CHICAGO—A federal judge on Tuesday upheld Rod Blagojevich’s 14-year prison sentence on corruption counts, setting aside pleas for leniency by the former Illinois governor’s wife and daughters during his resentencing. Zagel told him “the fabric of Illinois is torn and disfigured” by his corruption and handed down a far stiffer sentence than many expected. Calls for leniency have been a tough sell to Zagel, a no-nonsense judge who berated Blagojevich at the 2011 sentencing. The one-time contestant on Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice reality show has asked Zagel to sharply reduce his sentence on the upheld convictions. U.S. District Judge James Zagel said it’s an “unfortunate reality” that Blagojevich’s innocent family members are made to suffer the consequences.

Source: thestar August 09, 2016 17:53 UTC