to resign or to step aside under Article V of the Illinois Constitution would be the most expeditious way for a new Senator to be chosen and seated in a manner that would earn the confidence of the people of Illinois and all Americans.  We consider it imperative that a new senator be seated as soon as possible so that Illinois is fully represented in the Senate as the important work of the 111th Congress moves forward.

Please understand that should you decide to ignore the request of the Senate Democratic Caucus and make an appointment we would be forced to exercise our Constitutional authority under Article I, Section 5, to determine whether such a person should be seated.

We do not prejudge the outcome of the criminal charges against you or question your constitutional right to contest those charges.  But for the good of the Senate and our nation, we implore you to refrain from making an appointment to the Senate.                                                        

Sincerely,

Sen. Reid

Sen. Durbin

Sen. Schumer

Sen. Murray

Sen. Akaka

Sen. Baucus

Sen. Bayh

Sen. Biden

Sen. Bingaman

Sen. Boxer

Sen. Brown

Sen. Byrd

Sen. Cantwell

Sen. Cardin

Sen. Carper

Sen. Casey

Sen. Clinton

Sen. Dodd

Sen. Dorgan

Sen. Feingold

Sen. Feinstein

Sen. Harkin

Sen. Inouye

Sen. Johnson

Sen. Kennedy

Sen. Kerry

Sen. Klobuchar

Sen. Kohl

Sen. Landrieu

Sen. Lautenberg

Sen. Leahy

Sen. Levin

Sen. Lincoln

Sen. McCaskill

Sen. Menendez

Sen. Mikulski

Sen. Bill Nelson

Sen. Pryor

Sen. Reed

Sen. Rockefeller

Sen. Salazar

Sen. Sanders

Sen. Stabenow

Sen. Tester

Sen. Whitehouse

Sen. Wyden