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left-of-center2012

(34,195 posts) Wed Aug 7, 2019, 11:54 PM Aug 2019

Trump says he's 'very strongly' considering commuting Rod Blagojevich's sentence

Source: 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. “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.”

“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.

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.

Trump noted that former FBI Director James Comey — a frequent target of criticism for the president — worked the case to convict Blagojevich.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/456654-trump-says-hes-very-strongly-considering-commuting-rod-blagojevichs

29 replies

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Highlight:

Trump says he's 'very strongly' considering commuting Rod Blagojevich's sentence (Original Post) left-of-center2012 Aug 2019 OP

I mean... Tiggeroshii Aug 2019 #1

Dolt 45 is always sympathetic toward other grifters and corrupt politicians. The Velveteen Ocelot Aug 2019 #2

Bernie Madoff now has his hopes up. n/t customerserviceguy Aug 2019 #5

Meh, I thought Blago's sentence was pretty harsh at the time. BlueStater Aug 2019 #11

Exactly. iluvtennis Aug 2019 #15

Oh-oh Turbineguy Aug 2019 #3

No surprise GP6971 Aug 2019 #4

Exactly. yonder Aug 2019 #12

' unbelievably unfairly,' oh RIGHT, elleng Aug 2019 #6

Another MAGA moment Blue Owl Aug 2019 #7

Wait...what happened to Monday Night Rehabilitation? pecosbob Aug 2019 #8

Selling a senate seat to the highest bidder? dawg day Aug 2019 #9

What about Kwame? Can a black man catch a break in the Trump era? He's been writing and kissing his tulipsandroses Aug 2019 #10

Kwame did the crime. Blagojevich talked about doing a crime. JustABozoOnThisBus Aug 2019 #20

no questionseverything Aug 2019 #24

the MAGAts in Illinois will not be in favor of that Skittles Aug 2019 #13

That eastern euro name is just so damn attractive BootinUp Aug 2019 #14

"His wife I think is fantastic" dalton99a Aug 2019 #16

Hood catch! Polybius Aug 2019 #21

Blagojevich's corruption seems almost quaint compared to Trump's. nt SunSeeker Aug 2019 #17

OK, but please commute Leonard Peltier next Polybius Aug 2019 #18

No can do. Peltier is not corrupt. Sneederbunk Aug 2019 #26

Very strongly again The Wizard Aug 2019 #19

I'm torn. Blago and his wife's family are all crooks but 18 years was clearly excessive. Gidney N Cloyd Aug 2019 #22

"His wife I think is fantastic..." So is Trump hoping to get laid if he frees Rod? Nitram Aug 2019 #23

I don't know a dingle Dem who'd for him based on releasing Rod B. SharonAnn Aug 2019 #25

The bad hair club? muntrv Aug 2019 #27

Illinois Republicans urge Trump to keep Blagojevich in prison Eugene Aug 2019 #28

The prison he's in is near where I live DavidDvorkin Aug 2019 #29

Tiggeroshii

(11,088 posts)

1. I mean...

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Wed Aug 7, 2019, 11:56 PM

Aug 2019

Did we think he wouldn't?

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,761 posts)

2. Dolt 45 is always sympathetic toward other grifters and corrupt politicians.

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Wed Aug 7, 2019, 11:56 PM

Aug 2019

I'm sure he can't imagine why someone would go to prison for trying to sell a Senate seat.

customerserviceguy

(25,183 posts)

5. Bernie Madoff now has his hopes up. n/t

Reply to The Velveteen Ocelot (Reply #2)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 12:07 AM

Aug 2019

BlueStater

(7,596 posts)

11. Meh, I thought Blago's sentence was pretty harsh at the time.

Reply to The Velveteen Ocelot (Reply #2)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 12:38 AM

Aug 2019

He was given 14 years. I remember being irritated by this because Bush and Cheney were and are still walking free despite being responsible for the deaths of thousands. Blago's a douche, but he didn't kill anybody.

iluvtennis

(19,864 posts)

15. Exactly.

Reply to The Velveteen Ocelot (Reply #2)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 01:25 AM

Aug 2019

Turbineguy

(37,355 posts)

3. Oh-oh

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 12:04 AM

Aug 2019

Sounds like trump fucked up and accidentally put somebody too honest in his administration.

GP6971

(31,174 posts)

4. No surprise

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 12:07 AM

Aug 2019

It's Obama related so surprise.

yonder

(9,668 posts)

12. Exactly.

Reply to GP6971 (Reply #4)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 12:41 AM

Aug 2019

elleng

(131,006 posts)

6. ' unbelievably unfairly,' oh RIGHT,

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 12:10 AM

Aug 2019

Blue Owl

(50,448 posts)

7. Another MAGA moment

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 12:12 AM

Aug 2019

pecosbob

(7,541 posts)

8. Wait...what happened to Monday Night Rehabilitation?

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 12:17 AM

Aug 2019

dawg day

(7,947 posts)

9. Selling a senate seat to the highest bidder?

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 12:27 AM

Aug 2019

trump probably admires that.

tulipsandroses

(5,124 posts)

10. What about Kwame? Can a black man catch a break in the Trump era? He's been writing and kissing his

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 12:27 AM

Aug 2019

ass and begging for a pardon. Is Kwame Kilpatrick not swampy enough for Trump?

