US Supreme Court Will Not Hear Blagojevich Appeal

The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear the appeal of the public corruption conviction of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the court revealed Monday morning. The appeal was on the list of cases the court said it would not hear Monday, but no details were given as to why the justice rejected hearing the appeal.

Blagojevich has been serving a 14-year sentence since he was convicted in 2011 of trying to sell the open U.S. Senate seat of then-President Barack Obama. In 2015, five of the 18 counts against the former governor were thrown out, but his sentence remained unchanged.

As part of his appeal, which he filed late last year, Blagojevich argued he had not broken campaign laws previously outlined by the Supreme Court. His appeal also contended that his punishment was more severe when compared to the sentences of others found guilty on similar counts.

More Patch Coverage:

• Blagojevich Takes Case Back To Supreme Court
  
• Blagojevich Rejected Again By Appeals Court
  
• Rod Blagojevich Asks for Presidential Commutation

The rejection by the Supreme Court on Monday is the second time the court has refused to hear a Blagojevich appeal. The convicted politician also unsuccessfully asked Obama to commute his sentence before the latter left office. Now that his final appeal has failed, the only option that remains for Blagojevich is to make the same request of President Donald Trump, who had fired the former governor during a season of "Celebrity Apprentice."

Blagojevich is serving his sentence in a Colorado federal prison and isn't expected to be release until 2024.

Go to the U.S. Supreme Court's website for its complete order list, which was posted Monday.

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (Photo via Patch archive)