Former House Majority Leader Tom Delay, R-Texas, was sentenced on Monday to three years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The sentence came after Delay was convicted in November of trying to illegally influence elections in the Lone Star State.

In a 10 minute speech to Senior Judge Pat Priest, Delay insisted he did nothing wrong.

"I can't be remorseful for something I don't think I did," Delay said, adding that accountants and lawyers checked everything he did.

"This criminalization of politics is very dangerous. It's dangerous to our system. Just because somebody disagrees with you they got to put you in jail, bankrupt you, destroy your family," he told Priest.

However, the prosecutor in the case saw the matter differently.

"I think Tom Delay said it best. He said that he was arrogant," Assistant District Attorney Gary Cobb said.

"His statement was an extremely arrogant statement where he refused to accept responsibility, refused to show any remorse for the offense of which he's been convicted of," Cobb added.

Meanwhile, prosecutors predicted Delay will likely remain free for months - possible years - as his appeal makes its way through the Texas court system.