Former governor Blagojevich convicted of corruption

ROD Blagojevich, who rode his talkative everyman image to two terms as Illinois governor before scandal made him a national punch line, was convicted yesterday of a wide range of corruption charges, including the incendiary allegation that he tried to sell or trade President Barack Obama’s Senate seat.

The verdict was a bitter defeat for Blagojevich, who had spent two-and-a-half years professing his innocence on reality TV shows and later on the witness stand. His defence team had insisted that hours of FBI wiretap recordings were just the ramblings of a politician who liked to think out loud. He faces up to 300 years in prison, although federal sentencing guidelines are sure to reduce his time.

The decision capped a long-running spectacle in which Blagojevich became famous for blurting on a recorded phone call that his ability to appoint Obama’s successor to the Senate was “fucking golden” and that he wouldn’t let it go “for fucking nothing.”

Blagojevich, who has been free on bail since shortly after his arrest, becomes the second straight Illinois governor convicted of corruption. His predecessor, George Ryan, is now serving six-and-a-half years in federal prison.

The case exploded into scandal when Blagojevich was awakened by federal agents on December 9, 2008, at his Chicago home and was led away in handcuffs. Federal prosecutors had been investigating his administration for years and some of his closest cronies had already been convicted.

Blagojevich, who was also accused of shaking down businessmen for campaign contributions, was swiftly impeached and removed from office.

The verdict provided affirmation to Fitzgerald, one of the nation’s most prominent prosecutors, who had condemned Blagojevich’s dealings as a “political crime spree.”

Mentioned at times as a possible future FBI director, Fitzgerald pledged to retry the governor after the first jury deadlocked on all but the least serious of 24 charges against him. This time, the 12 jurors voted to convict the 54-year-old Blagojevich on 17 of 20 counts.

Judge James Zagel has barred Blagojevich from travelling outside the area without permission. A status hearing for sentencing was set for August 1.