President Trump on Monday signed a full and unconditional pardon for Rod Blagojevich, the former Democratic governor of Illinois, who served eight years in prison on corruption charges until Trump commuted his sentence in 2020.
“It’s my honor to do it. I’ve watched him. He was set up by a lot of bad people,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Monday, shortly after he signed the pardon.
The moment came nearly five years after the president, in his first term, commuted Blagojevich’s 14-year sentence, calling it a “tremendously powerful, ridiculous sentence” at the time.
Blagojevich was arrested by federal authorities in 2008 in an expansive corruption case that ultimately led to his impeachment in the state House and his removal from office in 2009.
He was later convicted on corruption charges, including attempted extortion of a children’s hospital for campaign contributions and trying to sell former President Obama’s Senate seat after he was elected to the White House in 2008. The former governor began serving a 14-year prison sentence in 2012.
He was infamously caught on tape speaking about the pay-for-play scheme involving Obama’s seat.
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“I’ve got this thing, and it’s f—–g golden. I’m just not giving it up for f—–g nothing,” Blagojevich said in a recorded phone call.
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Trump and Blagojevich have crossed paths before. The two men knew each other when the former governor appeared as a contestant on “Celebrity Apprentice.”
In 2020, upon his release from prison, Blagojevich told reporters that he had “profound and everlasting gratitude” for Trump, who’s “got obviously a big fan in me.”
“And if you’re asking me what my party affiliation is, I’m a Trump-ocrat,” he added at the time.
In 2021, Blagojevich said he was suing the state of Illinois in an attempt to run for office again.
Politico recently reported Blagojevich is being considered to serve as Trump’s ambassador to Serbia. In a recent statement, Blagojevich denied seeking the ambassadorship.
“I’m not asking President Trump for anything. I’m profoundly grateful to him for commuting my 14-year prison sentence and giving my daughter’s their father back,” Blagojevich posted on X. “What I am seeking is justice and for the truth of the corrupt prosecution against me to be exposed. If we are going to save our democracy, lawfare and the weaponization of prosecutors for political purposes must end and those who engage in it must be brought to account.”
