[URL]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-15602816[/URL]
[QUOTE][B]Disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption.[/B]
He was found guilty in June of 17 counts of graft, including trying to sell the US Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama.
At the sentencing in Chicago, he said he was "unbelievably sorry" and had made "terrible mistakes".
Prosecutors had requested a maximum sentence of 20 years, saying the 54-year-old knew he was breaking the law.
The former two-term Democratic governor has been ordered pay a $20,000 (£13,000) fine as part of his sentence, and will report to prison on 16
February 2012.
Correspondents say it is likely that Blagojevich will serve his sentence in a prison outside Illinois. He will be required to undertake eight hours a day of
menial labour for 12 cents an hour and share a cell with other inmates. Family visits will be limited.
Blagojevich was arrested in December 2008 while still in office. His Republican predecessor as governor was also jailed for corruption.
He has been handed the harshest sentence of any of the four former governors of Illinois who have been sent to prison during the last four decades,
the Associated Press reports.
[B]
'Life ruined'
[/B]
In court, Blagojevich sat hunched forward with a blank expression as the sentence was read on Wednesday.
Afterwards, he brushed away tears from his wife's cheeks as he held her in the courtroom.
Pleading for leniency before sentencing, Blagojevich told Judge James Zagel he thought what he had been doing was "permissible".
Acknowledging his mistake, Blagojevich said he "never set out to break the law".
"My life is ruined, at least now," he said. "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."I realise that the things I thought were permissible, the jury has made abundantly clear were not."
He added: "Because of all that, I have jeopardised my ability to protect my children."
The admission of guilt came after years of insisting he was innocent.
Judge Zagel said that Blagojevich's appeal to the court did not mitigate his crimes.
"Whatever good things you did for people as governor, and you did some, I am more concerned with the occasions when you wanted to use your
powers when you wanted to do things that were only good for yourself," he said.
"When it is the governor who goes bad, the fabric of Illinois is torn and disfigured and not easily repaired."
[B]
Bribes and extortion
[/B]
Blagojevich was not immediately taken into custody and it is expected that he will appeal against the conviction.
He was also convicted of trying to extort campaign donations from business executives, and of soliciting bribes from racing officials.
One of his top fundraisers, Antoin Rezko, was sentenced last month to 10 and a half years in prison.
Prosecutors said: "Blagojevich engaged in extensive criminal conduct with and without Rezko, provided no co-operation, perjured himself for seven
days on the witness stand, and has accepted no responsibility for his criminal conduct."
The defence argued that the former governor had already paid a high price for his actions through ridicule and financial ruin.
He was elected governor of Illinois in 2002 and served until 2009, when the state legislature threw him out of office following his arrest.
As governor, he was tasked under law with appointing someone to fill the Senate seat left vacant when Mr Obama won election to the White House.
In FBI wire taps, Blagojevich was heard describing the Senate appointment as a "golden" opportunity.
After the jury was unable to reach a verdict in the first trial, Blagojevich was found guilty second time round.
[/QUOTE]
Anyone with a hairdo like that deserves to serve time.
I feel special knowing how to pronounce his last name
how do you get 14 years for auctioning a seat of congress but you can get far less for rape?
[QUOTE=Tunak Mk. II;33621715]how do you get 14 years for auctioning a seat of congress but you can get far less for rape?[/QUOTE]
Could have been trying to set an example. Not saying its right but its just the only explanation I can come up with.
Well at least [i]someone[/i] is being held responsible for corruption. Too bad that far more get away with it.
[editline]8th December 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Tunak Mk. II;33621715]how do you get 14 years for auctioning a seat of congress but you can get far less for rape?[/QUOTE]
Um rape is generally a 15 year penalty as well.
Also, I would say raping the entire country is a greater crime than raping an individual.
[QUOTE=Tunak Mk. II;33621715]how do you get 14 years for auctioning a seat of congress but you can get far less for rape?[/QUOTE]
Uhm, selling a seat in the United States Fucking Senate is not exactly something to be taken lightly.
One down, 534 left to go.
[QUOTE=CommieTurtle;33621812]One down, 534 left to go.[/QUOTE]
Because they are all criminals.
[QUOTE=Tunak Mk. II;33621715]how do you get 14 years for auctioning a seat of congress but you can get far less for rape?[/QUOTE]
because rape only very rarely destroys the credibility of democracy
[QUOTE=A B.A. Survivor;33621832]Because they are all criminals.[/QUOTE]
If you're being sarcastic you'd be surprised the number of felonies congress members get away with.
So, one of the least corrupt politicians is being arrested, yet they let the rest of these fuckers go free.
Cool, glad to see our justice system is working.
I hope I'm not the only one who thinks Blagojevich is the most ridiculous-sounding last name ever.
[QUOTE=The one that is;33621953]So, one of the least corrupt politicians is being arrested, yet they let the rest of these fuckers go free.
Cool, glad to see our justice system is working.[/QUOTE]
The most corrupt politicians are the ones you hear very little about because they're usually on the state or local level (like Rod was).
Federal-level politicians have more cameras pointed at them meaning they can't take as many risks.
Wow...I honestly can't believe he got that...now to see how long he actually serves
I like how he gets to actually work for 8 hours a day, and for peanuts
Welcome to reality, my friend
[QUOTE=Tunak Mk. II;33621715]how do you get 14 years for auctioning a seat of congress but you can get far less for rape?[/QUOTE]
there's faaaaar more shit this guy's pulled over the years, has been under trial for well over a dozen different counts of corruption last I checked.
[QUOTE=Saza;33621671]I feel special knowing how to pronounce his last name[/QUOTE]
I tried finding one of the many clips of Jon Stewart saying it in that kind of blurted out half jewish sneeze he does but couldn't
[QUOTE=InsanePyro;33622015]Wow...I honestly can't believe he got that...now to see how long he actually serves[/QUOTE]
betting 7 years tops here.
Good, fuckoff your corrupt cunt. 1 down, 4392840928490 to go.
[editline]8th December 2011[/editline]
[quote]and will report to prison on 16 February 2012.[/quote]
wtf is this shit? i wouldn't get to fuckin' report to prison, i'd be taken there, bulllllllllllllllllllllllllshhhhiittttt
[QUOTE=butters757;33621970]I hope I'm not the only one who thinks Blagojevich is the most ridiculous-sounding last name ever.[/QUOTE]
Sounds like a pretty regular last name to me.
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