President Donald Trump pardoned former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
“He was set up by a lot of bad people,” Trump said upon signing the pardon. “Some of the same people that I had to deal with. He wasn’t quite as successful, but he had somebody that saw what was going on. I didn’t know him but I believe he was on The Apprentice.”
Blagojevich served eight years in prison for charges relating to an effort to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat after he won the 2008 presidential election. His prison sentence was 14 years.
In 2015, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago tossed out several of the convictions involving corruption.
During his first presidential term, Trump signed an Executive Grant of Clemency for Blagojevich. The White House said at the time that while the Seventh Circuit reversed “some of his convictions related to the Senate appointment, it did not alter his 14-year sentence. He has spent 8 years in prison. People from across the political spectrum and from varied backgrounds have expressed support for shortening Mr. Blagojevich’s sentence, including Senator Dick Durbin, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., former Representative Bob Barr, Representatives Bobby Rush and Danny Davis, former Attorney General Eric Holder, and Bishop Byron Brazier.”
“Additionally, more than a hundred of Mr. Blagojevich’s fellow inmates have written letters in support of reducing his sentence. During his confinement, Mr. Blagojevich has demonstrated exemplary character, devoting himself to improving the lives of his fellow prisoners,” the statement continued. “He tutors and teaches GED classes, mentors prisoners regarding personal and professional development, and speaks to them about their civic duties. Notwithstanding his lengthy sentence, Mr. Blagojevich also counsels inmates to believe in the justice system and to use their time in prison for self-improvement. His message has been to ‘keep faith, overcome fear, and never give up.’”
Blagojevich was the Governor of Illinois from 2003 until 2009.