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,354 posts)

20. Kwame did the crime. Blagojevich talked about doing a crime.

Reply to tulipsandroses (Reply #10)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 08:43 AM

Aug 2019

Did Blagojevich actually get money for Obama's senate seat?

questionseverything

(9,656 posts)

24. no

Reply to JustABozoOnThisBus (Reply #20)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 06:42 PM

Aug 2019

what rod b did was to ask dems for fundraisers....to show they were in a strong enough position to hold the seat come next election...which was only a month away or so

he was not convicted the first time bushs justice department tried him but when he was broke and couldn't pay a decent lawyer they got the conviction

trump has done stuff a hundred times worse but dems are quick to fold on their own...scared to be seen as criminal

Skittles

(153,169 posts)

13. the MAGAts in Illinois will not be in favor of that

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 12:54 AM

Aug 2019

BootinUp

(47,166 posts)

14. That eastern euro name is just so damn attractive

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 01:17 AM

Aug 2019

He can’t help himself. Plus Blago is a crook too.

dalton99a

(81,531 posts)

16. "His wife I think is fantastic"

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 02:52 AM

Aug 2019

In 2009 she was fired from a $100,000 a year fund raising job after controversy regarding alleged taped statements.[3] Blagojevich was also subpoenaed in February 2009 for documents related to her husband's political campaign and her work as a real estate agent.[1]

I'm a Celebrity...Get Me out of Here!

In 2009, after her husband was removed as Governor of Illinois, Blagojevich appeared as a contestant on NBC reality show, I'm a Celebrity…Get Me out of Here.[1] She placed fourth on the show.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Blagojevich

Polybius

(15,458 posts)

21. Hood catch!

Reply to dalton99a (Reply #16)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 02:40 PM

Aug 2019

There’s always a personal reason with him.

SunSeeker

(51,576 posts)

17. Blagojevich's corruption seems almost quaint compared to Trump's. nt

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 04:14 AM

Aug 2019

Polybius

(15,458 posts)

18. OK, but please commute Leonard Peltier next

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 06:37 AM

Aug 2019

I promise that I'll give him credit if he does.

Sneederbunk

(14,293 posts)

26. No can do. Peltier is not corrupt.

Reply to Polybius (Reply #18)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 06:47 PM

Aug 2019

The Wizard

(12,545 posts)

19. Very strongly again

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 08:27 AM

Aug 2019

The third grade vocabulary belies the claim of "I have the best words."
Comey and Mueller put Rod Blagojevichin prison.

Gidney N Cloyd

(19,842 posts)

22. I'm torn. Blago and his wife's family are all crooks but 18 years was clearly excessive.

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 05:03 PM

Aug 2019

On the other hand I know Dolt45's motivations have nothing to do with justice.

Nitram

(22,825 posts)

23. "His wife I think is fantastic..." So is Trump hoping to get laid if he frees Rod?

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 05:22 PM

Aug 2019

No, he just wants two irritate Comey.

SharonAnn

(13,777 posts)

25. I don't know a dingle Dem who'd for him based on releasing Rod B.

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 06:44 PM

Aug 2019

muntrv

(14,505 posts)

27. The bad hair club?

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Thu Aug 8, 2019, 08:55 PM

Aug 2019

Eugene

(61,914 posts)

28. Illinois Republicans urge Trump to keep Blagojevich in prison

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Fri Aug 9, 2019, 03:36 PM

Aug 2019

Source: Politico

Illinois Republicans urge Trump to keep Blagojevich in prison

By MATTHEW CHOI 08/08/2019 07:53 PM EDT Updated 08/08/2019 08:43 PM EDT

Illinois’ delegation of House Republicans on Thursday urged President Donald Trump not to commute the sentence of Rod Blagojevich, the state’s former governor, after the president told reporters he was considering doing so.

In a statement, Reps. Darin LaHood, John Shimkus, Adam Kinzinger, Rodney Davis and Mike Bost said that commuting Blagojevich’s sentence “sets a dangerous precedent and goes against the trust voters place in elected officials.”

“It’s important that we take a strong stand against pay-to-play politics, especially in Illinois where four of our last eight Governors have gone to federal prison for public corruption,” the congressmen wrote.

The state’s Republican delegation previously wrote to Trump in June 2018, also to oppose a presidential commutation of Blagojevich’s sentence. The Thursday statement renewed the call after Trump told reporters a day earlier that he felt Blagojevich’s seven years in prison had been enough.

“I thought he was treated unbelievably unfairly,” Trump said Wednesday. “He’s been in jail for seven years over a phone call where nothing happens.”

-snip-

DavidDvorkin

(19,480 posts)

29. The prison he's in is near where I live

Reply to left-of-center2012 (Original post)

Fri Aug 9, 2019, 04:28 PM

Aug 2019

It looks pretty grim from the outside. I'm not sure that he deserves to be there, given how some other politicians' crimes have been punished.

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