Time Nearly Up For Blagojevich To Get Clemency From Obama
(CBS) -- He's been behind bars for almost five years.
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's hopes for clemency from President Barack Obama now hinge on the next four days.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov takes a look at the chances his 14-year sentence will be cut short.
Blagojevich walked into prison life in March 2012.
Last August, the ex-governor listened from afar as federal Judge James Zagel refused to reduce his sentence, even after an appellate court tossed some of his convictions. While attorneys appeal -- again -- Blagojevich's family hopes Obama will let him out early.
Chicago political analyst Dick Simpson says that's not likely, given what Blagojevich was convicted of.
Another reason is this:
"You're not supposed to get a commutation if you have a simultaneous appeal pending on the same issue in the local court, which Blagojevich does," CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller says.
Obama recently declined to comment on the Blagojevich case, but said he has "very aggressively" used his commutation powers to offset "over-sentencing."
If Obama takes no action on the Blagojevich request, there's always incoming President Donald Trump, who got to know Blagojevich when he appeared on Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice."
Back to Obama: Simpson says granting Blagojevich a full pardon would tarnish his presidency, but suggests a commutation would go comparatively unnoticed.
If his sentence was cut to time served, Blagojevich would be out the next day.
The only comment from the ex-governor's wife, Patti, was "He didn't say no." That was on her Facebook page.