Illinois GOP Angry Over Session Without Special Election Talks

Illinois Senate Republicans are angry the Democratic majority ended their session without taking up calls for a special election to fill President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat.

The Senate adjourned abruptly Tuesday, riling that chamber's GOP members who thought they were brought in for a special session Monday to consider the special election issue.

Lawmakers had indicated they wanted to move quickly to strip Gov. Rod Blagojevich of the power to appoint the seat after federal prosecutors charged him with trying to sell or trade it for personal gain.

Republican state Sen. David Luechtefeld of the southern Illinois town of Okawville calls the two-day session and its adjournment "a total sham."

The Senate did vote to empanel a group to research impeachment proceedings in hopes of drawing up rules, if the House moves to impeach Blagojevich.