First former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich lied about and ultimately admitted that he tried to sell off the vacated senate seat of President Barack Obama and now it looks like he may quite possibly be lying his way into a prison-based substance abuse program at the Denver prison where he is expected to spend the next 14 years.

The former governor’s legal team attempted to downplay the request in court on Tuesday, instead using the programs acronym as part of their request, later refusing to comment on the program.

Blago’s lawyers were likely attempting to avoid publicity since the request is often known in legal circuits as nothing more than a maneuver to shave time off a jail sentence after successful completion of the program.

Convicted former Illinois Governor George Ryan said on Wednesday that it didn’t take much to get into the Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Program with some inmates consuming no more than five drinks a week before being incarcerated.

Scott Fawell,Ryan’s former chief of staff told the Chicago Tribune:

“Any defense lawyer in town that’s worth their salt all know about this and they all try to get their clients in,” while adding,  “(A lot) of the people who go through the system now ask for it or attempt to get in. How many actually need it, I couldn’t tell you.”

If accepted Ryan could shave 8-months off his sentence. The move was approved by U.S. District Judge James Zagel but will need approval from the US. Bureau of Prisons.

In order to be approved Blagojevich must have proof of a substance-use disorder, the Littleton facility does not screen for admittance into the substance-abuse program until the prisoner is three to four years away from their release. Inmates must also have a substance abuse history within 12-months of being admitted to the facility.

With Blagojevich expected to serve under 12 years in prison at this time thanks to federal guidelines his sentence could be reduced to less than 11 years if successfully enrolled in the program. After release the former Illinois Governor would be required to spend his final six months in a selected halfway house.

As part of the program Rod Blagojevich would also be asked to participate in group therapy sessions during the morning hours, thus working only half a day while imprisoned.

Do you think the Bureau of Prisons should allow Blagojevich into the program or is this another sleazy attempt to game the system by one of Chicago’s biggest windbags?

Rod Blagojevich Wants To Enroll In Drug Treatment Program, Hopes To Shave Time Off Sentence is a post from: The Inquisitr

Just one day after Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14-years in prison for his attempt to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by President Barack Obama, Spirit Airlines has announced a “seat-selling sale.”

For a limited time the airline is offering $14 one-way fares from Chicago to seven cities on their flight route.

As the company tells customers, they have to ask quick or miss the “seat-selling” sale. Throwing a little more wood on the political fire Spirit Airlines note that customers “don’t have to live in the Big House” to buy fares.

Rod Blagojevich must report to prison on Feb. 16 where he will begin serving out his time surrounding 18-counts of fraud, in the meantime as I reported yesterday he will be getting his finances in order until that time and spending the holiday’s with his family.

Do you think the Spirit Airlines campaign is mean spirited considering Blagojevich is also leaving behind two young daughter and a wife as he heads to prison?

Spirit Airlines Uses “Seat-Selling” Sale To Poke Fun At Rod Blagojevich is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been sentenced to 14 year in prison and now he must prepare his family for his departure. The former governor must report to his new federal prison home in 71-days (February 16) at which time his corruption sentence will begin.

In his last days Rod is expected to put his financial life in order, spend time with his wife and two young daughters at Christmas and tie up loose ends.

If Blagojevich serves his entire sentence his daughter Amy will be 29-years-old when he’s releases and daughter Annie will be 22-years-old.

Judge James Zagel sentenced Blagojevich on Wendesday after he was found guilty on 18 counts of corruption, including one case in which he attempted to sell the vacant Senate seat of President Barack Obama in 2007.

After what the Blagojevich family called a financially devastating court case they have been forced to place their $1.07 million home on the open market for thousands of dollars less than originally planned in the hope of selling the home before the former Governor must report to prison.

The former Governor will also want to make sure his wife has power of attorney over all financial transactions and will basically transfer everything to her control.

In the last four decades Illinois has sent four Illinois governors to prison while two others were charged and then later acquitted of their crimes, perhaps a 14-year prison term will finally send a message to Illinois politicians that there are consequences for their actions, then again as a resident of Illinois I’ll say probably not.

Do you think Rod Blagojevich’s crimes of corruption warrant 14-years behind bars?

