Top

Blagojevich Sentencing

December 7, 2011 by · Comments Off on Blagojevich Sentencing 

Blagojevich Sentencing, With years behind bars at stake, disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich admitted his crimes Wednesday and said he was sorry, telling a federal judge that he has made “terrible mistakes.”

While he apologized, Blagojevich still said he did not know he was breaking the law. He told Judge James Zagel that he thought what he was doing was “permissible,” but that he was mistaken, and he “never set out to break the law.”

Blagojevich said he acknowledges his crimes and is “unbelievably sorry.” He says he’s made “terrible mistakes.”

“My life is ruined, at least now. … My political career is over, I can’t be a lawyer anymore, we can’t afford the home we live in, we’re trying to sell it,” he said.

“I realize that the things I thought were permissible, the jury has made abundantly clear were not,” he said, adding, “Because of all that I have jeopardized my ability to protect my children.”

His comments came on the climactic second day of his sentencing hearing. Shortly after he speaks, Zagel is expected to announce just how long the 54-year-old will spend in prison for 18 corruption counts that include trying to auction off President Barack Obama’s old Senate seat.

Prosecutors also made their arguments Wednesday why they think Blagojevich should be imprisoned for up to 20 years, saying he was “incredibly manipulative” and knew full well that he was breaking the law when he tried to sell President Barack Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat and shake down people and a children’s hospital for money.

Rod Blagojevich

December 7, 2011 by · Comments Off on Rod Blagojevich 

Rod BlagojevichRod Blagojevich, Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich told a federal court Wednesday that he made “terrible mistakes” and is “unbelievably sorry” for his crimes. His emotional statement was a dramatic departure from his insistence on his innocence since his arrest three years ago. U.S. District Judge James Zagel is preparing to sentence him for 18 felony corruption convictions.

“I am responsible,” Blagojevich said, apologizing for his actions and his earlier assertions that he was unjustly targeted by prosecutors. Before he spoke Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar said in court that Blagojevich’s actions “corrupted the decision-making process” in the state and called the former governor corrupt and manipulative.

Federal prosecutors have asked the judge to sentence Blagojevich to 15 to 20 years in prison; defense lawyers have said that would be too harsh.

The court took a short recess after Blagojevich made his remarks. Zagel is expected to announce just how long he will spend behind bars when court resumes.

Blagojevich described explaining his guilty verdicts to his two young daughters and apologized to his family for the pain he has caused them.

“I have nobody to blame but myself for my stupidity,” he said.

Blagojevich ended his remarks by asking for the judge’s mercy.

In two trials, Blagojevich, a Democrat elected to two terms as governor, was found guilty of trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat once occupied by Barack Obama, shaking people down in exchange for campaign contributions and lying to federal agents.

Bottom