# 14 years for Blago!!!!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 7, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403 "2011-12-07T19:21:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/1 "2011-12-07T19:21:41Z")
Should have been longer. IMHO At least they nailed this guy. Trying to Sell a senate seat appointment is just stupid. [http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/07/blagojevich-apologizes-at-sentencing-hearing/?hpt=hp\_t1](http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/07/blagojevich-apologizes-at-sentencing-hearing/?hpt=hp_t1) > [@](#): > > In announcing the sentence Judge James Zagel said Blagojevich’s abuse of the governor’s office “is more damaging than any other office in the U.S.” besides the presidency. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/2 "2011-12-07T19:29:23Z")
Got Beat to the post by 9 minutes. :smack: Well never mind then. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/3 "2011-12-07T20:07:20Z")
Maintaining a dynasty of corruption in the office of the Illinois governor. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/4 "2011-12-07T20:34:04Z")
Leggo my Blago! ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/5 "2011-12-07T20:36:56Z")
Several people at my office have commented that it’s excessive. I think it’s fine. Why would it be excessive? I can only think it’s because they liked him on whatever island show that was. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/6 "2011-12-07T20:54:23Z")
_Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich apologized to his state, his family and the judge, saying he is “unbelievably sorry,” …_ You got that right. _“There is a line between routine politics, horse trading and campaign politics,” Blagojevich said. “I thought they were permissible and I was mistaken.”_ He’s lying still. Give the SOB 20. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/7 "2011-12-07T20:54:57Z")
How does it compare to past sentences for corruption from Illinois governors compared to what they were convicted for doing? We’ve got a pretty good sample as Illinois governors have been convicted quite a bit in the past few decades. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/8 "2011-12-07T21:01:02Z")
Politicians do routinely make deals. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. I’ll support your legislation and you support mine. That’s legal and nothing wrong with it. Blago flat out asked for money and a job appointment for himself. That’s way, way over any ethical or legal line. This guy was a prosecutor at one time and he pulls a stunt like this? 14 years is a lot. But I bet he only serves five or six and gets parole. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/9 "2011-12-07T21:12:33Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > 14 years is a lot. But I bet he only serves five or six and gets parole. According to what I’ve read, his sentence requires him to serve 85% of his sentence. So whatever 85% of 14 is. He will be going in early February. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/10 "2011-12-07T21:23:38Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > _Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich apologized to his state, his family and the judge, saying he is “unbelievably sorry,” …_ He’s sorry that he got caught, and he’s sorry that his attempts to manipulate his trial through the media backfired. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/11 "2011-12-07T21:28:29Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > _“There is a line between routine politics, horse trading and campaign politics,” Blagojevich said. “I thought they were permissible and I was mistaken.”_ > > He’s lying still. Give the SOB 20. I know! That’s exactly what I thought. When I saw an apology I felt good about it for half a second, then in the very next second I see Blago says this: "I never set out to break the law. I never set out to cross lines.” Ah, what scum. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/12 "2011-12-07T21:30:40Z")
When is his hair going to be sentenced? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/13 "2011-12-07T21:33:56Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > When is his hair going to be sentenced? It would only be proper that Blago be forced to serve his time at a different correctional facility from his hair. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/14 "2011-12-07T21:38:43Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > _“There is a line between routine politics, horse trading and campaign politics,” Blagojevich said. “I thought they were permissible and I was mistaken.”_ Translation: “Apparently I did something illegal. Damned if I know what it was.” There’s not a single iota of remorse in that “apology.” ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/15 "2011-12-07T21:43:13Z")
That seat is fucking gold. How could any moral man be expected to resist the allure of gain ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/16 "2011-12-07T21:58:12Z")
This was a report posted on our local news station’s website: [http://www.wthitv.com/dpps/news/national/midwest/blago-gets-14-year-prison-term-nt11-jpe\_4006862](http://www.wthitv.com/dpps/news/national/midwest/blago-gets-14-year-prison-term-nt11-jpe_4006862) At the end of page two, there is this: '…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.’” _Way_ classy. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/17 "2011-12-07T22:01:30Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > It would only be proper that Blago be forced to serve his time at a different correctional facility from his hair. He’d likely see being separated from his hair as a greater punishment than being sent to prison. > [@nonacetone](#): > > This was a report posted on our local news station’s website: > [http://www.wthitv.com/dpps/news/national/midwest/blago-gets-14-year-prison-term-nt11-jpe\_4006862](http://www.wthitv.com/dpps/news/national/midwest/blago-gets-14-year-prison-term-nt11-jpe_4006862) > > At the end of page two, there is this: > '…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.’” > > _Way_ classy. :rolleyes: Gwuh? This is the least slimy thing he’s said and is somewhat funny to me. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/18 "2011-12-07T22:58:02Z")
Rezko got 10 years and Blago 14. Neither seems excessive. Rezko has already announced he’ll appeal. Blago hasn’t said if he’ll appeal. > [@](#): > > Attorneys for Rod Blagojevich’s former top fundraiser announced plans Tuesday to appeal his corruption-related convictions and 10 ½-year prison term, viewed by some as a baseline for the former Illinois governor in his sentencing later today. [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-rezko-to-appear-conviction-sentence-20111207,0,7666367.story](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-rezko-to-appear-conviction-sentence-20111207,0,7666367.story) ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/19 "2011-12-07T23:10:03Z")
George “Licenses for Bribes” Ryan only got sentenced to 6.5 years for directing prime contracts to friends/the highest bidder, as well as for conspiring to cover up his fundraising misdeeds. I’m not sure if that is too high or too low, compared to this. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403/20 "2011-12-07T23:11:21Z")
“If you are Rod Blagojevich , and you are in a room with 3 or 4 other former Illinois governors, then you are probably in prison.” Was that a Jon Stewart joke? I forget. I remember laughing so hard. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/14-years-for-blago/605403.md?page=2)