Share Your Reaction: Blagojevich Found Guilty on 17 Counts

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was found guilty Monday afternoon of trying to sell President Barack Obama's Senate seat in 2008.

Blagojavich was found guilty on 17 of 20 federal corruption charges.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, U.S. District Judge James Zagel did not immediately set a date for sentencing but he said Blagojevich can’t travel outside the northern district of Illinois without his permission.

Blagojevich is the fourth Illinois governor in the last 40 years to be found guilty of crimes.

Former Illinois governors George Ryan, Dan Walker and Otto Kerner have also been convicted.

“Patti and I are obviously very disappointed,” Blagojevich said outside the courtroom after the verdict was announced, according to the Sun-Times. “I, quite frankly, am stunned.”

According to ABC 7 Chicago's Twitter feed, "Juror 140 said, 'the Senate seat was most clear,' it's clear he was trying to make a trade," and that "Jurors [said] the most difficult counts were tollway and the school. Say they looked at the evidence by scheme."

Blagojevich, who had faced 20 corruption charges in his retrial, was convicted on 11 Senate seat charges, according to the Huffington Post. He was also found guilty of attempting to shake down executives for campaign donations.

"Now that we have read the book on Rod Blagojevich and closed the last chapter, it is important that we don’t lose track of the message," said Illinois State Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale). "The message is, we need to constantly press forward with reforms in campaign financing and transparency."

What do you think of the jury's decision? Do you think Blagojevich should serve a lengthy prison term? Now that he has been found guilty, do you think it was well-spent taxpayer money to prosecute him?

Leave your thoughts by making a comment below.