Scoop: Trump planning to pardon Rod Blagojevich

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Axios

3 hours ago


President Donald Trump is expected to pardon former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to a person familiar with the plans.

Blagojevich served eight years in prison on charges stemming from his effort to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat after Obama won the 2008 presidential election, until Trump commuted his 14-year sentence in 2020

.

Why it matters: Trump and Blagojevich have a relationship dating back to 2010, when the former governor appeared on the Trump-hosted "Celebrity Apprentice" after being impeached and removed from office.

Blagojevich, who was a Democrat while in office, supported Trump in the 2024 election and attended the Republican National Convention.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2025/02/10/trump-pardon-rod-blagojevich

[Renew Deal]

1. For some reason I thought this already happened

[Prairie Gates]

2. He commuted his sentence, essentially releasing him from prison

Blago had a 20 year sentence. Trump released him from prison with a sentence commutation. A pardon would clear his record. Apparently, he wants to send him as ambassador to Serbia or whatever. More nonsense, in other words.

[Renew Deal]

3. Thanks

I'm sure Serbia will love having a known criminal as an ambassador

[LymphocyteLover]

4. oh thanks... these people are so freaking pathetic

[Figarosmom]

12. Yeah me too

[FakeNoose]

5. Chump sees nothing "wrong" with what Blago did

[moonshinegnomie]

6. he wants to do more than pardon hime

he wants to make him ambassador to serbia

[LudwigPastorius]

11. "...(Trump) wants to make him ambassador to Serbia"

I believe the technically correct term would be "bagman to Serbia".

[sakabatou]

7. Once again, Dump is fine with corruption

[LeftInTX]

8. Didn't he pardon in 2020?

[BumRushDaShow]

13. As noted upthread - 2020 was the "communtation" and now is the "pardon"

2020

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich Released Following Trump's Commutation

And from the above NPR link -

Correction Feb. 18, 2020

A previous version of this story incorrectly said that President Trump's commutation would clear Rod Blagojevich's convictions. Because he was not pardoned, his convictions will remain on record.

NOW (2025) he is "pardoned".

[kimbutgar]

9. So what does he think he will gain Democratic voting voters in Illinois?

No way. Rod pissed off a lot of people in Illinois and this is moot!

[milestogo]

10. Rod Blagojevich, a true slimeball.

Love the way TSF pardons the slimiest Democrats.

[A_Steel_Magnolia]

14. You know we are in trouble when (if) Blagojevich

and Charles Kushner are pardoned and given ambassador posts. Geez, out of 330 million people, can't we please do better? Then there is Herschel Walker, but that's a whole nother story.