Rod Blagojevich Sentenced To 14-Years In Prison, Prepares Family For His Departure is a post from: The Inquisitr

[UPDATE] Rod Blagojevich has just been sentenced to 14-years in prison. Zagel said: “When it is the governor who goes bad, the fabric of Illinois is torn and disfigured and not easily repaired.”

The original story continues below…

Rod Blagojevich could soon see the inside of a jail cell. But before the disgraced ex-governor is sentenced, Blago had one last chance to state his case. Today during his sentencing hearing, Blagojevich told Judge James Zagel that he had committed crimes and that he was unbelievably sorry for his actions.

Blagojevich admitted to committing crimes but he also said that he was unaware that what he was doing was illegal at the time. Blagojevich said that he thought his actions were “permissible” and that he “never set out to break the law.”

Blagojevich also tried to get sympathy from the judge by talking about his wife and children.

Blagojevich said:

“My life is ruined, at least now. … My political career is over, I can’t be a lawyer anymore, we can’t afford the home we live in, we’re trying to sell it. I realize that the things I thought were permissible, the jury has made abundantly clear were not. Because of all that I have jeopardized my ability to protect my children.”

The Washington Post reports that Judge Zagel is expected to sentence Blagojevich later today. Blagojevich was found guilty on 18 counts of corruption and could spend as many as 20-years in prison.

Yesterday, Blagojevich’s legal team admitted that their client had committed crimes, as the strategy changed from trying to get Blagojevich out of prison altogether, to trying to reduce his sentencing.

According to the LA Times, several legal experts have predicted that Blagojevich will be sentenced to about 10 years in prison.

Do you think Rod Blagojevich deserves a lenient sentence? Should Blago spend the next 20 years in prison?

Rod Blagojevich Admits Crimes, Asks for Forgiveness Before Sentencing is a post from: The Inquisitr

Blagojevich’s attorneys and federal prosecutors filed motions on Wednesday. Judge James Zagel is expected to sentence Blago on December 6th. 

Attorney’s representing Blagojevich asked the Judge for leniency saying that the former governor was “an intrinsically good, kind, and decent man.” Prosecutors, however, say that Blagojevich should receive the maximum sentence since he has been abusing his power “from the very moment he became governor.”

According to the Associated Press, prosecutors argued that Blagojevich deserves a sentence greater than his predecessor, former Gov. George Ryan, and former Blagojevich fundraiser Tony Rezko, who was sentence to 10 1/2 years last week.

Prosecutors said:

“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… As the chief executive of the state, Blagojevich was in a special position of responsibility to the public. His abuse of office is particularly grave given the faith put in him by the citizens of Illinois.”

The former governor’s attorneys said:

“He was and is a politician, which can cause him to be perceived as shallow and self-promoting… However, his track record as governor reveals a genuine commitment to initiatives that benefited the middle and lower middle class.”

Blagojevich’s attorneys say that federal sentencing guidelines would suggest a term of 41 to 51 months. The AP notes that Zagel is not bound by federal sentencing guidelines or the recommendations of either side.

Most legal experts predict that Blagojevich will serve about 10 years. Phil Turner, a former federal prosecutor, said:

“I think there’s a good possibility that Mr. Blagojevich could get between 12 and 15 years. I don’t think he’s going to get 20, though.”

Do you think Rod Blagojevich will get the maximum sentence?

Rod Blagojevich To Be Sentenced Next Week, Prosecutors Want 15-20 Years is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rod Blagojevich and his wonderful mop top of craziness will be sentenced in Chicago on December 6 according to a statement released by his lawyer on Monday.

During the former Illlinois Governor’s retrial earlier this year he was convicted on 17 of 20 corruption charges including an extortion attempt to sell President Barack Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat.  During his first trial jury members were only able to find the former governor guilty of one count, lying to FBI officials.

The former Governor’s attorney Sheldon Sorosky says the sentencing process could last up to two days as both sides will argue over the appropriate punishment for the Governor’s actions.

If sentenced to the maximum term for all his charges Blagojevich could be sentenced up to 305 years although he will likely face a far more lenient sentence of around 10 years based on federal guidelines.

Blagojevich was originally set for an Oct. 6 sentencing however the judge in his case was also set to sentence another Illinois political powerbroker William Cellini on that day in the same Chicago courtroom.  Last week Cellini was convicted of attempting to squeeze $1.5 million the from producer of “Million Dollar Baby.” Cellini was the last of the Blagojevich camp trials stemming from a decade-long federal investigation.

