Anyone Remember Blagojevich
Jan 30, 2019 12:06:10 #
Ex-Gov. Blagojevich officially asks Trump to commute his prison sentence
By Sophie Tatum, CNN
Updated 7:32 PM ET, Tue June 5, 2018
Blagojevich lawyer: He said stupid things
Washington (CNN)Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is officially asking President Donald Trump to commute his prison sentence, filing the clemency paperwork on Tuesday, a spokesman for Blagojevich's legal team, Adam Farragut, confirmed to CNN.
Blagojevich, a Democrat, is serving a 14-year sentence after being convicted on 18 felony corruption charges in 2011.
The move comes days after Trump told reporters he was considering commuting Blagojevich's sentence, as well as pardoning Martha Stewart. Trump said the former governor was convicted "for being stupid and saying things that every other politician, you know that many other politicians say."
"I am seriously thinking about -- not pardoning -- but I am seriously thinking of a curtailment of Blagojevich," Trump said.
Currently, there isn't a pending case with the Justice Department's Office of the Pardon Attorney for Blagojevich, however, "It can take a couple of weeks, if not a few months, for new clemency cases to be accepted for review and added to our system as 'pending cases,'" according to the Justice Department website.
One of Blagojevich's attorneys, Leonard Goodman, released a statement on Tuesday, which was provided to CNN by Goodman's legal assistant, Robert Mamet, regarding the filing.
Goodman's statement said the petition for commutation argues that Blagojevich's sentence is unfair, among other points.
"No other elected official has been held to this standard with respect to campaign fund-raising. Few if any politicians could convince a jury that there was 'no connection' between campaign contributions and official acts, as Blagojevich was required to do," the statement said.
According to Farragut, Blagojevich also filed clemency paperwork in November 2016 while President Barack Obama was in office.
Blagojevich's conviction also has connections to ex-FBI Director James Comey, who Trump fired in 2017. A member of Comey's legal team, Patrick Fitzgerald, was US attorney when Blagojevich was arrested in Chicago in 2008.
CNN's Marlena Baldacci and Jeremy Diamond contributed to this report.
Illinois Republicans Urge Trump Not To Commute Rod Blagojevich’s Sentence
Seven congressmen warned that freeing the former governor could encourage public corruption.
By Nina Golgowski
Illinois’ Republican congressmen are speaking out against commuting former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s 14-year prison sentence, telling President Donald Trump that such clemency would be detrimental to thwarting public corruption.
In a letter sent to the White House on Monday, the seven lawmakers urged Trump not to free Blagojevich, 61, who formally asked the president to commute his sentence last week. The ex-governor, a Democrat, has been in prison since 2012.
The letter was signed by all seven of Illinois’ GOP congressmen: Reps. Darin LaHood, John Shimkus, Peter Roskam, Randy Hultgren, Adam Kinzinger, Rodney Davis and Mike Bost.
“While we understand that as President, you have the right under our Constitution to consider and grant pardons and clemency as you determine fit, we ask that you consider very carefully the precedent this may set, in the future, and the impact it will have on acts of public corruption,” the letter says.
Trump told reporters last month that Blagojevich, who was a contestant on his reality TV show “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2010, was harshly punished for making what the president dismissed as a “foolish” statement.
President Donald Trump has called Rod Blagojevich's prison sentence unfair several times in the past.
LEAH MILLIS / REUTERS
President Donald Trump has called Rod Blagojevich’s prison sentence unfair several times in the past.
“Eighteen [sic] years in jail for being stupid and saying things that every other politician, you know that many other politicians say,” Trump said, getting the length of Blagojevich’s sentence wrong. “Plenty of other politicians have said a lot worse. He shouldn’t have been put in jail.” (Trump made similar comments in 2012.)
The president was referring to Blagojevich having discussed essentially selling a Senate seat. As governor of Illinois in 2008, Blagojevich had the power to temporarily fill the seat vacated by Barack Obama after he was elected to the White House.
The House lawmakers pointed out in their letter that it wasn’t one “foolish” statement that landed Blagojevich behind bars. Over two trials he was convicted of 18 counts of public corruption, only five of which were successfully appealed. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected his appeal for the second time in 2016.
“Two examples include withholding $8 to $10 million in reimbursement money from Children’s Memorial Hospital until they agreed to contribute over $50,000 to his campaign,” the letter states. The second example was Blagojevich “withholding the signing of a piece of legislation beneficial to race tracks until one of the racetrack owners agreed to a $100,000 campaign contribution.”
Blagojevich, seen at a party for "The Celebrity Apprentice" in 2010,was sentenced to 14 years in prison for public corruption
MOISES DE PENA VIA GETTY IMAGES
Blagojevich, seen at a party for “The Celebrity Apprentice” in 2010, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for public corruption.
Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) released a statement to HuffPost on Tuesday that also urged Trump to keep Blagojevich behind bars.
