President-elect Barack Obama and congressional Democrats were in lockstep Tuesday in their rejection of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s appointment to take the U.S. Senate seat once occupied by Obama.

Democrats had made it clear that they wanted Blagojevich to relinquish his power of appointment given his current legal problems. The governor is accused of trying to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder. Federal investigators say they taped Blagojevich discussing the worth of the seat.

But in a surprise move on Tuesday, the governor defied the Democrats and named Roland Burris, a 71-year-old former state attorney general to take Obama’s place in the Senate.   If Burris’ appointment holds up, he would be the only African American in the Senate.

"As governor, I am required to make this appointment," Blagojevich said at a news conference in Chicago. To do nothing, he said, would leave Illinois residents "deprived of their appropriate voice."  

The Obama Senate seat would remain vacant during the time he is caught up in impeachment proceedings. He urged Illinois voters not to "allow the allegations against me to taint this honest and decent man."  But Obama and his fellow partymates weren’t buying it.

In a statement issued late Tuesday, Obama referred to Burris as a fine man but upheld that the Senate cannot accept Blagojevich’s appointment. He reiterated his position that Blagojevich resign and let the position be filled another way.