Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison on 18 corruption counts, including trying to sell President Obama’s old Senate seat.
The former Governor had spent the last few years publicly promoting his innocence on television and in news reports.
Blagojevich, in a last plea for mercy, tried an apology. After years of insisting he was innocent, the twice-elected Democrat told the judge he’d made “terrible mistakes” and acknowledged that he had broken the law — even as he maintained that at the time he did not know he was breaking the law.
As the judge announced the sentence, which includes a $20,000 fine, Blagojevich hunched forward and his face appeared frozen. Minutes later, his wife, Patti Blagojevich, stood up and fell into her husband’s arms. He pulled back to brush tears off her cheek and then rubbed her shoulders.
On his way out of the courthouse, Blagojevich said it was a time to be strong, to fight through adversity and be strong for his children. He said he and wife were heading home to speak to their daughters, and then left without answering any questions.
Read more
