This week, President Donald Trump again sought to usurp the power of his position for personal benefits with reported plans to commute the ongoing 14 year prison sentence of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. The former official was originally jailed on a slew of corruption charges, including an attempt to exchange huge campaign contributions for an appointment to Barack Obama’s then-recently vacated U.S. Senate seat. While Blagojevich was indicted but still awaiting trial, he actually appeared on Trump’s now ling defunct reality television show The Apprentice, and after the news of his sentence commutation, mockery for Trump’s brazen egotism poured in.
Journalist David Nir commented:
‘Blagojevich was literally impeached and removed from office (in a unanimous vote), and barred from ever holding state office again. This is Trump’s way of saying f-you to the very idea of impeachment.’
Blagojevich was literally impeached and removed from office (in a unanimous vote), and barred from ever holding state office again. This is Trump's way of saying f-you to the very idea of impeachment https://t.co/oClAxmTEem
— David Nir (@DavidNir) February 18, 2020
As Brian Cohen added:
‘Blagojevich was convicted of: -fraud and conspiracy charges from trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat -extorting a children’s hospital CEO and racetrack exec for campaign $ -lying to the FBI *But* he was a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice and really that’s all that matters here.’
Blagojevich was convicted of:
-fraud and conspiracy charges from trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat
-extorting a children’s hospital CEO and racetrack exec for campaign $
-lying to the FBI*But* he was a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice and really that's all that matters here. https://t.co/Kv5QgaAQjz
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) February 18, 2020
Rod’s wife Patti has spent a great deal of time attempting direct appeals to Trump since he became president. For example in early 2018, she explicitly compared those who went after her husband’s case to the investigators looking into the president’s team’s own behavior — which, considering Trump’s endless stream of animosity for those investigators, was sure to get his attention. Sure enough, the very next month, he mockingly said to reporters that the former governor had been jailed simply for being “stupid.”
Then, in August of last year, Trump commented on Twitter, discussing Blagojevich:
‘Many people have asked that I study the possibility of commuting his sentence in that it was a very severe one. White House staff is continuing the review of this matter.’
Rod Blagojevich, the former Governor of Illinois, was sentenced to 14 years in prison. He has served 7 years. Many people have asked that I study the possibility of commuting his sentence in that it was a very severe one. White House staff is continuing the review of this matter.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2019
This Tuesday, he confirmed to reporters that he’d commuted the former governor’s sentence, which he called “ridiculous.” The debacle mirrors his public meltdown over a sentencing recommendation for longtime Trump pal Roger Stone, which shortly preceded the Justice Department intervening to lower prosecutors’ sentencing recommendation.
Check out more Twitter reactions:
Rod Blagojevich Trying To Sell Presidential Commutation To Cellmate For $2.8 Million https://t.co/UIczauJ3Tc pic.twitter.com/r0wdoNK5jt
— The Onion (@TheOnion) February 18, 2020
Blagojevich appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice. Blagojevich's wife, Patti, made a direct appeal to Trump by criticizing Obama, Comey, and Mueller on Fox News. The accelerating politicization of rule of law is extremely dangerous to American democracy. https://t.co/x1w7vRIbCb
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) February 18, 2020
Blagojevich appeared on Trump's TV show, and his family reportedly hired Trump associates to lobby on his behalf.
Trump is commuting the sentence of a man who is a symbol of corruption. What about the tens of thousands of other defendants convicted by DOJ every year? https://t.co/Nywn1SGMEm
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) February 18, 2020
Trump pardons/commutations:
-Sherif convicted of racial profiling
-Dweeb convicted of campaign finance violations
-Sailors convicted or accused of war crimes
-Billionaire convicted of gambling fraud
-Rod Fucking Blagojevich https://t.co/F2zMn7SicK— Patrick S. Tomlinson (@stealthygeek) February 18, 2020
Trump pardons ex-San Francisco 49ers owner DeBartolo Jr.
Because corruption is legal now.https://t.co/6jSWLxg3jt
— Bill Maxwell 🌊 #CountryOverParty (@Bill_Maxwell_) February 18, 2020
Another pardon aimed directly at keeping people from testifying against Trump.
DeBartolo Jr. pled guilty to failing to report a felony in a bribery case. https://t.co/8ykjDQHr5l
— Angry Staffer (@AngrierWHStaff) February 18, 2020
Blagojevich getting pardoned by Trump on the heels of a recent study that ranked Chicago the most corrupt city in America is peak 2020. It's only February. https://t.co/jf1ZkSD5UM
— Aaron Cynic (@aaroncynic) February 18, 2020
