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Blagojevich sentenced to 14 years for corruption charges
[Updated at 1:33 p.m. ET] Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Blagojevich was also sentenced to pay a $20,000 fine.
The judge said he does not have report to prison for 90 days.
"I do accept his apology in his testimony, and I do believe he may regret the fate of others," Judge James Zagel said.
But that wasn't enough for the judge.
"It comes late," he said, of Blagojevich's accepting responsibility for his actions.
In announcing the sentence Judge James Zagel said Blagojevich's abuse of the governor's office "is more damaging than any other office in the U.S." besides the presidency.
Zagel noted that he did not resign as governor despite the indictments, but if he had it might have helped show he accepted responsibility.
The judge told Blagojevich that he had ruined the careers of a few people who worked for him. Zagel also questioned part of Blagojevich's accepting responsibility.
"Why did the thoughts of his children not weigh heavily on his reckless conduct?" Zagel said.
Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation applauded the sentence.
“The sentence handed down today represents a repayment of the debt that Blagojevich owes to the people of Illinois," he said. "While promising an open and honest administration, in reality, the former governor oversaw a comprehensive assault on the public’s trust."
[Posted at 1:03 p.m. ET] Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich apologized to his state, his family and the judge, saying he is "unbelievably sorry," during his sentencing hearing for corruption convictions Wednesday.
"I've had plenty of time to reflect on all that's happened," Blagojevich said. "I'm here convicted of crimes and I am accepting of it, acknowledge it."
Blagojevich, a Democrat, was accused of trying to profit as he considered whom to appoint to succeed Barack Obama when he vacated his Senate seat to move to the White House.
"There is a line between routine politics, horse trading and campaign politics," Blagojevich said. "I thought they were permissible and I was mistaken."
He was convicted of corruption in June after a jury returned 17 guilty verdicts against him.
Federal prosecutors are seeking a sentence of 15 to 20 years, but his lawyers have called that excessive and asked the judge for leniency on Tuesday, even as they admitted for the first time that crimes were committed.
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It's amazing how they are always sorry after being found guilty and sentenced.....
He's a crook alright, but do we really need to put people like this in prison?? Wouldn't a a hefty fine have done the trick?? Prison should be for those who are a danger to society.....
I agree.
Totally agree.. as long as the fine is hefty enough.
That excuses all white collar crime. We have way too much of that now. Glad to see he can't buy his way out of prison.
I agree. A fine and community service.
seriosuly, what the heck is wrong with the American Justice system?
This is exactly what's wrong...had he Killed someone or tired to OK, 14 years is the proper sentence but for corruption he gets 14 frikking years, that is 100% nothing less then mental retardation, what they have done this morning is completely destroy the lives of every single one his family members, and that's it....]
I really do not care either way but you just do not sentence a man to 14 years in a federal prison for Non Violent crime, that is nothing less than a complete abuse of the justice system. and What they have done essentially is sentence him to Death because inside of 6 weeks in a federal jail for the crimes he has been convicted of., carries a stigma that will lead to his Murder, and it will be the Judge that Killed him and noon else, the murderers are going to go free because they will be prisoners as well. There should be a public outcry the size of which the world has never seen, the next time, that could be You. 14 years for trying to sell a seat in the senate...for making a dumb greed based mistake and even if he did do this deliberately. This sentence is nothing less than a complete abuse of a judges power and serious afront to your entire justice system.
Violent crimes are not the only serious crimes. Our whole political system crumbles when elected officials betray the public trust. Maybe if we threw more of these clowns in jail for years and years, we'd have fewer corrupt politicians.
The problem with our criminal justice system is that it is too lenient in too many cases.
Are you kidding me. This guy didn't do anything that the other politicians do, the dumb jerk just had a big mouth and got caught. What about Holder who should be up for manslaughter charges selling guns to the cartels and they killed an american just doing his job as border partrol. What about Daley's son who scamed 700K from the Wifi deal at the airport? What about Jackson? What about Obozo and Solyandra? He made sure himself and the investors all got their money back, but the taxpayer loses, and that's ok? This is an injustice! Lets talk about the union thugs who buy votes! When is all this going to be investigated by the FBI. Let's not bring up Madigan, that guy is so crooked he couln't straighten himself out!
He destroyed his family's lives, not the judicial system.
He deserved it. Are you a relative of his?
@Job,
Ah, yes, the "everybody is doing it" defense.....
If Rod got 14 years for what he did, then needless to say, a slew of other politicians should be with him in jail for that length and longer.
Exactly!
Good decision
Good for him, he should have gotten 25 years! It's appalling at all the political scandals that happen on the back of the "American" people. America is the most currupt country in the world and yet we accuse other coutries of doing the exact same thing!- We are no better that any other country that has been at the center of curruption, we just enjoy pointing fingers at others. All hail Isreal!
The governor's hair, having turned states evidence, was set free on its own recognizance.
Good for him. He deserved what he got.
His wife will be hot n ez come this summer hotdaym!
i see a PARDON in his future
His expression says his true belief: "Damn, I F****d up and they caught me.".
Wow... 14 years!! Imagine if justice is every doled out to the Wall Street pukes that tanked the economy or the Bush administration for war crimes. Yikes!
He does not have to report to prison for 90 days. Between now and then, somebody will come up with something that will prevent him from being even one day in prison.
I will be happy if he actually does one year of his sentence.
I see a pardon in the future..none of Bush people did any time..politics is full of corruption. Change you can believe in!
No one is going to rush to this guy's aid. His goods are WAY too damaged.