Aamer Madhani

USA TODAY

CHICAGO — A federal judge on Tuesday resentenced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to 14 years in prison for his 2011 political corruption conviction, reaffirming the decision originally handed down to the disgraced politician more than four years ago.

Blagojevich, a Democrat who served as Illinois’ governor from 2003 to 2009, won a chance at resentencing last year after an appellate court vacated five of 18 charges related to a scheme in which he tried to use his power as governor to extract favors and campaign cash from other politicians.

The former governor, who appeared for the hearing via video conferencing, had requested the judge to reduce his sentence to five years in prison.

Federal prosecutor Debra Riggs Bonamici called on U.S. District Judge James Zagel to keep the 14-year prison term in place, arguing Blagojevich didn’t deserve leniency, noting that his corruption eroded trust in public officials. She added that Blagojevich was the "same man" he was when he was convicted in 2011.

Zagel agreed the original sentence remained appropriate for the crimes committed by Blagojevich, who succeeded Gov. George Ryan, a Republican, who was convicted of corruption charges several months after leaving office in 2003.

"Ironically, this is a man who ran for office on restoring the integrity of Illinois," Zagel said.

The five counts dropped last year relate to Blagojevich’s attempt to trade the appointment of a U.S. Senate seat, which opened up after president-elected Barack Obama vacated it in late 2008.

Blagojevich offered to appoint Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett to the vacant seat in exchange for appointing him to a Cabinet slot. The appellate court ruled the suggested swap — the appointment ended up going to Roland Burris — was not illegal but amounted to “a political logroll.”

The appellate court, however, upheld charges against Blagojevich related to accusations he tried to extract cash from then-U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., in exchange for the senate appointment as well as other efforts by the governor to get paid for official acts.

Even as the panel threw out the charges, the judges said a 14-year sentence was appropriate, if not too lenient for Blagojevich’s crimes.

In his argument to Zagel, Blagojevich’s attorney said the governor was a different man than the one convicted more than four years ago. “The arrogance and anger are no longer present in this man today,” said defense attorney Leonard Goodman.

Ex.-Ill. Gov. Blagojevich to make difficult pitch for lighter prison term

Blagojevich spoke on behalf of himself, telling the judge about his regrets and detailing how he’s spent his time in prison teaching GED and history classes for inmates and conducting mock job interviews for some as they prepared to be released.

“I wish I could find a way to turn the clock back and make different choices, but that’s not possible,” said the 59-year-old Blagojevich, whose dark bouffant has turned solid white in prison. “All I can do is move forward and do better.”

In an impassioned letter entered into the court record Monday evening, his wife, Patti Blagojevich, asked Zagel for leniency for her husband for the sake of their two daughters.

She said Blagojevich calls home every night from prison, and the family has made 20 trips to Colorado to visit him.

“The unfortunate fact, though, is that all the phone calls and emails and visits cannot fill the void of his absence,” Patti Blagojevich wrote. "They cannot come close to replacing his physical presence in our lives.”

She added, “I am pleading with you, indeed begging you, to please be merciful.”

His 20-year-old daughter Amy and 13-year-daughter Annie also asked Zagel to cut their father’s sentence for their sake.

“I almost don’t want to grow up because I want to wait for him to come home,” Annie Blagojevich told the judge.

Court overturns part of Blagojevich case

Zagel said he was sympathetic to the Blagojevich family, but that he remained convinced the length of the sentence was appropriate. "As I said four years ago, the fault lays with the governor," Zagel said.

After the hearing, Patti Blagojevich said she was "dumbfounded" by Zagel's decision, despite her daughters' pleas.

"It's clear it didn't make any difference what they said," she said. "They could have delivered a 12-page missive and delivered it Broadway style. It wouldn't have made any difference what they or what anyone said. Judge Zagel made up his mind, even before (the hearing) started."

More than 100 fellow inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution Englewood, Colo., also wrote letters to the judge vouching Blagojevich has been a model inmate and asked he be given a break.

During the years he’s been incarcerated, Blagojevich has learned to play guitar, according to court documents. The governor — a passionate fan of Elvis Presley — even helped form a prison band, known as the Jailhouse Rockers.

The band, however, broke up after the lead guitarist was released from prison.

Follow USA TODAY Chicago correspondent Aamer Madhani on Twitter: @AamerISmad