Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich addressed the media for the first time since his arrest on Friday and said, that he was not guilty, that he is not stepping down as governor, and that he will “fight until I take my last breath.”

He cast himself as a victim in the case, and said he will not let a “political lynch mob” force him from office.

Blagojevich did not take questions after the news conference, but one of his attorneys, Sam Adam Jr., issued a spirited defense of the governor when he took questions afterward.

Adam said the governor is still able and qualified to lead.

Prosecutors say FBI wiretaps caught Blagojevich scheming to deal President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat for campaign cash or a plum job. He is also accused of attempting to withhold funding to the facilitate the Tribune Company sale of Wrigley Field if editorial writers for the Tribune paper weren’t fired, and attempting to shake down Children’s Memorial Hospital.

Also, in a document dated Thursday, the state House special investigative committee handling the impeachment hearings asked U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald with copies of all the surveillance recordings against Blagojevich, the names of witnesses only identified in the criminal complaint by letters or numbers, and interviews with other witnesses. A response has not yet been issued by Fitzgerald’s office.

The document indicated that the impeachment committee plans to accuse Blagojevich not of the charges in the criminal complaint, but of abuse of power charges. Among them are entering the Family Care Program into law with no legislative approval, illegal spending on flu vaccines, hiring of consultants and contractors, and giving $1 million to the Loop Lab School that later vanished.

TRANSCRIPT FROM THE MOUTH OF A CROOK:

OK. Thank you very much.

I’m here to tell you right off the bat that I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, that I intend to stay on the job, and I will fight this thing every step of the way.

I will fight. I will fight. I will fight until I take my last breath.

I have done nothing wrong, and I’m not going to quit a job the people hired me to do because of false accusations and a political lynch mob.

Now, that’s what I’m going to do. Let me tell you what I’m not going to do. I’m not going to do what my accusers and political enemies have been doing, and that is talk about this case in 30-second sound bites on “Meet the Press” or on the T.V. news.

Now, I’m dying to answer these charges. I am dying to show you how innocent I am. And I want to assure everyone who’s here, and everyone who’s listening, that I intend to answer every allegation that comes my way.

However, I intend to answer them in the appropriate forum — in a court of law. And when I do, I am absolutely certain that I will be vindicated.

Rudyard Kipling wrote, If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you; if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you and make allowance for their doubting, too; if you can wait and not be tired by waiting; or being lied about, don’t deal in lies; or being hated, don’t give way to hating.

Now, I know there are some powerful forces arrayed against me. It’s kind of lonely right now. But I have on my side the most powerful ally there is, and it’s the truth.

And besides, I have the personal knowledge that I have not done anything wrong.

To the people of Illinois, I ask that they wait and be patient, sit back and take a deep breath, and please reserve judgment. Afford me the same rights that you and your children have. The presumption of innocence. The right to defend yourself. The right to your day in court. The same rights that you would expect for yourselves.

And one last thing: To all of those — to those of you who have expressed your support to Patti and me during this difficult time, I’d like to thank you for your thoughts; I’d like to thank you for your prayers; and I’d like to thank you for your good wishes.

Patti and I cannot express to you how grateful we are for your kindness.

Happy holidays.

(Source: CBS News / Politico)