A US governor charged with trying to sell the senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama has insisted he has done nothing wrong and will not resign.

Rod Blagojevich, the governmor of Illinois governor, said on Friday that he would not quit the job "the people hired me to do [just] because of false accusations and a political lynch mob".

Blagojevich, a second-term Democrat, and John Harris, his joint chief of staff, were charged on December 9 with committing mail and wire fraud and solicitating bribes in exchange for the senate seat.

"I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing," he said in his first extensive statement on the allegations.

"I intend to stay on the job. I will fight, I will fight, I will fight.

"I'm dying to answer these charges ... I intend to answer every allegation that comes my way ... in the appropriate forum - a court of law."

Prosecutors have built their case on evidence gained through recording Blagojevich's conversations.

Calls for resignation

Obama and other political figures have called on Blagojevich to resign following his arrest.

The president-elect vacated the seat after winning November's presidential election.

But the post is likely to remain empty when the new US congress convenes in January as Blagojevich's lawyer has said the governor would not exercise his power to fill the vacancy while the legal proceedings against him are active.

Sam Adam Junior, one of the governor's lawyers, said on Friday that Blagojevich may step aside if the proceedings affect the people of Illinois.

In such a case the lieutenant governor could make the senate appointment.

The Democrats, who control the state legislature, have initiated impeachment proceedings against the 52-year-old which could take months.