Following his conviction on corruption charges that stunned New Jersey’s political establishment, former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez on Wednesday was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Before his sentencing, an emotional Menendez told a Manhattan federal judge that “other than family, I’ve lost everything I’ve ever cared about; every day I’m awake is a punishment.” While maintaining his innocence, the once-powerful Democrat claimed to be a “chastened man.”

Outside the courthouse, Menendez told reporters that “President Trump was right” and that the Department of Justice has carried out a “political witch hunt,” seemingly sending up a pardon flare to the Oval Office.

“There are really only two cards he has at this point,” said Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics, in an interview with NJ Spotlight News. “One of them is a potential pardon from President Trump. And let’s face it, Trump has made pretty empathetic comments about Menendez getting a raw deal…”

Rasmussen said, “The other shot he’s got is for the Supreme Court to toss aside his public corruption conviction,” noting “the Supreme Court has seemed to have a lot of problem with those laws over the years and set aside other politicians’ convictions.”