(Image source: Chicago Tribune)


BY DAN CORNFIELD

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

You're watching multisource politics news analysis from Newsy.

Likeable -- and guilty.
That’s how jurors described former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, convicted on 17 charges including extortion and conspiracy to elicit a bribe.
Even on his way in to court, Blago was smiling for the camera and quoting the king... Elvis.

“You know my hands are shaking, my knees are weak. I can’t seem to stand on my own two feet.”

Now -- Blago joins a notorious list of criminal Illinois politicians.
Blagojevich has spent most of the last two years playing the role of media darling, flooding late-night talk shows and talk-radio to plead his case.
After his conviction, one juror said that friendly smile made the decision very difficult.

“Because he was personable it made it hard to separate that from what we actually had to do as jurors. You know we had to put aside the fact that whether we liked him or didn’t like him.”

Some in the courtroom noticed the jury struggle through the verdict reading. CNN’s Ted Rowlands says the former governor was partially effective in appealing to a jury of his peers.

“The jury seemed very emotional. They were upset when they walked in to some extent. And it’s tough on jurors. One woman had her eyes closed for most of the proceeding. None of the jurors would look at Blagojevich. He was trying, straining almost, to get eye contact with all of these jurors. But no one would look anywhere close to his direction.”

Prosecutors admitted, Blago never actually pocketed a dime. Which doesn’t mean -- he didn’t try. Eugene Robinson tells MSNBC both are illegal and bold for a man of such a high position.

“There’s a matter of degree. When you look at the Blagojevich stuff, in one sense it’s just politics and in another sense it is very specific things he wanted. He wanted money, he wanted a job. It was too blatant I think. It did cross a line.”

So now that the verdict is in, sentencing is around the corner. When you add them all up, the maximum sentences could leave Blago in jail for the rest of his life. But the crew at Fox News debates exactly how long the Windy City politician will actually spend behind bars.

“He walks out of a federal prison camp on his own two feet. I don’t believe that he’s looking at a terribly lengthy prison sentence. He’s looking at less than 10 years.”

“Oh I don’t think so.”
“You have the governor, who is entrusted, the people of Illinois, with always doing the right thing, always using good judgement.
“A judge is going to come down real hard on him.”

Sentencing will be announced at a later date.

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