President-elect Barack Obama, once again dogged by questions on the scandal over his now-vacant Senate seat, told reporters today that it is “a little bit frustrating” to keep from releasing information on whether members of his team were in contact with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) about potential appointments to replace him in the upper chamber.
“It’s a little bit frustrating. There’s been a lot of speculation in the press that I would love to correct immediately,” Obama said today at a news conference introducing his picks for secretary of Interior and Agriculture, Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D).
For the second straight day, Obama faced questions on the Blagojevich scandal at a news conference designed to roll out new Cabinet picks. Yesterday, he faced similar questions while unveiling the selection of prospective Education secretary Arne Duncan.
Obama has pledged an internal review of any contacts between his staffers and Blagojevich. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s 76-page criminal complaint against Blagojevich suggested an Obama adviser had been in contact with the governor about Obama’s former seat, and many have speculated the unnamed adviser was Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
Obama said he is abiding by Fitzgerald’s request that information be withheld until next week.