Blagojevich leaves home to report to Colo. prison


March 15, 2012 at 9:27a.m.

Blagojevich leaves home to report to Colo. prison

CHICAGO (AP) — Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has left his Chicago home and is heading to Colorado to begin a 14-year federal prison term for corruption.

The one-time golden boy of Illinois politics with a penchant for television cameras is expected to report to the prison by 2 p.m. today. He is the state’s second governor in a row to be sent to prison for corruption.

Jurors convicted Blagojevich on 18 counts, including charges that he tried to sell or trade President Barack Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat.

The famously talkative Democrat embraced the public spotlight one last time Wednesday evening, seeming to relish the attention of reporters’ microphones and hovering television helicopters as he expressed faith he would successfully appeal his convictions.