Rod Blagojevich will have another day in court on Tuesday, as he’ll face re-sentencing. Blago’s wife Patti is begging for a shorter sentence.
Meanwhile, gangs have reportedly met to discuss the idea of targeting Chicago Police in the same way police have been targeted in other cities around the country.
Plus, a New Jersey man who died recently had dueling obituaries, one saying he was survived by his wife and another saying he was survived by a different woman, his “girlfriend.”
(CHICAGO) The wife of Rod Blagojevich is asking a federal judge for leniency ahead of a ruling on whether to reduce the 14-year prison term of the former Illinois governor.
In a letter to U.S. District Judge James Zagel contained in court documents filed Monday, Patti Blagojevich wrote she is “pleading . indeed begging” that her husband be freed.
Blagojevich also recounted the milestones her husband has missed with their two daughters since being incarcerated in 2012.
A resentencing hearing is scheduled Tuesday in Chicago federal court after an appeals court struck down five of his 18 convictions. The 59-year-old Democrat will appear at the hearing via a video link.
Zagel also received a letter from Blagojevich’s father-in-law, former Chicago Alderman Richard Mell.
Prosecutors want Zagel to impose the same term, saying Blagojevich doesn’t deserve leniency.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
(CHICAGO) A federal judge will decide today whether to cut the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (blah-GOY’-uh-vich), who went to prison in 2012.
Blagojevich was convicted of 18 offenses, including attempting to exchange an appointment to President Barack Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat in exchange for campaign cash.
But he won a resentencing hearing after an appeals court struck down five of the convictions.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
By Adam Chappelle, WLS-AM 890 News
(CHICAGO) Rod Blagojevich is officially out of appeals. An appeal that asked the high court to reject Blago’s appeal of his corruption convictions was denied on Monday. The justices denied the appeal without comment.
Back on March 28th, the court initially turned down Blagojevich’s appeal. The former governor challenged an appeals court ruling that said he crossed the line when he tried to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat.
Blago argued that circumstances in his case changed, because prosecutors declined to retry him on five counts that were tossed out by a federal appeals court.
By Nick Gale, WLS-AM news
(CHICAGO) Ted Cruz is stumping in Illinois today.
Speaking in Rockford, Cruz said voters can’t trust Donald Trump and brought up ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is still serving time for political corruption.
“Donald Trump gave $7,000 to Rod Blagojevich. That’s a fairly remarkable legacy for a Republican candidate for president,” Cruz said. “He gave $12,500 to the Democratic Party of Cook County.”
Cruz is also making stops in Peoria, Decatur, Springfield and Glen Ellyn.
Cruz has been casting Trump as a hypocrite for weeks, noting his past donations to Democrats including Hillary Clinton, but Cruz also says he will support Trump if he becomes the GOP nominee.
@2016 WLS-AM News