“The President has a responsibility to use his pardoning and commuting power only in the interest of justice, to bestow mercy, or in service of great public aims. I do not support the commuting of Rod Blagojevich’s sentence, and I believe that such action would constitute yet another abuse of power on behalf of a president who only has his self-interest in mind,” Quigley said.
The congressman expressed concern that Trump ― who recently suggested pardoning celebrity businesswoman Martha Stewart as well ― is using the power of clemency as a “political tool to undermine the legitimacy of our legal system.” Quigley mentioned Trump’s recent suggestion that he can pardon himself as he is investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller.
A spokesperson for Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) told HuffPost on Tuesday that the congressman is likewise opposed to Blagojevich’s early release.
By Sophie Tatum, CNN
Updated 7:32 PM ET, Tue June 5, 2018
Blagojevich lawyer: He said stupid things
Washington (CNN)Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is officially asking President Donald Trump to commute his prison sentence, filing the clemency paperwork on Tuesday, a spokesman for Blagojevich's legal team, Adam Farragut, confirmed to CNN.
Blagojevich, a Democrat, is serving a 14-year sentence after being convicted on 18 felony corruption charges in 2011.
The move comes days after Trump told reporters he was considering commuting Blagojevich's sentence, as well as pardoning Martha Stewart. Trump said the former governor was convicted "for being stupid and saying things that every other politician, you know that many other politicians say."
"I am seriously thinking about -- not pardoning -- but I am seriously thinking of a curtailment of Blagojevich," Trump said.
Currently, there isn't a pending case with the Justice Department's Office of the Pardon Attorney for Blagojevich, however, "It can take a couple of weeks, if not a few months, for new clemency cases to be accepted for review and added to our system as 'pending cases,'" according to the Justice Department website.
One of Blagojevich's attorneys, Leonard Goodman, released a statement on Tuesday, which was provided to CNN by Goodman's legal assistant, Robert Mamet, regarding the filing.
Goodman's statement said the petition for commutation argues that Blagojevich's sentence is unfair, among other points.
"No other elected official has been held to this standard with respect to campaign fund-raising. Few if any politicians could convince a jury that there was 'no connection' between campaign contributions and official acts, as Blagojevich was required to do," the statement said.
According to Farragut, Blagojevich also filed clemency paperwork in November 2016 while President Barack Obama was in office.
Blagojevich's conviction also has connections to ex-FBI Director James Comey, who Trump fired in 2017. A member of Comey's legal team, Patrick Fitzgerald, was US attorney when Blagojevich was arrested in Chicago in 2008.
CNN's Marlena Baldacci and Jeremy Diamond contributed to this report.
Illinois Republicans Urge Trump Not To Commute Rod Blagojevich’s Sentence
Seven congressmen warned that freeing the former governor could encourage public corruption.
By Nina Golgowski
Illinois’ Republican congressmen are speaking out against commuting former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s 14-year prison sentence, telling President Donald Trump that such clemency would be detrimental to thwarting public corruption.
In a letter sent to the White House on Monday, the seven lawmakers urged Trump not to free Blagojevich, 61, who formally asked the president to commute his sentence last week. The ex-governor, a Democrat, has been in prison since 2012.
The letter was signed by all seven of Illinois’ GOP congressmen: Reps. Darin LaHood, John Shimkus, Peter Roskam, Randy Hultgren, Adam Kinzinger, Rodney Davis and Mike Bost.
“While we understand that as President, you have the right under our Constitution to consider and grant pardons and clemency as you determine fit, we ask that you consider very carefully the precedent this may set, in the future, and the impact it will have on acts of public corruption,” the letter says.
Trump told reporters last month that Blagojevich, who was a contestant on his reality TV show “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2010, was harshly punished for making what the president dismissed as a “foolish” statement.
President Donald Trump has called Rod Blagojevich's prison sentence unfair several times in the past.
LEAH MILLIS / REUTERS
President Donald Trump has called Rod Blagojevich’s prison sentence unfair several times in the past.
“Eighteen [sic] years in jail for being stupid and saying things that every other politician, you know that many other politicians say,” Trump said, getting the length of Blagojevich’s sentence wrong. “Plenty of other politicians have said a lot worse. He shouldn’t have been put in jail.” (Trump made similar comments in 2012.)
The president was referring to Blagojevich having discussed essentially selling a Senate seat. As governor of Illinois in 2008, Blagojevich had the power to temporarily fill the seat vacated by Barack Obama after he was elected to the White House.
The House lawmakers pointed out in their letter that it wasn’t one “foolish” statement that landed Blagojevich behind bars. Over two trials he was convicted of 18 counts of public corruption, only five of which were successfully appealed. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected his appeal for the second time in 2016.
“Two examples include withholding $8 to $10 million in reimbursement money from Children’s Memorial Hospital until they agreed to contribute over $50,000 to his campaign,” the letter states. The second example was Blagojevich “withholding the signing of a piece of legislation beneficial to race tracks until one of the racetrack owners agreed to a $100,000 campaign contribution.”
