He got clemency from Trump

But former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich just got disbarred by the Illinois Supreme Court.

Blagojevich had been removed from office in 2009 and later convicted of a wide array of corruption charges including trying to sell former President Obama’s Senate seat after he was elected president in 2008 and the attempted extortion of a children's hospital for campaign contributions.

[...]

Blagojevich’s attorney said his client accepts the fact that he was convicted but that he still doesn’t believe he committed any crimes.

  The Hill

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Blahblahblahgojevic

Disgusting.  This is just why he's underserving of a commutation.  No acceptance of or remorse for his guilt.

Neither one was targeted by anyone or anything.  They're both despicable crooks.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

But MAGAts won't know the difference, so...meh

Patrick Fitzgerald.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Birds of a feather

This is the Trump defense: if you got caught before you completed the crime, it doesn't count.  Same one he used for his own Ukrainian extortion offer.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

If you want his attention, get on Fox News

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump made the Fox News connection abundantly clear, telling reporters that he decided to commute the rest of [Rod] Blagojevich’s sentence because he’d seen the ex-governor’s wife Patti Blagojevich pleading her husband’s case on Fox.

“I watched his wife on television,” Trump declared, adding that he didn’t know the ex-governor “very well” despite Blagojevich’s appearances on The Celebrity Apprentice years ago.

In mid-2018, the president repeatedly asked close advisers to explore a Blagojevich pardon and, while doing so, emphatically referenced clips he’d seen on Fox, including a segment on informal Trump adviser Jeanine Pirro’s weekend show, according to two sources who independently discussed the matter with the president at the time.

[...]

The hosts, meanwhile, didn’t even bother with subtlety during the interviews. For instance, Tucker Carlson asked Mrs. Blagojevich what she would say “if you could speak to the president.”

[...]

In what can generously be described as ironic, [Bernard] Kerik appeared the evening before his pardon on Tucker Carlson Tonight to rail against bail reform in New York while urging for harsher punishment for criminals, claiming crime was down when the police department increased arrests for “jumping turnstiles” and other low-level misdemeanors.

Kerik has also been used as a Trump-friendly critic of the so-called “deep state” on Fox News airwaves, at one point advocating for the arrest of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) for trying to carry out an “attempted coup” of Trump with the whistleblower complaint and impeachment inquiry.

According to the White House, Kerik’s pardon was supported by Fox News stars like Geraldo Rivera and Judge Andrew Napolitano. Additionally, the administration said, Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani—a frequent Fox News commentator and Kerik's one-time boss—backed the decision.

[...]

Additionally, Angela Stanton, who was pardoned for her role in a stolen luxury-vehicle ring, has appeared on Fox News as a pro-Trump commentator—much like her godmother Alveda King, who backed her pardon—often arguing that Democrats want more poor women of color to have abortions.

Appearances on Fox News and Fox Business—two of Trump’s favorite networks—are popular vessels for those seeking to make their cases for pardons or clemency directly to the president, a voracious consumer of TV and cable news.

  Daily Beast

Also, donations to Trump's pockets work.

For those who didn’t receive the Fox News treatment, it appears that in at least one case, cold hard cash did the talking. Paul Pogue, a construction company owner who pleaded guilty to underpaying his taxes by $473,000 and received three years probation, was issued a full pardon and clemency by the president.

According to FEC filings, Pogue’s family has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct contributions and in-kind air travel to the Trump Victory Committee. Beginning in August 2019, Ben Pogue—CEO of Pogue Construction and son of Paul Pogue—and his wife Ashleigh made over $200,000 in contributions to the campaign.

In August alone, Ben Pogue donated $85,000 to Trump Victory while Ashleigh Pogue contributed $50,000 that month. The following month, Ben Pogue made an in-kind air travel contribution of $75,404.40. The couple also made several large donations to the Republican National Committee and each donated $5,600 to Donald Trump for President Inc.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

MAGA

You remember Bernie Kerik.

You remember Rod Blogojevich.

