Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has announced plans to appoint former Illinois attorney general Roland Burris to serve out the remainder of Obama’s Senate term. Blagojevich was indicted earlier this month on corruption charges, including trying to sell Obama’s seat to the highest bidder. Lawmakers in Illinois and in Congress have vowed to reject any of Blagojevich’s appointments. On Tuesday, the Governor urged them to accept his choice.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich: “I’m absolutely confident and certain that the United States Senate is going to see a man of Roland Burris’s unquestioned integrity, extensive experience and his long history of public service. This is about Roland Burris as a United States senator, not about the governor who makes the appointment.”

Burris was the first African American elected to statewide office in Illinois. Appearing next to Blagojevich, Burris said he had no connection to the political scandal around Obama’s seat.

Roland Burris: “I welcome the challenges that await us in the 111th Congress. I have faith in the record that I have forged over the past four decades, and I am proud of my accomplishments as a public servant. I accept this appointment to fill the unexpired term of President-elect Barack Obama. I ask the people of Illinois to place the same faith and trust and me that they have in the past, when they elected me three times as their state controller and one term as their attorney general.”

In a statement, President-elect Obama praised Burris but said he won’t accept any appointments from Blagojevich. But in a sign of a looming internal political battle, Democratic Congress member Bobby Rush criticized the prospect of rejecting Burris’s appointment.

Rep. Bobby Rush: “I applaud the Governor for his decision, and I would ask you to not hang or lynch the appointee as you try to castigate the appointer. Separate, if you will, the appointee from the appointer. Roland Burris is worthy.”