In political corruption cases, how much prison time is enough?
Fed prosecutors in the case of Rod Blagojevich — the world’s most talkative ex-governor — are recommending that he get 15 to 20 years at sentencing, which is set for Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
Yes, Blagojevich was a crook with a stupid chip implanted somewhere in that brain of his underneath that helmet-head of hair. But I think a 15 to 20 year sentence is excessive.
What’s the point of piling on?
Blago, who turns 55 on Dec. 10, four days after sentencing, would be 75 by the time he got released from prison if he were to be sentenced to 20 years. If he gets 10 years, he’ll be 65 by the time he goes free. It’s not as if, when he gets out, the public will be in danger.
A prison term in this case is supposed to provide sufficient punishment and act as a deterrent to other crooked-leaning pols.
I think 10 to 12 years, as a Chicago Sun-Times writer Mark Brown suggests, does the trick.
A sentence of 10-12 is enough to discourage some — certainly not all — crooked politicians from committing crimes.
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