Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's appeal of convictions on corruption charges including attempted extortion from campaign contributors, wire fraud and other crimes appeal was rejected by the US highest courts on Monday.
According to Daily Mail, the Supreme Court rejected the flamboyant request of former two-term Democratic Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. The appeal is about his convictions on corruption charges during his tenure as the state's governor. The ruling was sent on July by the 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals, supporting the bulk of convictions.
Blagojevich started his 14-year prison sentence on 2012. The prosecutors said Blagojevich was the center piece of conspiracy to seek cash, campaign contributions and jobs for himself. This was in exchange of state appointments, state business legislations and pension fund investments.
Some of these actions were fundamentals to leverage his authority as governor to appoint a U.S. senator as written by Reuters. Blagojevich was first elected in 2002 but was arrested in 2008 during his term as a governor. He was then impeached by the General Assembly by 2009. He went on to become the first Illinois governor to be removed from his office. Five of the 18 convictions he had was dismissed by the appeals court with two court trials.
ABC7Chicago reported that he was a model prisoner inside the jail. As stated by his current lawyer Leonard Goodman, "He's been a model prisoner, he teaches classes, he helps other inmates, ya know, I think he's done everything he can to try and rejoin his family." Moreover, his wife, Patti, has expressed that her family was utterly disappointed on the decision as the Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
Mrs. Blagojevich is still hopeful that after the governor is resentenced, the highest court will then hear the case they are fighting for. Blagojevich is now known to be the fourth Illinois governor convicted of criminal charges since 1973.
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