President Trump officially pardons former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
Chicago (CBS) – President Trump formally pardoned Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday, White House officials confirmed to CBS News. Development is First reported by Axios.
“It’s my honor. I’ve seen him. He’s built by a lot of bad guys – some of the guys I have to deal with. He’s not that successful, but he has a guy who sees him not knowing him except I believe he’s in “Advisor” a moment later.” “He was just a very good person. He had an amazing wife. She fought like hell and drove him out. He was sentenced to about 18 years in prison (sic), which is A terrible injustice. They are just following him. They are following a lot of people.”
Legally, pardons are official forgiveness – eliminating most of the legal consequences of criminal convictions.
“Well, I mean, the only thing I have to say is that I don’t think it’s appropriate to comment on any rumors around me, and besides saying one thing, I always thank President Trump for his and me Everything the family does.
Blagojevich was initially sentenced to 14 years in prison in December 2011 18 corruption chargesincluding attempts to sell Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat after Obama won the White House in 2008. Working during Mr. Trump’s first president in February 2020.
After being released from prison, he Tell CBS Chicago He believed he was “sent to prison for his practice of politics”, but admitted to making a “mistake”.
Months after his release, he filed a federal lawsuit claiming that his removal from the Illinois Senate after the 2009 impeachment trial was unconstitutional and seeking to run for an Illinois state or local elected office.
In 2024, a judge issued a ruling in a lawsuit filed by Blagoevich aimed at overturning the injunction against him running for state or local offices. The judge’s ruling Using Dr. Seuss’s allusion Emphasize their message.
“Generally speaking, Dr. Seuss, Marvin K. Mooney you can walk.
Blagojevic and Mr. Trump have worked together in the past. He appeared in season 3 of the reality competition show “Celebrity Apprentice” where he was “fired” by Mr. Trump during this season’s match.
In fact, Blagojevich mentioned Trump within a few hours before reporting to prison in 2012 (at that time there was no president or presidential candidate).
“I was fired by Donald Trump,” Blagojevic said at the time. “What I’m going to do now is worse.”
Can Blagojevich be appointed ambassador of Serbia?
News of pardons triggered a possible political revival. Although Blagojevich was banned from taking elected positions in Illinois after the Illinois impeachment, there have been recent reports that he could be appointed Serbian ambassador to the new Trump White House.
In 1999, Blagojevich, who had Serbian roots, joined Rev. Jesse Jackson as Jackson helped his agent release three American prisoners in Serbia. Blagojevich was a U.S. Congressman at the time.
Now, after 26 years of political life, it is speculated that Blagojevic may be sent to the ancestral area by the man who released him from prison – another story of Rod Blagojevic Unexpectedly.
When asked in the Oval Office if he was considering Blagoevich’s ambassador to Serbia, President Trump said: “No, but I will. He is cleaner now than anyone in this room.”
Political land mines Blagojevich faces most of Trump’s political career. Patrick Fitzgerald, the former U.S. attorney who sued Blagoevich, represented former FBI director James Comey, who President Trump fired the agency in 2017.
Comey worked in the private sector during Blagojevich’s investigation and indictment.
Former special counsel Robert Mueller, who investigates the link between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign, was a director during the FBI’s investigation into Blagojevic.
The implications of the pardon for the transferability of Blagojevich are still unclear later Monday.
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Todd Feurer and
Contributed to this report.
