From a statement issued by the Republican National Committee:

Harry Reid and Dick Durbin have placed Washington politics above the people of Illinois or transparency. Democrats had every opportunity to strip Governor Blagojevich of his power to appoint a U.S. Senator, but ultimately they accepted a Blagojevich appointee rather than risk losing a Senate seat in a special election.

RNC Statement on Democrats Seating Blagojevich Appointee