Disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was sentenced Wednesday to 14 years in prison after making a final plea for leniency, acknowledging his guilt and saying, “I am unbelievably sorry.”
“I believe he did, in fact, accept [responsibility],” U.S. District Judge James Zagel said in announcing how long Blagojevich should spend in prison after being convicted of 18 corruption charges that included attempting to sell or trade an appointment to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the election of President Barack Obama.
The judge said he had given credit to Blagojevich, in deciding his sentence, for accepting responsibility for his crimes
“It’s clear he is not blaming” the people around him, said Zagel, adding that he also gave Blagojevich credit for his work on behalf of children while governor in creating the state’s All Kids health-care program.
Referring to comments from Blagojevich’s lawyers in asking for a sentence of no more than 3½ years, Zagel said: “I don’t doubt his devotion to children, but this is not … exceptional, in my own experience. I see case after case where good fathers are bad citizens. There is no question that the innocent children of felons suffer. This is tragic, but, as he admits, the fault of this lies with the defendant alone. Now, it is too late.
“If it is any consolation to his children, he does not stand convicted of being a bad father.”
Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 15 to 20 years.
Zagel ordered Blagojevich to report to prison on Feb. 16, 2012. He also ordered two years of supervised release and submit to drug testing.
Where Blagojevich will serve his time is still to be determined, although his defense team asked that he serve his sentence in a prison camp.
Under federal sentencing rules, Blagojevich will have to serve 85 percent of his sentence, or just under 12 years in prison, at a minimum. The ex-governor turns 55 on Saturday.
The pronouncement of the sentence followed an emotional appeal from Blagojevich for leniency.
“I never set out to break the law,” said Blagojevich, who came to court Wednesday wearing a black suit with a silver tie. “The jury decided I was guilty, I am accepting of it, I acknowledge it.
“I have nobody to blame but myself for my stupidity and actions and the things I did and I thought I could do. I’m not blaming anybody.”
Blagojevich had told his wife, Patti Blagojevich, that he loves her before stepping forward and offering a 20-minute plea for mercy to Zagel, telling the judge that he was apologizing to him, the people of Illinois, the prosecutors and his own brother, who originally was charged with him.
Though he apologized for his crimes, Blagojevich said he didn’t know he was breaking the law. He told Zagel that he had thought at the time that what he did was “permissible,” but “I was mistaken.”
Blagojevich said he made “terrible mistakes.
“The jury convicted me. Those were my actions. Those were things I did; talked about doing. I am responsible for that. I caused it all. I’m not blaming anybody. I was the governor, and I should have known better.”
Blagojevich left the lectern red-eyed and teary after his address to Zagel, who stared back at him plainly, at times taking notes.
Blagojevich walked over to kiss his wife on the head. She had a pained look on her face.
As he addressed Zagel, Blagojevich’s voice was low, somber and, at times, strained.
A hush fell over the courtroom as he spoke. At times, it grew so quiet you could hear the scribbling of pens on paper.
Offering a final argument Wednesday for a sentence of 15 to 20 years, assistant U.S. attorney Reid Schar had disputed the contention by Blagojevich’s lawyers on Tuesday that the former governor’s actions never hurt anyone. Schar said Blagojevich’s actions “eroded” public confidence in government and caused real harm.
Schar said Blagojevich held up funding to every hospital in Illinois for 30 days and held up an appointment to the Senate seat while crucial votes were being taken.
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