Pat Dollard

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CNN: CHICAGO, Illinois — An Illinois legislative committee today unanimously recommended impeaching embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich amid corruption allegations.

Blagojevich was arrested last month after federal prosecutors alleged, among other things, that he had tried to sell the Senate seat that President-elect Barack Obama has vacated.

The issue will now be taken up by the full state House of Representatives.

The 21-member committee looked into Blagojevich’s actions on a number of issues beyond the federal allegations

Before the vote, the committee said in a draft report that “the totality of the evidence warrants the impeachment of the governor for cause.”

The impeachment committee The draft report was posted on the committee’s Web site.

The committee heard testimony Thursday afternoon from Roland Burris, the man Blagojevich appointed to succeed President-elect Barack Obama in the Senate.

Burris denied any quid pro quo with Blagojevich for his appointment to the U.S. Senate during testimony before a panel weighing whether to impeach Blajojevich.

Illinois Republicans want to know whether Burris, a Democrat, was “paying to play.” GOP lawmakers point to state records showing that Burris and his lobbying firm contributed more than $20,000 to the governor’s political campaigns.

Burris, former attorney general for Illinois, is not accused of engaging in “pay-to-play” politics with Blagojevich.

Burris also told lawmakers he had no conversations with Blagojevich about his desire to step into the seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

In a written affidavit given to the impeachment panel, Burris said he had one limited conversation with the governor about the Senate seat before he was appointed. And that conversation, he said, was initiated by a Blagojevich attorney.

FBI agents arrested Blagojevich on December 9 after federal prosecutors alleged, among other things, that he had tried to sell Obama’s Senate seat.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald initiated a criminal complaint against Blagojevich after listening to wiretaps of the governor’s phone conversations.

Federal investigators say they recorded the Illinois governor engaging in “pay-to-play” politics on the calls by demanding campaign contributions and other benefits in exchange for passage of legislation.

Fitzgerald is weighing whether federal charges were warranted against Blagojevich. A federal judge in Chicago told Fitzgerald that he has until April 7 to decide whether to charge the Illinois governor.

Blagojevich denies wrongdoing and has ignored calls to resign