MIND THE GAP, Hon.
CHICAGO -- Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison plus a $20,000 fine Wednesday for his 18-count corruption conviction.
According to observers in the courtroom, Blagojevich was stone faced and pale and looked shocked when his prison term was read. Soon after hearing his fate, the former governor walked over to his wife, Patti Blagojevich, and said that everything was "going to be alright."
His surrender date was set for Feb. 16, 2012, FOX News Channel reported.
Prosecutors had asked US District Judge James Zagel to sentence the impeached former governor to 15 to 20 years in prison.
Over the course of two trials, Blagojevich was convicted of a total of 18 counts of corruption, most notably for attempting to sell President Barack Obama's former Senate seat for $1.5 million in campaign contributions.
Just before announcing the sentence, Zagel rebuked Blagojevich and his lawyers for arguing that Blagojevich never actually harmed the state of Illinois because he never received money from any of his proposed bribes.
"These were foolish and unworthy tactics in treating the charges as you did," Zagel said. "I cannot comprehend that you seem to argue at first ... the proposition that even if guilty there was no harm to Illinois. The harm is not valued in money or property."
Blagojevich was the last witness to take the stand during Wednesday's sentencing hearing.
Blagojevich told Zagel that he believed his conduct was "permissible" at the time and that he never "set out to break the law."
He testified that he now admits his conduct was criminal.
"I was the governor, and I should have known better," Blagojevich said. "I have nobody to blame but myself."
Blagojevich became emotional when describing the impact the ordeal has had on his family.
"My life is ruined, at least now ... my political career is over, we can't afford the home we live in," he said.
The former chief executive of the Illinois state government also said he had ruined his two daughters' innocence.
"Their name isn't Smith, they can't hide," he said.
Zagel accepted Blagojevich's apology but said he had had many good fathers come before him in court after committing bad acts.
"If it's any consolation to his children, he does not stand convicted of being a bad father," Zagel said.
Blagojevich is the second consecutive Illinois governor to be convicted on corruption charges. His predecessor, George Ryan, is currently serving a six-and-a-half year sentence in a federal prison in Terre Haute, Ind.
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