Blagojevich Sentenced To Live In Illinois For 14 Years

A federal judge today sentenced impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to live in Illinois for an additional 14 years, a torturous sentence for the man who helped create the Midwestern wasteland during a multi-term tenure as governor.

"I had considered the death penalty, but clearly this is much, much worse, an experience that only the most cursed humans should bear," U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel said while visibly shuddering.

Blagojevich was convicted on 18 corruption charges, including the scheme to peddle the vacated Senate seat of Barack Obama.

Blagojevich started the day telling the court that he was "unbelievably sorry" for his "terrible mistakes," his last chance to convince the federal judge that he deserved some mercy when he was sentenced on corruption charges.

"I'm here convicted of crimes. The jury decided I was guilty. I am accepting of it. I acknowledge it…" Blagojevich told Zagel. "I want to apologize to the people of Illinois, to the court, for the mistakes I have made. … I never set out to break the law.   "I never set out to cross lines. 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 said."

All I ask is please, please, don't make me live here any more."

His wife, Patti, cried Tuesday during the first day of the sentencing hearing as a defense attorney read her plea: "The punishment that he fears the most, one that would be most devastating would be that his daughters would have to grow up in Illinois. Please be merciful."

Defense lawyers argued that because Blagojevich received no money in his assorted schemes to peddle his power, he does not deserve extended time subject to the state's steadily climbing income tax, decaying infrastructure, and stifling deficit: "How about Davenport, Iowa? That's still pretty close to Illinois."

Zagel also agreed that federal guidelines allow for a maximum residency of 30 years to life, although such a lengthy term in the Land of Lincoln "would be as inhumane as tossing puppies into Lake Michigan."

Blagojevich will join George Ryan, a Republican who was governor from 1999 to 2003, who was sentenced to live in a shanty near Harlem Avenue. After a scandal involving the illegal sale of government licenses, contracts and leases by state employees, Ryan was convicted of corruption in 2006.

But Ryan was merely following in the footsteps of those who came before him. Otto Kerner Jr., a Democrat who was governor from 1961 to 1968, was convicted in 1973 on 17 counts of bribery, conspiracy, perjury and related charges. He was institutionalized after being originally sentenced to a studio apartment in Springfield.

Dan Walker, a Democrat who was governor from 1973 to 1977, pleaded guilty to bank fraud, misapplication of funds and perjury in 1987. Walker was sentenced to seven years in Chicago's South Side projects, and disappeared under suspicious circumstances.