Rod Blagojevich Sentencing: Judge Says Hearing Could Take 2 Days

A federal judge who will decide the fate of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich next week told attorneys Friday that it will likely take two days for him to hand down the long-awaited sentence.

Judge James Zagel said he plans to impose a sentence Wednesday, even though federal prosecutors and Blagojevich's attorneys plan on making their final arguments Tuesday.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

“I will not pass sentence on Tuesday, will not,” Zagel said at a hearing Friday.

Zagel had set aside Tuesday and Wednesday for Blagojevich’s sentencing hearing.

He told Blagojevich’s lawyers they won’t need to “cram everything in” on Tuesday.

Even after the lawyers wrap up their arguments regarding sentencing, the judge said he expects to have questions for them.

Blagoejevich will reportedly address the judge before he is sentenced, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Earlier this week, federal prosecutors recommended that Blagojevich receive a 15 to 20 year prison sentence for his multiple corruption convictions. Such a lengthy prison term would be one of the longest in Illinois' sordid political history, but prosecutors said Blagojevich – convicted, among other things, of trying to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama – deserved more than two other figures now in prison.

Blagojevich's predecessor, former Gov. George Ryan, got 6 1/2 years on racketeering and fraud charges. And former Blagojevich fundraiser Tony Rezko was sentenced last week to 10 1/2 years, minus time served, for fraud, money laundering and plotting to squeeze more than $7 million in kickbacks from companies seeking state business.

Blagojevich's attorneys said federal sentencing guidelines would suggest a sentence of 41 to 51 months. They also offered several reasons for Zagel to issue a lesser sentence than their calculation of those guidelines.

"He was and is a politician, which can cause him to be perceived as shallow and self-promoting," they said, according to the Associated Press. "However, his track record as governor reveals a genuine commitment to initiatives that benefitted the middle and lower middle class."

Zagel is not bound by federal sentencing guidelines or the recommendations of either side.

Comments

[XGOPER]

09:23 PM on 12/04/2011

Is his potty mouth wife being charged with anything? Somehow I don't see her as the loyal waiting wife if he spends more than 3 years in the state pen.

[northandwells]

03:49 PM on 12/05/2011

Potty mouth Pattie is as guilty Blogo. He told her everything and took her advise. She stoked his avarice. They were co-conspirators without an ounce of a moral core. It is frightful for the children, but the parents deserve every nasty consequence of their behavior.

[ChiGuy]

11:25 AM on 12/04/2011

As certain as I am that Blago's lawyers are telling him to be contrite during his comments to the bench, you just know that he's gonna make it all about Rod, and frame the entire trial as some sort of vendetta against him personally.

[Mahi Joe]

08:17 AM on 12/04/2011

It will be interesting to hear Blago's last words as a free man. What could he possibly say now after found guilty that could even possibly help him? Proclaim his innocence once more? Expose others in his little scheme? Whatever he says, the end result will remain the same, he is going to jail.

[ChiGuy]

11:26 AM on 12/04/2011

He's going to deny, deny, deny. And hopefully, the judge will punish him accordingly for his lack of conscience and contrition.

[frostiewinter]

01:54 AM on 12/04/2011

No way, that is just too much.
Some dont get that much time for murder.

[knightoftheroundtable]

10:37 PM on 12/03/2011

HE IS INNOCENT, HE IS INNOCENT! Sending a innocent politician to prison is a crime.
Ya, sure, I believe he is innocent (NOT). Happy ending Blago, if ya know what I mean....

[tonewheel]

07:38 PM on 12/03/2011

He's going to hold up a picture of Donald Trump and take a vote: who's got the better hair?

[ChicagoDMT]

05:06 PM on 12/03/2011

Blagojevich is expected to speak? I'll be shocked if he doesn't perform an Elvis Presley medley

[frant52]

02:54 PM on 12/03/2011

Possibly he might consider donning a pair of tap shoes as well as his much anticipated tale of woe. Poor blago, nobody loves him.. so sad.
Let's just get this over with already!

[CraigVale]

02:09 PM on 12/03/2011

If Blago's arrogance could be used in the sentencing guidelines I suspect he'd get life. His lawyers say 2 to 4 years are appropriate for his misdeeds but they will push for probation, the prosecution says 20-30 years and some folks say the sentence may be actually 10 years. If he got 10 I'd be more than happy with that but we all know what that sentence really translate into 3 years or so, given good time or whatever metric they use to reduce his sentence.
Blago's crime hits at the core of our nation where money buys influence, and that influence translates into corporations getting everything and more of what they have paid for. Corrosive corruption that effects each and every one of us whether or not we are even aware of the consequences. Blago is the one of the few who got caught, how many more like him ply their trade under the radar ?

[lobwedge39]

12:03 PM on 12/03/2011

Two days? What a waste of taxpayer money.

[beardown]

10:42 AM on 12/03/2011

By By Blogo!!!

[themodernleader]

09:55 AM on 12/03/2011

In this poor, unhappy state, the people of all description and condition lust for vengeance against this convicted governor of the evil action of destroying the Constitution and the basis of modern leadership and self-rule.

[CraigVale]

02:28 PM on 12/03/2011

The residents of your state are more than entitled to get that vengence too as your post pointed out that it is indeed the constitution that was attacked by Blago's greed and need for power ! Sadly, people such as he permeate our congress as well, and they are a cancer that needs to be cut out.

[tonewheel]

07:40 PM on 12/03/2011

You assume he's from Illinois?

[Howard53545]

08:47 AM on 12/03/2011

Well Blago its time for a hair cut.

[Ed Hammer]

08:13 AM on 12/03/2011

Blago is going to speak at his sentencing hearing and they only allowed for 2 days!

[thegreenhornet]

07:31 AM on 12/03/2011

I do not like corruption in government any more than the next guy but this guy was small potatoes next to Tom Delay. Hat he did was wrong but he learned it by watching how our political world conducts business. He was just guileless in his method. Does anyone think that this isn't exactly what goes on between so-called lobbyists and membersf Capitol hill? They just use code language. Can anyone tell me why people like Gingrich who earns millions a year by just arranging meetings with Capitl Hill staffers and congressional members aren't guilty of the same thing as Blago? Sure. He used is power to appoint to get money for his campaign and maybe even a promise of a future appointment. I happens every day in congress and across this country. It is business as usual. Just don't say it out loud and don't brag about it. If he goes to jail it's not because he did anything so different than any ther politician, itis because he was open about it and he put ther whole charade at risk.

[antipodal2u]

10:43 AM on 12/03/2011

Agreed. Someone somewhere took an interest in Blago when he was just conducting politics as usual. Theyre all guilty of it, he just got caught