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| Rod Blagojevich sentenced to 14 years in prison | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption. | |
| He was found guilty in June of 17 counts of graft, including trying to sell the US Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama. | |
| At the sentencing in Chicago, he said he was "unbelievably sorry" and had made "terrible mistakes". | |
| Prosecutors had requested a maximum sentence of 20 years, saying the 54-year-old knew he was breaking the law. | |
| The Democrat was arrested in December 2008 while still in office. | The Democrat was arrested in December 2008 while still in office. |
| Pleading for leniency on Wednesday, Blagojevich told Judge James Zagel he thought what he had been doing was "permissible". | Pleading for leniency on Wednesday, Blagojevich told Judge James Zagel he thought what he had been doing was "permissible". |
| 'Life ruined' | 'Life ruined' |
| Acknowledging his mistake, Blagojevich said he "never set out to break the law". | Acknowledging his mistake, Blagojevich said he "never set out to break the law". |
| "My life is ruined, at least now," he said. "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. | "My life is ruined, at least now," he said. "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 realise that the things I thought were permissible, the jury has made abundantly clear, were not." | |
| He added: "Because of all that, I have jeopardised my ability to protect my children." | He added: "Because of all that, I have jeopardised my ability to protect my children." |
| The admission of guilt came just days after Blagojevich's legal team had declared his innocence. | The admission of guilt came just days after Blagojevich's legal team had declared his innocence. |
| Blagojevich was also convicted of trying to extort campaign donations from business executives, and of soliciting bribes from racing officials. | Blagojevich was also convicted of trying to extort campaign donations from business executives, and of soliciting bribes from racing officials. |
| He was elected governor of Illinois in 2002 and served until 2009, when the state legislature threw him out of office following his arrest. | He was elected governor of Illinois in 2002 and served until 2009, when the state legislature threw him out of office following his arrest. |
| As governor, he was tasked under law with appointing someone to fill the Senate seat left vacant when Mr Obama won election to the White House. | As governor, he was tasked under law with appointing someone to fill the Senate seat left vacant when Mr Obama won election to the White House. |
| In FBI wire taps, Blagojevich was heard describing the Senate appointment as a "golden" opportunity. | In FBI wire taps, Blagojevich was heard describing the Senate appointment as a "golden" opportunity. |
| After the jury was unable to reach a verdict in the first trial, Blagojevich was found guilty second time round. | After the jury was unable to reach a verdict in the first trial, Blagojevich was found guilty second time round. |