Chicago\u2019s PBS station WTTW reports that on Saturday Arroyo\u2019s lawyers argued the potential punishment would not fit the crime, which enriched their client by just $7,500.<\/p>\n
They said a prison sentence could \u201ckill\u201d the former lawmaker, and possibly his wife, who is chronically ill.<\/p>\n
The defense cited Arroyo\u2019s former good character, which included \u201cextensive charitable work, public service, community work, generosity with his time.”<\/p>\n
Describing his life as a \u201crags to riches story,\u201d they highlighted his difficult childhood in Puerto Rico. This involved him dropping out of high school to help his family, while enduring beatings from an alcoholic father.<\/p>\n
Mr. Arroyo is not a bad person; rather he is a good person who made a mistake in judgment,\u201d<\/strong> Arroyo\u2019s attorneys argued, calling his criminal acts \u201ca brief dalliance with corruption, encouraged by another corrupt official working for the government.\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\nMaking an example of Arroyo to combat graft in Illinois politics would be \u201cno more effective than draining Lake Michigan with a spoon,\u201d they concluded.<\/p>\n
Arroyo is scheduled to be sentenced February 18.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lawyers for former Illinois state Rep. Luis Arroyo are asking for clemency for their client, who has pleaded guilty to bribery charges related to his support of the state\u2019s sweepstakes industry. They hope to convince US District Judge Steven C. Seeger to sidestep the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":200076,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Ex-Illinois Lawmaker Arroyo Wants Clemency in Gambling Corruption Trial<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n