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Ex-Illinois Governor Blagojevich loses bid to cut prison term
(Reuters) - Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich lost his latest bid for leniency as a federal appeals court refused to shorten his 14-year prison term in a vast public corruption case, including an effort to sell Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago dismissed arguments that Blagojevich deserved a lesser punishment because he had been a "model prisoner" in the five years he has already spent in prison and because some counts in his original 2011 conviction had been thrown out.
Friday's 3-0 decision came three days after oral arguments, suggesting little or no disagreement.
It likely ends Blagojevich's chances at shortening his sentence. The one-time contestant on Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" could ask the entire 7th Circuit or the U.S. Supreme Court to review his case, but both are long shots.
Leonard Goodman, a lawyer for Blagojevich, did not respond to requests for comment. He told the Chicago Tribune the decision was "incredibly sad and disappointing." The office of acting U.S. Attorney Joel Levin in Chicago declined to comment.
Blagojevich, 60, was convicted on charges including wire fraud, extortion and soliciting bribes while governor. He served from January 2003 to January 2009, when the Illinois Senate removed him from office.
Prosecutors said Blagojevich solicited campaign contributions in exchange for raising pediatric reimbursement rates and legislation supporting Illinois' horse racing industry.
Blagojevich also tried to sell or trade the Senate seat that Obama vacated after winning the 2008 U.S. presidential election, prosecutors said...
May he rot in jail until death.
(Reuters) - Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich lost his latest bid for leniency as a federal appeals court refused to shorten his 14-year prison term in a vast public corruption case, including an effort to sell Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago dismissed arguments that Blagojevich deserved a lesser punishment because he had been a "model prisoner" in the five years he has already spent in prison and because some counts in his original 2011 conviction had been thrown out.
Friday's 3-0 decision came three days after oral arguments, suggesting little or no disagreement.
It likely ends Blagojevich's chances at shortening his sentence. The one-time contestant on Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" could ask the entire 7th Circuit or the U.S. Supreme Court to review his case, but both are long shots.
Leonard Goodman, a lawyer for Blagojevich, did not respond to requests for comment. He told the Chicago Tribune the decision was "incredibly sad and disappointing." The office of acting U.S. Attorney Joel Levin in Chicago declined to comment.
Blagojevich, 60, was convicted on charges including wire fraud, extortion and soliciting bribes while governor. He served from January 2003 to January 2009, when the Illinois Senate removed him from office.
Prosecutors said Blagojevich solicited campaign contributions in exchange for raising pediatric reimbursement rates and legislation supporting Illinois' horse racing industry.
Blagojevich also tried to sell or trade the Senate seat that Obama vacated after winning the 2008 U.S. presidential election, prosecutors said...
May he rot in jail until death.
