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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) ― An Illinois House committee is unanimously recommending Gov. Rod Blagojevich be impeached for abuse of power.

The decision sets the stage for the full House to take action Friday and make Blagojevich the first governor impeached in Illinois history.

The 21-member committee began studying impeachment after the Democratic governor was arrested on a variety of federal corruption charges.

The panel based its recommendation on those charges and other allegations of misconduct by Blagojevich. They include evidence he circumvented state hiring laws, misspent tax money and expanded programs without proper authority.

If the House impeaches Blagojevich, the Senate would then conduct a trial on whether he should be removed from office.

Earlier Thursday a draft report was released that recommended that the full House vote on impeachment.

"The citizens of this state must have confidence that their governor will faithfully serve the people and put their interests before his own," the report reads. "It is with profound regret that the committee finds that our current governor has not done so."

The 69-page draft report was released Thursday morning by the impeachment review committee. The report outlines all the criminal charges against Blagojevich, including his alleged plan to sell the U.S. Senate seat recently vacated by President-elect Barack Obama, to withhold state assistance for the sale of Wrigley Field if Chicago Tribune editorial writers were not fired, and to shake down Children's Memorial Hospital.

The report makes extensive use of the FBI's wiretap transcripts that led to criminal charges against Blagojevich. The wiretaps reveal the governor talking about trading the vacant Obama senate seat, and calling the appointment "golden."

"The governor repeatedly demonstrated that his decision to appoint a senator would not be based on the merits of the candidate or on public policy, but rather on how that appointment would benefit him personally," the report said.

The governor was not just musing, according to the report. At times, it says, he gave positive direction to fundraisers and others to move forward with the plan. Also, the committee document says Blagojevich knew his scheme was illegal and improper.

The report also outlines the other criminal charges against Blagojevich, including his alleged plan to withhold state assistance for the sale of Wrigley Field if Tribune editorial writers were not fired, and to shake down Children's Memorial Hospital.

"The committee finds the information [in the criminal complaint] shocking,'' the report states. "This information ... reveals that the governor was selling his appointment of the United States Senate seat to the highest bidder."

The report also alleges that the governor engaged in pay-to-play politics, awarding state business to major campaign contributors, using evidence from former chief Blagojevich fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko.

In addition, the report says Blagojevich abused his power by expanding the Family Care medical program unilaterally. The report also accuses Blagojevich of importing $2.6 million in flu vaccine without approval from the Food and Drug Administration, knowing that it would never arrive.

The report also indicates that Blagojevich routinely ignored freedom of information requests from government watchdog groups and ordered employees to falsify documents.

Blagojevich has denied any wrongdoing, and has said he will not resign from office.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)