Rod Blagojevich Admits Crimes, Asks for Forgiveness Before Sentencing

[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?