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By MICHAEL TARM and DON BABWIN, Associated Press


      CHICAGO (AP) — Rod Blagojevich, the ousted Illinois governor
whose three-year battle against criminal charges became a national
spectacle, was sentenced to 14 years in prison Wednesday, one of
the stiffest penalties imposed for corruption in a state with a
history of crooked politics.


      Blagojevich's 18 convictions included allegations of trying to
leverage his power to appoint someone to President Barack Obama's
vacated Senate seat to raise campaign cash or land a high-paying
job.


      "When it is the governor who goes bad the fabric of Illinois is
torn and disfigured and not easily repaired," Judge James Zagel
said.


      The twice-elected Democrat is now the second former Illinois
governor in a row to be sentenced to prison, and the fourth
Illinois governor in the last four decades. His Republican
predecessor, George Ryan, currently is serving a sentence of 6 1/2
years, also for corruption.


      Blagojevich, in a last plea for mercy, tried something he never
had before: an apology. After years of insisting he was innocent,
he told the judge he'd made "terrible mistakes" and acknowledged
that he broke the law.


      "I'm here convicted of crimes ... ," Blagojevich said, "and I
am accepting of it, I acknowledge it and I of course am
unbelievably sorry for it."


      But Zagel gave him little leeway, telling him that he gave him
credit for taking responsibility but that his apology didn't
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."


      Blagojevich's attorneys had said the sentence of 15 to 20 years
prosecutors wanted was too harsh. The defense also presented
heartfelt appeals from Blagojevich's family, including letters from
his wife Patti and one of his two daughters that pleaded for mercy.


      But the judge made it clear early in the hearing that he
believed that Blagojevich had lied on the witness stand when he
tried to explain his scheming for the Senate seat, and he did not
believe defense suggestions that the former governor was duped by
his advisers.


      It is highly unlikely the 54-year-old will be taken immediately
into custody. In white-collar cases, convicted felons are usually
given at least a few weeks to report to prison while federal
authorities select a suitable facility. Blagojevich is expected to
appeal his conviction, but it is unlikely to affect when he reports
to prison.


      Going into the sentencing, many legal experts said the governor
- who became a national punch line while doing several reality TV
appearances while his legal case unfolded - was likely to get
around 10 years. A former Blagojevich fundraiser, Tony Rezko,
recently was sentenced to 10 1/2 years, minus time served, and many
were confident the governor would get more.


      Prosecutors have said Blagojevich misused the power of his
office "from the very moment he became governor." He was
initially elected in 2002 on a platform of cleaning up Illinois
politics in the midst of federal investigations that led to the
prosecution and conviction of Ryan.


      "Blagojevich engaged in extensive criminal conduct with and
without Rezko, provided no cooperation, perjured himself for seven
days on the witness stand, and has accepted no responsibility for
his criminal conduct," prosecutors said. And they said
Blagojevich, who campaigned as a reformer, was "acutely aware of
the damage" Ryan had created.


      Defense attorneys have said he has already paid a price in
public ridicule and financial ruin, and propose a term of just a
few years.


      Blagojevich's sentencing came just days before his 55th birthday
on Saturday, and nearly three years to the day of his arrest at
dawn on Dec. 9, 2008, when the startled governor asked one federal
agent, "Is this a joke?" In a state where corruption has been
commonplace, images of Blagojevich being led away in handcuffs
still came as a shock.


      It took two trials for prosecutors to snare Blagojevich on
sweeping corruption charges. His first ended deadlocked with jurors
agreeing on just one of 24 counts - that Blagojevich lied to the
FBI. Jurors at his retrial convicted him on 17 of 20 counts,
including bribery and attempted extortion.


      FBI wiretap evidence proved decisive. In the most notorious
recording, Blagojevich is heard crowing that his chance to name
someone to Obama's seat was "f---ing golden" and he wouldn't let
it go "for f---ing nothing."


      Blagojevich clearly dreaded the idea of prison time. Asked in an
interview before his retrial about whether he dwelled on that
prospect, he answered: "No. I don't let myself go there."


      In the same interview, Blagojevich also explained that the
family dog Skittles was bought after his arrest in to help his
school-age daughters, Amy and Annie, cope with the stress of his
legal troubles. He said he joked with them that, "If the worst
happens (and I go to prison), you can get another dog and call him
`daddy."'


      While Blagojevich will likely end up at a minimal security
prison, he'll be largely cut off from the outside world. Visits by
family are strictly limited, Blagojevich will have to share a cell
with other inmates and he must work an eight-hour-a-day menial job
- possibly scrubbing toilets or mopping floors - at just 12 cents
an hour.


      Most of the prisons where Blagojevich could end up are outside
Illinois. One is in Terre Haute, Ind., where Ryan is serving his
own sentence.

Gallery

After crime, punishment awaits ex-Gov. Blagojevich

Judge denies Blagojevich request to hear new tapes

Blagojevich expected to speak at sentencing

Jury convicts ex-Ill. Gov. Blagojevich at retrial

Emanuel: He's preparing to run for Chicago mayor

Crime, Law and Justice

A federal judge has sentenced Rod Blagojevich to
14 years for corruption that included trying to sell or trade an
appointment to the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

Blagojevich gets 14 years in prison for corruption

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