The Hill-
President Trump on Wednesday said he’s “very strongly” considering commuting the prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), who is serving 14 years on federal corruption charges.
“I thought he was treated unbelievably unfairly,” the president told reporters on Air Force One en route back to Washington, D.C., after visiting the sites of recent mass shootings.
“His wife I think is fantastic and I’m thinking about commuting his sentence very strongly,” Trump added. “I think it’s enough, seven years.”
Blagojevich was removed from office in 2009 and was later convicted of a wide array of corruption charges, including trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat after he was elected president in 2008. The former governor began serving a 14-year prison sentence in 2012.
“I’ve got this thing, and it’s f—— golden. I’m just not giving it up for f—— nothing,” Blagojevich said of Obama’s Senate seat in a recorded phone call.
Trump on Wednesday downplayed Blagojevich’s conduct on the call, chalking it up to “braggadocio.”
“He’s been in jail for seven years over a phone call where nothing happens — over a phone call which he shouldn’t have said what he said, but it was braggadocio you would say,” Trump said. “I would think that there have been many politicians — I’m not one of them by the way — that have said a lot worse over the telephone.”
Trump noted that former FBI Director James Comey — a frequent target of criticism for the president — worked the case to convict Blagojevich. Comey was the FBI’s attorney general at the time of the case.
No, no, no. Did I say NO!? I am just trying not to cuss, and all I can come up with is No. But Blagojevich helped me when I got pulled into jury duty for federal back then. The case was a corrupt politition and I had my currupt mayor and the national Blagojevich at the time to talk about in order to get me out of jury duty.
When a prosecutor is found to have violated someone’s civil rights in a case, all of his prior cases are subject to review.
Everything that rat bastard Comey touched is subject to review.
It’s time to set fire to the swamp Mr. President.
“His wife I think is fantastic and I’m thinking about commuting his sentence very strongly”???
C’mon, Donald – hasn’t your libido caused you enough trouble already?
Jeez.
You guys need to understand, Blagojevich is a pawn in 3D chess..
Patience is a virtue in the Era of MAGA…
Bad idea.
Stuff under your watch I’m OK with.
Stuff not under it, stay away from,,,,
Nods Lt. Bradshaw
You guys REALLY think the old rules apply?
Bwahahhahaa! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Brave new world…
Much rather see Manafort PARDONED. Today.
I’m with Trump.
7 years is plenty. He tried to sell the seat, or very much wanted to, and politicians should go to jail, but you get out in less time for murdering someone.
Other than Blago, Shep Smith will be ecstatic to hear the news.
Loco makes a good point.
Next, Trump will ask why Comey put Blago away for that, while he let Hillary walk for her crimes. Which were worse.
Not only that, Blago probably knows some stuff. They may have worked him like they did Flynn.
This is getting interesting.
Hmmm. This is very recent. I agree with the 3D chess analogy. Somethings up here. https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/453274-jesse-jackson-calls-on-trump-to-pardon-rod-blagojevich
If Blago rats out Baronk Ebola or Ramen Imodium, he can run free.
The cause of conservatism would be better served by pardoning Tommy Chong who was put in prison due to prosecutorial misconduct under John Ashcroft early in the Baby Bush administration. The FBI et al raided Chong’s house, Roger Stone style, after entrapping an employee of Chong’s son’s business to violate interstate mail laws. A Trump pardon of Chong would not only spank Baby Bush, but also fix what the choom president’s reign of error failed to correct. Cognitive dissonance caused by such a pardon could only help move a few more “undecideds” to the right.
President Trump, you may proceed. I trust you more than any other president we’ve had in my lifetime.
Bad precedent as we hopefully get ready to jail Deep State for life sentences. Unless . . . firing squads will be used.
I don’t know why Blago went down but it wasn’t a pursuit of justice.