Do you think Rod Blagojevich should be sentenced to a shorter or longer time behind bars or should he get probation like his legal team has requested?

[image via Katherine Welles / Shutterstock.com]

Rob Blagojevich Sentencing Scheduled For Dec. 6 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was scheduled to be sentenced on October 6th for multiple corruption charges. A federal judge delayed the sentencing today and did not set a new date.

U.S. District Judge James Zagel posted a three sentence notice today, saying that the sentencing date has been  ”stricken until further order by the court.”

In the same notice, Zagel also denied all motions filed by Blagojevich. After Blagojevich was found guilty in June, he asked for his convictions to be overturned and that a third trial be held. Zagel did not give a reason for why the sentencing date was postponed, but NPR reports that Judge Zagel may have decided to delay the sentencing because of the trial of William Cellini.

Cellini, who occasionally worked as a fundraiser for Blagojevich, is being charged for trying to shake down a Hollywood producer to raise money for the disgraced governor. Cellini’s trial is the last major trial which has stemmed from the federal investigation into Blagojevich.

When Blagojevich’s sentencing date does come around, he could receive up to 300 years in prison. Of course, Blago will likely get much less than that. Most legal experts are predicting that Rod Blagojevich will be sentenced to around 10 years.

Do you think Judge Zagel made the right choice by delaying the sentencing of Rod Blagojevich? Hasn’t this circus been going on long enough?

Federal Judge Delays Sentencing of Rod Blagojevich Indefinitely is a post from: The Inquisitr

Despite some pretty damning evidence that disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich tried to sell the vacated Senate seat of Barack Obama, the ex-politician’s lawyers are seeking a third trial in the corruption case.

For instance, one recording revealed Blagojevich stating that President Obama’s seat was “…a f***ing valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing,” and last month, he was convicted on 17 out of 20 corruption counts. But Blagojevich’s lawyers are expected to appear before a judge today at a hearing following the filing of a motion for a new trial.

The erstwhile governor’s attorneys plan to make some hefty accusations:

…they filed a hefty 158 page motion detailing their perceived “avalanche of errors” in the retrial.

Among them are claims that, “manipulation by the government led to the improper exclusion of potential jurors. ” And that, “the Court essentially denied all of the defense’s motions.”

As Blagojevich’s lawyers are slated to argue for the new trial, a local paper observed:

The other reason Blagojevich’s name was so fitting on those signs was that he and the tollway had identical functions in life: pay to play… Just as former Gov. Blagojevich and his cronies once required of a racetrack owner and a hospital CEO, the tollways require the same of motorists: if you want to proceed, pay up. If not, the light stays red. Maybe if Mr. Blagojevich had used that business-as-usual analogy as his defense, he would have gotten off.

Do you think Blagojevich deserves a third chance in court?

Blagojevich Seeks Trial Number Three Due to “Avalanche of Errors” is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday was found guilty in 17 of the 20 federal corruption charges for which he was standing trial. The Chicago Democrat came under fire when he tried to trade President Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat for political and personal favors.

Speaking after the verdict Blagojevich told reporters:

“Patti and I are obviously very disappointed in the outcome,” while adding,  “I, quite frankly, am stunned.”

As he entered his SUV and sped away from the courthouse a chorus of boos could be heard from the crowd who had gathered, while a jury forewoman said of the juries decision, “I think it sends a message.”

Another juror said Rod did a great job of using a vibrant personality in his favor:

“I think because he was personable, it made it hard to separate [that] from what we had to do as jurors,” that juror said.

“We had to put aside whether we liked him or didn’t like him and just go by the evidence presented to us.”

Even a juror who had laughed at Blagojevich’s jokes on the stand while being deposed said:

“He proved himself guilty beyond any reasonable doubt,” and “He kept saying ‘Do it!’ ‘Push it!’ ‘Get it done!’ That’s where he crossed the line.”

A date has not yet been set for sentencing, however the former Illinois Governor is not allowed to travel outside of the north district of Illinois without permission.

Do you believe Rod Blagojevich got what he deserved?

Rod Blagojevich Found Guilty On 17 Counts is a post from: The Inquisitr

Disgraced former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich has expressed remorse for poorly received comments he made about being “blacker” than President Barack Obama in Esquire magazine.

