"The defendant in this case held up funding to every children's hospital in the state of Illinois for 30 days," Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar said. "That was a real harm."

"He sat on legislation for ... days that would have helped the entire horse-racing industry," Schar said.

Schar is attacking the defense arguments from Tuesday that Blagojevich's actions were "no big deal" because he eventually signed the legislation. He only signed the horse-racing and legislation and released the money for the children's hospital after he was arrested, Schar said.

He also left Illinois with just one vote in the U.S. Senate while important votes were being taken, Schar said.