The Illinois attorney general filed a motion with the state's highest court Friday asking for the removal of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is accused of trying to sell U.S. president-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat.

"I recognize that this is an extraordinary request, but these are extraordinary circumstances," Lisa Madigan said at a news conference.

Madigan's motion asks the Illinois Supreme Court to consider whether Blagojevich is fit to serve and asks for his ouster.

Madigan has asked the Supreme Court to appoint the lieutenant-governor as acting governor.

He is charged with conspiracy and solicitation to commit bribery in connection with the alleged scheme to sell the seat, for which he has the power to appoint someone. He denies any wrongdoing.

Madigan said that in light of the charges," Blagojevich can no longer fulfil his official duties with any legitimacy."

But she noted that the court has the discretion to hear the case or not.

The Ilinois legislature is scheduled to convene a special session on Monday. Madigan said she has encouraged legislators to move forward with impeachment proceedings.

"The impeachment process will take time. In the interim, state government is paralyzed by a governor who is incapable of governing."

Blagojevich spent the morning at his home praying with several ministers before going to work. According to one of the ministers, Blagojevich said he will be vindicated when they "hear each chapter completely written."

Jackson denies involvement

Also Friday, the son of American civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson denied a report linking him to the alleged scheme.

The Chicago Tribune reported Friday that while Blagojevich was trying to pick the state's next U.S. senator, businessmen with ties to both the governor and U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. talked about raising $1 million for Blagojevich's campaign to encourage him to pick Jackson for the job.

Citing unnamed sources, the Tribune reported that businessman Raghuveer Nayak and Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi told attendees at an Oct. 31 meeting that they needed to raise $1 million for the governor to make sure Jackson was appointed to the Senate. The report called Nayak a Blagojevich supporter who is also close to the Jackson family. Bedi has also been a Blagojevich fundraiser.

Jackson spokesman Rick Bryant told the Tribune the congressman has spoken of his interest in the Senate seat, but never asked Nayak to do anything for him.

James Montgomery, Jackson's lawyer, told the paper "he could not rule out that such possibilities were discussed with Blagojevich by people who did not have his client's blessing."

Obama to release inquiry findings

The report comes a day after Obama said no members of his staff were involved in the alleged conspiracy.

"What I'm absolutely certain about is that our office had no involvement in any dealmaking around my Senate seat — that, I’m absolutely certain of," Obama told reporters during a news conference in Chicago to announce the appointment of Tom Daschle as health secretary.

The president-elect has vowed to release within days the results of an internal investigation into what conversations his aides and advisers may have had with Blagojevich.

Obama, who takes office on Jan. 20, also urged Blagojevich to step down.

"I hope that the governor himself comes to the conclusion that he can no longer effectively serve and that he does resign," he said.

With files from the Associated Press