Obama review clears staff in Blagojevich probe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President-elect Barack Obama's aides had no improper contact with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who has been accused of seeking to sell Obama's Senate seat, a review by his office concluded Tuesday.

Blagojevich is at the center of a corruption investigation that has made national headlines and left Obama's transition team scrambling to distance the incoming president from the scandal-tarred governor.

Blagojevich, like Obama a Democrat, has denied any wrongdoing and refused to resign from his job.

The report by Obama's office detailed contacts between Obama staffers -- including chief of staff Rahm Emanuel -- and employees in Blagojevich's office and concluded that there was "no indication of inappropriate discussions with the governor or anyone from his office about a 'deal' or a quid pro quo arrangement in which he would receive a personal benefit in return for any specific appointment to fill the vacancy."

The U.S. attorney's office, in announcing the charges against Blagojevich this month, said Obama was in no way implicated. The transition team review also said Obama had not spoken to the governor about these issues.

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