CHICAGO – The Illinois House of Representatives voted on Monday to begin an impeachment inquiry into Gov. Rod Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell the US Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

The inquiry, approved 113-0, will be placed in the hands of a special committee. If it determines that impeachment is warranted, the House would vote on whether to impeach, to be followed by a trial in the state senate.

If convicted at trial the governor could be forced from office.

Both Obama and Blagojevich are Democrats. How Obama's US Senate replacement will be picked remained in limbo. It would usually be the governor's sole choice but the controversy has led to calls for a special election to fill the seat.

While Obama has said he is "absolutely certain" that no member of his team engaged in any deal making, the scandal has proven an unwelcome distraction as he prepares to take office on January 20.

The Republican Party responded with a new advertisement declaring that "questions remain" over Obama's links to the disgraced Democratic governor.

Reports have also surfaced that Obama's chief of staff Rahm Emmanuel contacted Blagojevich to suggest names to take over the seat but he has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Transcripts released by federal prosecutors showed that Obama's staff were offering nothing more than "appreciation" to Blagojevich -- much to the foul-mouthed frustration of the governor, who wanted a cabinet post at the least.

Emmanuel has avoided the press since the scandal broke but appeared red with anger when speaking to an ABC news cameraman camped out outside his home.

"I'm getting regular death threats," the cameraman said Emmanuel told him Friday after he was invited inside to use the bathroom.

"You've put my home address on national television. I'm pissed at the networks. You've intruded too much."

Blagojevich has refused to resign after his arrest December 9 in an FBI investigation that accuses him of staggering corruption, including refusing to free up funds for a children's hospital until he received a 50,000 dollar campaign contribution.

Illinois attorney general has filed pleadings asking the Illinois Supreme Court to temporarily remove Blagojevich from office or else strip him of the bulk of his powers.

Obama has indicated support for a special election but it could take months to organize, and some state Democrats fear losing the seat to the Republicans.

Another option up for debate in the state legislature is for a temporary senator to be appointed until a special election takes place, possibly in April.

As it stands, the Democrats will control 58 seats in the new US Senate assembling in January, two short of a "super-majority" capable of defeating Republican blocking tactics in the 100-seat chamber.

Blagojevich's chief of staff John Harris, who was also charged with fraud and solicitation of bribery last Tuesday in what prosecutors called a "political corruption crime spree," tendered his resignation on Friday.

Blagojevich has refused to comment publicly on the charges, telling reporters only that he will speak to them "at an appropriate time."

He returned to work again on Monday after releasing a statement Friday saying he was "pleased" to have signed a bill providing insurance coverage to parents of children with autism into law. With Reuters and Agence France-Presse