His attorney Len Goodman says the governor will pursue the case to the state supreme court even though the court has said that they would not hear this appeal.
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Blagojevich, 59, who was convicted in 2011 of charges including attempting to sell the Senate seat left vacant by President Barack Obama’s election, made an emotional plea for mercy to U.S. District Judge James Zagel via closed circuit television from a Colorado prison.
A USA federal judge on Tuesday upheld the 14-year prison sentence for ex-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich despite his emotional plea for leniency after an appeals court set aside part of his public corruption conviction.
Goodman told a federal judge who is to resentence Blagojevich that “the arrogance and anger are no longer present in this man” and he’s “been a model inmate”. As the hearing came to an end, he shook his head and brushed his mouth with his hand as he collapsed back into his seat, saying something inaudible.
Rod Blagojevich’s wife and two daughters have arrived at Chicago federal court ahead of the former IL governor’s resentencing hearing. Another writes about the negativity and hopelessness in prison and said he enjoys his time seeing Blagojevich in the law library to get “my daily dose of encouragement”.
Zagel said that even though the appeals court threw out five of the 18 counts against the former governor, the remaining ones still justified the original sentence.
Blagojevich’s wife said the family was “dumbfounded” and “flabbergasted” by the repeat 14-year prison term and one of his daughters expressed frustration with the judge.
His youngest daughter, 13-year-old Annie, told the judge she nearly didn’t want to grow up because she wants to wait for her father to come home. But federal prosecutors argued Blagojevich has refused to accept responsibility for his crimes and still deserved the original 14-year sentence that would keep him locked up until May 2024.
“This can be a beginning to make amends for the past”, he added as he admitted to having been too public during previous times of contention.
“It’s clear it didn’t make any difference what they said”, she said.
“I need him more than ever”, Annie said.
“I’m a very different person”, he said, concluding his remarks.
Appearing from a Colorado prison via video, the disgraced ex-governor looked visibly thinner with ghostly white hair.
Before his 20 minutes of testimony, Blagojevich’s two daughters, 13-year-old Annie and 20-year-old Amy, offered support for their father.
Robert Blagojevich, Rod Blagojevich’s brother, said he thinks Zagel’s decision was wrong.
Blagojevich’s wife, Patti, who wrote a two-page letter pleading with Zagel for leniency ahead of the hearing, called the ruling a “profound disappointment”. “I thank you for the opportunity to speak”, he said.
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Attorney Leonard C. Goodman told a federal judge Tuesday morning that the case the judge will resentence Blagojevich for is “significantly different”.
