Blagojevich aide gets 10 days in jail

CHICAGO -- Rod Blagojevich is serving a 14-year prison sentence in Colorado, but his presence was felt 900 miles away yesterday as his top aide was sentenced to just 10 days behind bars for helping the former Illinois governor try to sell President Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

John Harris, Blagojevich's last chief of staff, received leniency from the same judge who imposed the stiff sentence on the corrupt former governor. U.S. District Judge James Zagel noted that Harris had been forced to cope with a boss who bristled at staff who dared tell him "no" and whose manic management style and constant telephone calls at all hours of the day wore subordinates down.

"I can't say that in your position, I wouldn't have done the same thing," he told Harris.

Harris, now 50, read a statement apologizing to the people of Illinois, his family and friends, saying he should have done more to stop Blagojevich from pursuing illegal schemes. -- AP