Blagojevich, who was removed from office last year following corruption charges related to the “sale” of President Obama’s vacated Senate seat, originally knocked the president’s street cred in the Esquire interview:

“I’m blacker than Barack Obama. I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little laundromat in a black community not far from where we lived. I saw it all growing up.”

The White House has not commented on Blagojevich’s controversial remarks, but as quotes from the interview began to leak to press, Blagojevich began rapidly backpedalling on the poorly thought out comment:

“It’s a stupid metaphor to say I’m blacker than Barack Obama, that I apologize for,” he said. “It’s not appropriate for me, a white person, to stand out somehow and claim to be a black person, that’s just wrong … I was expressing frustration that the policies of this new administration still haven’t really been focusing on the great deal of inequities we have in our society.”

In addition to his upcoming stint on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, Blago’s trial for the corruption charges is slated for later this year. The issue of Esquire with Blagojevich’s interview hits newsstands on January 19th.

[Yahoo]

Blagojevich admits error in saying he’s “blacker than Obama” is a post from: The Inquisitr

Disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich continues his bizarre “I’m innocent” media tour, this time checking in with David Letterman.

Blagojevich told Letterman among other things, that he keeps thinking he’ll wake up and people will realize “this is just one big misunderstanding” and even compares himself to Christian Bale.

Here’s the Letterman Blagojevich videos:

Blagojevich tells Letterman he’s misunderstood (video) is a post from: The Inquisitr

Illinois senators removed Governor Rod Blagojevich from power Thursday, handing the job to lieutenant governor and former gadfly Pat Quinn.

The Illinois senate voted unanimously to convict Blagojevich and bar him from holding political office in the state again.

Quinn served for two terms under Blagojevich, but the pair was never close, with Quinn admitting that he hadn’t spoken to Blagojevich for over a year. Prior to that, Quinn was a former state treasurer and tax attorney, best known as a gadfly for his efforts to cut big government and “protect the little guy.”

The decision by the Illinois Senate puts an end to Blagojevich’s attempts to court public opinion, with a tour of talkshows this week. Blagojevich was caught last year trying to sell President Barack Obama’s Senate seat apparent attempt to auction off President Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat. An investigation also found that Blagojevich was passing legislation favorable to business interests in return for political donations.

(img: AP)

Rod Blagojevich Out, Former Gadfly Pat Quinn In is a post from: The Inquisitr

Disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich hit the talk shows today just as the hearing to impeach him started in Chicago.

Along with an appearance on the Today Show, where he claimed among other things that he considered appointing Oprah to Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat, he appeared on The View to protest his innocence.

Here’s the Rod Blagojevich on The View video:

Rod Blagojevich on The View: I’m Innocent (video) is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Federal US Attorney has announced that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been arrested in the middle of what he described as a political corruption crime spree. He was arrested at his home this morning.

Rod Blagojevich allegedly attempted to sell the US Senate seat that has been vacated by the President-elect Barack Obama. Under state law, the governor has the sole discretion to name Obama’s appointment.

Blagojevich also is accused of obtaining campaign contributions in exchange for other official actions.

The only thing he isn’t accused of his hooking up with Ashley Dupree, former Governor Spitzer’s prostitute of choice. We guess he loved money more than sex. We wonder if Patricia Blagojevich will stand by him the way Spitzer’s wife stood by Spitzer. Patricia Blagojevich is yet to make a statement.

The Chicago Tribune reports

Even Blagojevich’s recently announced $1.8 billion plan for new interchanges and “green lanes” on the Illinois Tollway was subject to corruption, prosecutors alleged. The criminal complaint alleges Blagojevich expected an unnamed highway concrete contractor to raise a half-million dollars for his campaign fund in exchange for state money for the tollway project. “If they don’t perform, (expletive) ‘em,” Blagojevich said, according to the complaint.

Blagojevich and Harris also allegedly conspired to demand the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members responsible for editorials critical of Blagojevich in exchange for state help with the sale of Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs baseball stadium owned by Tribune Co.

The US Attorney says it best:

“We allege that Blagojevich put a ‘for sale’ sign on the naming of a United States senator; involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism.”

You can see a timeline for the arrest here

Disgusting. No wonder he has a 13% approval rating.

Illinois Governor, Blagojevich, Arrested for Trying to Sell Obama’s Senate Seat is a post from: The Inquisitr