© 2024 WGLT
A public service of Illinois State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

High Court Rejects Blagojevich Appeal

Rod Blagojevich
Creative Commons
Rod Blagojevich

A lawyer for Rod Blagojevich is disappointed the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the imprisoned former Illinois governor's appeal of his remaining corruption convictions, including his attempt to sell the vacant U.S. Senate seat once occupied by President Barack Obama.
 
But Leonard Goodman said after the court's decision that he could ask it again to consider hearing the case. That's because one argument prosecutors made against the appeal was that the government hasn't decided whether to retry Blagojevich on five dismissed counts. A lower appeals court threw out five of 18 corruption convictions in July.  

Prosecutors could, but are not expected to, retry Blagojevich on the five counts.

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Blagojevich to be re-sentenced on the surviving 13 counts, adding that the 14-year sentence the Chicago Democrat is serving may still be fair.  
     
 The 59-year-old Blagojevich is serving his sentence at a federal prison in Colorado.
 
A federal appeals court last year threw out five of his 18 convictions and Blagojevich was hoping the Supreme Court would consider tossing the rest.  

The justices on Monday let stand an appeals court ruling that found Blagojevich crossed the line when he sought money in exchange for naming someone to fill the seat. His lawyers argued that the line between the legal and illegal trading of political favors has become blurred, potentially leaving politicians everywhere subject to prosecution.  
 

Related Content