Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor noted for his magnificent head of hair and his defiance that readily crossed over into arrogance, drew a sentence of 14 years in prison. He had earlier begged for mercy, without avail.
U.S. District Judge James Zagel Wednesday sentenced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to 168 months in prison for corruption.
"The vast majority of the facts are not disputed," Zagel said before imposing sentence on 18 counts. "It is difficult to dispute what is on the tapes," he said in reference to the wiretap evidence collected by the FBI. He also fined Blagojevich $20,000. He is to report to begin serving his sentence Feb. 16.
Before Zagel imposed sentence, Blagojevich acknowledged, "I made my share of mistakes," adding, "I never set out to cause any harm." In pleading for mercy, Blagojevich said he had "no one to blame but myself."
"I accept your apology," Zagel said, but later added, "The jury did not believe (you) and neither do I. ... Your personality is not suitable for public service."
Blagojevich was convicted of strongarming hospital and racetrack executives for $125,000 in campaign contributions and offering the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Obama to Democratic Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in exchange for $1.5 million in fundraising help.
Blagojevich is the fourth of the last nine Illinois governors to be sentenced to prison -- the first to be arrested while still in office. Former Gov. George Ryan is currently serving his mail and wire fraud sentences at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Ind.
Zagel noted Blagojevich never asked whether his actions were illegal.
"The governor was not marched along this political path alone," Zagel said, noting a number of other people have been prosecuted as part of the schemes.
The sentence followed a two-day hearing.
Prosecutors had asked for 15- to 20 years in prisoner for the ousted governor.
Without admitting guilt to preserve his appeal, Blagojevich said he never meant to commit any crime, apologized for attempting to try the case in the media and accepted blame for setting the schemes -- which never came to fruition -- in motion.
Zagel said Tuesday imposing the maximum sentence of 30 years to life was "simply not appropriate" for Blagojevich's crimes. But he said the twice-elected Democrat intended to gain more than $1.6 million from his scheme and must be held accountable, even if he ultimately received nothing.
Blagojevich attorney Sheldon Sorosky acknowledged the former governor, removed from office in January 2009 after an impeachment trial, committed a crime when he asked for a job for himself in exchange for naming a replacement for Obama in the Senate.
"We accept the fact that's a crime, it's illegal, he should not have done it," Sorosky told Zagel. "That crime does not call for a 15-year jail sentence."
"Be merciful," Blagojevich's wife, Patti, wrote to Zagel in excerpts from a letter read in court.
"I need him here," Blagojevich daughter 15-year-old Amy wrote in a separate letter read at the hearing.
"I need him here for my high school graduation. ... I'll need him when my heart gets broken."