But thats not all.  He's busting out crooks right and left now. (He's acting like a man who either knows he won't be held to account for anything he does, or is afraid he's not going to get another four years.)

President Trump issued a slew of pardons and commutations on Tuesday, granting clemency to 11 people convicted of federal crimes.

[...]

Three others in addition to Blagojevich had their sentences commuted: Tynice Nichole Hall, Crystal Munoz and Judith Negron. Hall and Munoz were serving time on drug charges, while Negron was eight years into a 35-year sentence for fraud, according to the White House.

[...]

In addition to Kerik, Mr. Trump issued pardons to six others, including Michael Milken, a billionaire financier who pleaded guilty to insider trading and was barred from the securities industry in 1989. Edward DeBartolo Jr., the former owner of the San Francisco 49ers, was also granted a pardon for his conviction related to a corruption scheme in 1999.

Mr. Trump said he hasn't "given it any thought" when asked if he will pardon Roger Stone, his longtime confidant who was convicted on charges stemming from the Mueller investigation and faces sentencing this week.

  CBS

Bullshit.

Those granted pardons have records of their convictions wiped clean. Commutations override the prison sentences of current inmates, but their crimes remain on their records.

Blagojevich starred in Mr. Trump's "Apprentice" reality television show, and the president, who ran on a campaign of law and order, has hinted about a possible pardon for him in the past.

[...]

The prosecutors who helped convicted Blagojevich issued a stern statement in response to the commutation, noting that while the president has to the right to commute his sentence, the former governor committed serious crimes. The prosecuting team reminded the public that the former governor extorted the CEO of a children's hospital, withholding funds for sick children until he issued campaign contributions.

No wonder Trump commuted his sentence - birds of a feather in quid pro quo.

"Extortion by a public official is a very serious crime, routinely prosecuted throughout the United States whenever, as here, it can be detected and proven."

Depends on who you are and who you know.

House Republicans from Illinois issued a joint statement expressing disappointment with the commutation, calling Blavojevich the "face of public corruption [in Illinois]."

[...]

Controversial figures who have received some form of clemency include former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, "Scooter" Libby and conservative figure Dinesh D'Souza.

And don't forget Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher.

Also...

Limbaugh said on his Monday show that Trump called him to talk about his comments last week that “America’s still not ready to elect a gay guy kissing his husband on the debate stage.” His remarks sparked outrage from some Democrats and prompted Buttigieg to respond on CNN Sunday that he doesn’t need lectures on family values from Limbaugh.

[...]

"Hell, the president even called me about this!" Limbaugh said Monday on his show. "He said, 'Rush, I just got to tell you something. Never apologize. Don't ever apologize.' "

  The Hill

Draining the swamp to creat a snake pit.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE:

Ref:

UPDATE:

Roger Stone admits the Trump pardon plan

President Trump granted a full pardon Thursday to conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza and said he was strongly considering clemency for other celebrity felons, signaling his willingness to exercise his unilateral power to reward friends and allies while undercutting the work of his nemeses in law enforcement.

[...]

Roger Stone, a longtime Trump associate and his former political strategist, who has come under scrutiny by Mueller’s team, said the president sent a clear message.

“It has to be a signal to Mike Flynn and Paul Manafort and even Robert S. Mueller III: Indict people for crimes that don’t pertain to Russian collusion and this is what could happen,” Stone said. “The special counsel has awesome powers, as you know, but the president has even more awesome powers.”

[...]

D’Souza, Blagojevich and Stewart had been convicted of such crimes as campaign-finance violations or lying to investigators — charges similar to those brought against Flynn, former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and other Trump associates indicted in special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s Russia investigation. Cohen, meanwhile, is under investigation by federal prosecutors in New York for possible campaign-finance violations and other possible crimes.

Another pattern in Trump’s granted or potential pardons is their connection to the president’s perceived enemies. Former FBI director James B. Comey, whom Trump fired last year, prosecuted Stewart in her insider-trading case, while Comey’s close friend, former U.S. attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald, prosecuted Blagojevich. Former U.S. attorney Preet Bharara — who, like Comey, was fired by Trump and has since been an outspoken critic — prosecuted D’Souza.

