Rod Blagojevich yesterday defiantly declared his intention to cling on as Governor of Illinois, saying: “I will fight, I will fight, I will fight until my last breath.”

The embattled governor was making his first significant statement since federal prosecutors accused him of conducting a political corruption crime spree that included efforts to sell Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder.

Mr Blagojevich is the fifth Illinois governor to be indicted for white-collar crime since 1960. Three of his predecessors were convicted.

The governor, who refused to take questions, said that he was “not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing”, adding that he would not be forced out by “false accusations and a political lynch mob”.

Mr Obama, who has promised that neither he — nor any member of his team — had been complicit in efforts to sell the seat for money and favours, will be dismayed by the prospect of a drawn-out battle with Mr Blagojevich.

The scandal has overshadowed many of his recent press conferences and aides such as Rahm Emanuel have been the focus of intense rumours about what he said in conversations with the governor that were secretly recorded by the FBI.

The Illinois House of Representatives began proceedings to impeach Mr Blagojevich this week after the lieutenant-governor, 50 Democratic senators and Mr Obama all called for his resignation. This month Mr Obama denied any involvement in the scandal. “I had no contact with the governor’s office. I did not speak to the governor about these issues. That I know for certain,” he said.

Mr Blagojevich said: “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.” He asked that the people of his state “take a deep breath” and reserve judgment until he had been given his day in court.

The governor, who quoted Elvis Presley to reporters this week, wrapped up his statement by reading a long passage from Rudyard Kipling, saying: “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.”

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