Abdelrahman
On Monday, President Trump granted a full pardon to Rod R. Blagojevich, the former Democratic governor of Illinois, who was found guilty of corruption in 2011 for attempting to sell a Senate seat that was vacated by Barack Obama.
“It’s my honor to do it,” Mr. Trump remarked during the announcement in the Oval Office. “I’ve kept an eye on him. He was entrapped by a group of corrupt individuals—some of the same ones I have contended with.”
This pardon marks yet another gesture of support from the president towards the former governor, commonly referred to as “Blago” in Chicago. Just five years prior, Mr. Trump had commuted Blagojevich’s 14-year sentence, facilitating his release from a Colorado prison after serving eight years and enabling him to return to his family in Chicago’s North Side.
Speaking to reporters outside his home later that day, Blagojevich expressed gratitude towards Mr. Trump while criticizing what he described as a “broken justice system.” He asserted that he was wrongly prosecuted, stating, “I want to address the people of Illinois with two key points: First, I never raised your taxes, and second, I didn’t do it. This is all political rhetoric.”
Blagojevich has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming he never violated any laws and that he was unfairly targeted by an overreaching Justice Department under the Obama administration. In contrast, federal prosecutors argued that his actions—attempting to leverage the appointment to a Senate seat amongst other dubious activities—were disgraceful enough to “make Lincoln roll over in his grave.”
During a period of pre-trial turmoil 15 years ago, Blagojevich sought Trump’s support, even appearing on “The Celebrity Apprentice” while Trump was the host. Additionally, his wife, Patti, made appearances on Fox News to draw attention to her husband’s plight while he was incarcerated, a move likely designed to capture Trump’s interest.
Blagojevich became one of four Illinois governors in recent history to serve time in prison, in a state notorious for the corruption scandals plaguing its elected officials, from the City Council of Chicago to the Statehouse in Springfield.
Meanwhile, Michael J. Madigan, the former speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, is currently involved in a federal trial in Chicago, facing serious charges of racketeering and bribery. The jury has been deliberating for nine days without reaching a verdict.
