Washington  - Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich made a final effort to save his job, denying any wrongdoing at his impeachment trial in the state's Senate Thursday and arguing that removing him from office would set a dangerous precedent.

Blagojevich appeared in the Senate for the first time since the body began weighing whether he should be stripped of his job following his December arrest on broad corruption charges, including trying to sell President Barack Obama's vacated US Senate seat to the highest bidder.

"I have done nothing wrong and all I ask of you is a chance to show you I have done nothing wrong," Blagojevich said.

The Illinois House voted January 9 to impeach the 52-year-old governor, sending it to the Senate for a trial and vote on whether to remove him from office. That vote could come later Thursday.

Blagojevich has been defiant since his December 9 arrest outside his Chicago home by federal agents, maintaining his innocence and rejected calls to step down, including from Obama.

"If I felt I had done something wrong, I would have resigned," he said.

Blagojevich said the evidence against him was weak, and said the legislature proceedings were premature because he had a chance to fight the charges against him in federal court.

Federal court documents say that Blagojevich was recorded in wire- tapped telephone conversations repeatedly stating his intent to personally benefit in a "pay-to-play" scheme, including seeking campaign contributions in return for support on legislation.

Blagojevich was also heard exploring ways to solicit bribes from potential candidates to replace Obama in the US Senate. The governor has the sole power to appoint a successor when a senator resigns a seat before the term expires and elections can be held.

Blagojevich and his former top aide, John Harris, face up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the federal charges in the ongoing investigation.

Blagojevich's defiance was characterized by his controversial decision to appoint Roland Burris, 71, to the US Senate after the arrest. Democratic leaders in the Senate reluctantly agreed to accept Burris after concluding their legal options to oppose it were limited.

Burris has not been accused of any wrongdoing but the Democrats believed his appointment was not credible given the allegations surrounding Blagojevich. Burris was sworn in on January 15.

The Illinois House of Representatives voted 114-1 to impeach the governor.

The Justice Department also accused Blagojevich of threatening to withhold state assistance for a media firm, the Tribune Co, unless it sacked editorial writers seen as unfriendly to the governor.

Illinois has long been considered among the most corrupt US states. Blagojevich's predecessor, George Ryan, is serving a six-and- one-half-year prison term for corruption. If Blagojevich is convicted and sent to prison, he would become the fourth of the previous eight Illinois governors to serve time behind bars. (dpa)