Illinois State Senator Emil Jones has been selected by Governor Blagojevich to replace Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.
Bear in mind that this report was provided by a source to Fox News. I will follow up with any corroboration as it becomes available.
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[Update: Fox News edits story without disclosure]
In keeping with the Fox News tradition of journalistic ethics (or lack thereof), the story referenced in this diary has been modified to say the following:
Illinois Senate President Emil Jones has become the front runner to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the United States Senate, a source told FOX News.
This differs from the original language that said:
Illinois Senate President Emil Jones will replace President-elect Barack Obama in the United States Senate, a source told FOX News.
In the eight hours since I posted this diary, there has been no corroboration from any other news source.
What can I say...It's Fox!
[Original diary content continues below]
Jones is 73 years old so this may be a caretaker appointment for the seat that will become available again in 2010.
Watch this space for more bio info on Emil Jones.
From Fox News:
Jones, 73, served in the House of the Illinois General Assembly for 10 years until 1983 before joining the state Senate, where he's been ever since. He has four children with his late wife, Patricia.
From Wikipedia:
Emil Jones, Jr. (born October 18, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois) is the President of the Illinois Senate. A Democrat, Jones has served in the Illinois Senate since 1983, and he has been its President since 2003. Previously, he was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1973 until 1983.
From CBS News: Obama's Political "Godfather" In Illinois
Emil Jones Jr. helped Obama master the intricacies of the Legislature. When Democrats took control of the state Senate, Jones, though he risked offending colleagues who had toiled futilely on key issues under Republican rule, tapped Obama to take the lead on high-profile legislative initiatives that he now boasts about in his presidential campaign.
And when Obama wanted a promotion to the U.S. Senate, Jones provided critical support that gave the little-known legislator legitimacy, keeping him from being instantly trampled by the front-runners.
From Nate Silver:
Blagojevich's other direction would be to appoint a seat-warmer, most likely State Senate president Emil Jones, who was thought to be contemplating retirement. Jones could then bow out gracefully in 2010, allowing the Democrats to contest the seat in the primary. I would suggest that this is the wiser course of action.
From Markos:
I agree 100 percent with Nate -- appoint a caretaker Senator to fill out Obama's seat the next two years, and then let the people of Illinois decide in an open-seat Democratic primary and election decide who should be Obama's true successor. I know the DSCC wants someone to accrue the benefits of incumbency to lock the seat away in 2010, but 1) that's undemocratic, a problem compounded by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's corruption, and 2) we're talking Illinois here, where the GOP "bench" is completely non-existent.