[...]

Trump’s pardon of D’Souza was his sixth act of clemency as president. Each was issued unilaterally, subverting the traditional Justice Department process of reviewing thousands of pardon requests.

[...]

D’Souza is an author, filmmaker and provocateur who became a cult figure on the right in part because of his conspiratorial polemics about Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. He pleaded guilty in 2014 to illegally using straw donors to contribute to a New York Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, telling a judge that he knows what he did was “wrong” and “I deeply regret my conduct.”

  WaPo

Which isn't what he's saying now.

D’Souza tweeted that he was grateful to Trump for his pardon and said of his prosecution, “Bharara & his goons bludgeoned me into the plea.”

[...]

Earlier this spring, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) brought up D’Souza’s situation to Trump and personally lobbied him to consider a pardon, according to White House officials.

[...]

Trump, however, told reporters that “nobody asked me to do it” and claimed that he had never met D’Souza, although he said he has seen him on television.

“I called him last night, first time I’ve ever spoken to him,” Trump said. “I said, ‘I’m pardoning you.’ ” He added that D’Souza “almost had a heart attack” during their three-minute phone call.

But Sam Nunberg, Trump’s former political aide, recalled that D’Souza visited Trump at Trump Tower in New York in 2012, shortly before releasing his film, “2016: Obama’s America,” which was based on his earlier book, “The Roots of Obama’s Rage.”

Nunberg said that Trump agreed to help D’Souza promote the film. Trump sent three tweets about D’Souza’s movie that August, including one calling it an “amazing film.”

A White House spokesman said he could not immediately square the conflicting accounts of whether Trump had previously met D’Souza.

They must be running out of steam at the White House trying to square conflicting accounts.

Trump also signaled Thursday that he is considering commuting the remainder of the sentence of Blagojevich, who was convicted in 2010 on charges relating to the attempted sale of Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat.

“What he did does not justify 18 years in a jail,” Trump told reporters traveling on Air Force One. “If you read his statement, it was a foolish statement, there was a lot of bravado. But . . . plenty of other politicians have said a lot worse. And . . . he shouldn’t have been put in jail.”

Trump overstated the duration of Blagojevich’s prison sentence, which is 14 years.

Another example of his need to lie whether it advances his argument or not. Why would 18 sound so much worse than 14?

Trump also cited the case of Stewart, who was convicted in 2004 of obstructing justice and lying to investigators about a well-timed stock sale.

“I think to a certain extent Martha Stewart was harshly and unfairly treated,” Trump said. “And she used to be my biggest fan in the world . . . before I became a politician. But that’s okay. I don’t view it that way.”

Another example of his need to make everything about himself.

A senior White House official said that as many as a dozen other pardons are under consideration by Trump, adding that most are likely to happen. “There are going to be more,” said the official.

I have no doubt. One of his most pressing needs after self-aggrandizement is to thwart the law and exercise power over other people.

Trump has used his clemency powers in a more haphazard way, spurred by personal connections or political calculations. Most of the pardons are impulsive, according to a person familiar with the process, and are driven by his “seeing something on TV, reading something in a newspaper, hearing from a friend or someone lobbying him personally.” The president then usually asks White House lawyers to review the cases and prepare actions.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

Rod Weasely Blagojevich Update

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) deserves 15 to 20 years in prison for trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama, federal prosecutors argued in a filing on Monday.

Blagojevich, scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday, had asked the court for leniency. Justice Department officials say his pleas for a break show why a harsh sentence is necessary.

“Blagojevich repeatedly committed serious criminal acts that have done enormous damage to public confidence in Illinois government,” the government said in a filing signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar. “He has refused to accept any responsibility for his criminal conduct, continues to blame others for his criminal misdeeds, and has no mitigating factors beyond those frequently found in this Courthouse.”

  TPM

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.