CHICAGO -- A federal judge officially declined to cut the 14-year prison term given to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich after an appellate court threw out several of his corruption convictions.
A resentencing hearing on Tuesday in Chicago federal court disappointed the family of Blagojevich, which pleaded for leniency in the ruling.
Blagojevich's attorneys asked for a 5-year reduced term, however the U.S. attorney's office asked for the sentencing to be upheld.
When the 59-year-old Democrat appeared in a Chicago courtroom via video link, he learned he wouldn't depart his Colorado prison cell any time soon.
Blagojevich was originally sentenced in 2011, following his conviction for trying to exchange an appointment to President Barack Obama's old U.S. Senate seat for campaign cash.
The judge presiding over the resentencing hearing said it's an "unfortunate reality" that Blagojevich's innocent family members are made to suffer the consequences of his shortcomings.
Blagojevich is listed in the Federal Prison system as inmate No. 40892-424.
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