Blagojevich, seen at a party for "The Celebrity Apprentice" in 2010,was sentenced to 14 years in prison for public corruption
MOISES DE PENA VIA GETTY IMAGES
Blagojevich, seen at a party for “The Celebrity Apprentice” in 2010, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for public corruption.
Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) released a statement to HuffPost on Tuesday that also urged Trump to keep Blagojevich behind bars.
“The President has a responsibility to use his pardoning and commuting power only in the interest of justice, to bestow mercy, or in service of great public aims. I do not support the commuting of Rod Blagojevich’s sentence, and I believe that such action would constitute yet another abuse of power on behalf of a president who only has his self-interest in mind,” Quigley said.
The congressman expressed concern that Trump ― who recently suggested pardoning celebrity businesswoman Martha Stewart as well ― is using the power of clemency as a “political tool to undermine the legitimacy of our legal system.” Quigley mentioned Trump’s recent suggestion that he can pardon himself as he is investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller.
A spokesperson for Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) told HuffPost on Tuesday that the congressman is likewise opposed to Blagojevich’s early release.
Jan 30, 2019 12:15:53 #
pafret wrote:
Ex-Gov. Blagojevich officially asks Trump to commu... (show quote)
Poor Blagojevich. He don't have no friends. Even his Democrats will not help him. If he changed his last name to Clinton, I bet things would change, and change fast.
As far as Trump, I don't see an upside for him pardoning Rod. Why do it ?
Jan 30, 2019 23:21:05 #
pafret wrote:
Ex-Gov. Blagojevich officially asks Trump to commu... (show quote)
>>>
Yes I remember the whole thing.
Jan 30, 2019 23:37:12 #
son of witless wrote:
Poor Blagojevich. He don't have no friends. Even his Democrats will not help him. If he changed his last name to Clinton, I bet things would change, and change fast.
As far as Trump, I don't see an upside for him pardoning Rod. Why do it ?
As far as Trump, I don't see an upside for him pardoning Rod. Why do it ?
Considering the extortion, it would seem Rod is just another corrupt pol. Perhaps the long sentence will set a trend and every politician can look forward to long hard time instead of a one year vacation in Club Fed followed by an "Ego Te Absolvo."
Jan 31, 2019 16:53:59 #
pafret wrote:
Considering the extortion, it would seem Rod is just another corrupt pol. Perhaps the long sentence will set a trend and every politician can look forward to long hard time instead of a one year vacation in Club Fed followed by an "Ego Te Absolvo."
Hmmm...Kushner might be looking at similar extortion considering his pressuring Qatar twice for hundreds of million dollar loans for an over leveraged building investment...that was a horrible investment?
Jan 31, 2019 17:59:38 #
pafret wrote:
Considering the extortion, it would seem Rod is just another corrupt pol. Perhaps the long sentence will set a trend and every politician can look forward to long hard time instead of a one year vacation in Club Fed followed by an "Ego Te Absolvo."
Rod got what he deserved, however it is not hard to feel sorry for him considering what his fellow Democrats have gotten away with over the years. No wait I just thought of another example. Consider this, as bad as Rod was, he did not hurt anyone. Nobody was physically harmed, nobody lost money, and yet he got years in prison.
The guy who severely battered a United States Senator only got 30 days. I am sorry, but compared to that, Blaojevich got royally royally screwed. The more I think of it, maybe Rod should get a pardon.
Jan 31, 2019 18:04:59 #
son of witless wrote:
Rod got what he deserved, however it is not hard t... (show quote)
Message sent, we need to start putting corrupt politicians in jail...and it has to do with the kind of corruption. Openly extorting government money and services for campaign contributions is not okay. He deserved years in prison because of how blatant he was about his extortion and graft
Jan 31, 2019 18:21:36 #
pafret wrote:
Ex-Gov. Blagojevich officially asks Trump to commu... (show quote)
Make for corruption?
That's what goes on in Chi town to begin with.
Jan 31, 2019 18:47:32 #
woodguru wrote:
Message sent, we need to start putting corrupt politicians in jail...and it has to do with the kind of corruption. Openly extorting government money and services for campaign contributions is not okay. He deserved years in prison because of how blatant he was about his extortion and graft
How about Renee Boucher ? The neighbor who attacked Sen. Paul. You think 30 days is enough., compared to Blagojevich's sentence ? Again Blagojevich did not physically hurt anyone.
Jan 31, 2019 22:00:47 #
woodguru wrote:
Hmmm...Kushner might be looking at similar extortion considering his pressuring Qatar twice for hundreds of million dollar loans for an over leveraged building investment...that was a horrible investment?
Kushner did this when? Was he governor of a major state when this occurred? Memeber of congress perhaps or a Federal Judge? At least tell me he was a local justice of the peace.
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