U.S. President Donald Trump has granted a full and unconditional pardon to former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, calling his conviction a “terrible injustice.”
President Donald Trump on Monday pardoned former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, overturning his corruption conviction for attempting to sell former President Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat.
Blagojevich, a Democrat and former contestant on Trump’s reality show, "Celebrity Apprentice", was removed from office in 2009 and sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2011. Prosecutors said he had sought personal benefits in exchange for filling Obama’s Senate seat after the 2008 presidential election.
Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said Blagojevich had been unfairly targeted.
"He was set up by a lot of bad people, some of the same people that I had to deal with," Trump said, adding that Blagojevich’s wife had “fought like hell” for his release.
Trump previously commuted Blagojevich’s sentence in 2020, allowing him to leave prison six years early. The Supreme Court had rejected Blagojevich’s appeal in 2018, and his sentence was originally set to run until 2026.
During the signing, a reporter asked whether Trump was considering Blagojevich for an ambassadorial role in Serbia, to which Trump responded: "No, but I would say he's now cleaner than anybody in this room. He got a pardon. He's cleaner than anybody in the room."
Blagojevich has consistently denied wrongdoing, portraying himself as a victim of a politically motivated prosecution. His case echoes Trump's own criticisms of federal law enforcement, making the pardon another example of Trump’s stance against what he calls unfair prosecutions.
The move has sparked both praise and criticism, with supporters arguing Blagojevich’s sentence was excessive, while critics say his corruption charges warranted full punishment.
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Russia has warned of a potential "symmetrical response" to Ukrainian attacks on its energy facilities, as tensions between the two nations continue to escalate. The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement follows a recent explosion at a gas pumping station in a border area.
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Hong Kong's iconic landmarks dimmed their lights on Saturday evening for Earth Hour, joining a global movement to raise awareness about climate change and promote energy conservation. The city's participation in the annual event highlighted the growing commitment to sustainability and environmental
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Russia has warned of a potential "symmetrical response" to Ukrainian attacks on its energy facilities, as tensions between the two nations continue to escalate. The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement follows a recent explosion at a gas pumping station in a border area.
Hong Kong's iconic landmarks dimmed their lights on Saturday evening for Earth Hour, joining a global movement to raise awareness about climate change and promote energy conservation. The city's participation in the annual event highlighted the growing commitment to sustainability and environmental
Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have announced plans to reposition their forces from the town of Walikale, which they seized earlier this week, in an effort to support broader initiatives aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Pope Francis will make his first public appearance in five weeks on Sunday, offering a blessing from his hospital window as he recovers from double pneumonia.
Two firefighters have tragically died and two more remain missing as wildfires continue to ravage South Korea, with over 20 fires burning across the country. The most severe blaze, in South Gyeongsang province, has already consumed hundreds of acres.
Russia has warned of a potential "symmetrical response" to Ukrainian attacks on its energy facilities, as tensions between the two nations continue to escalate. The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement follows a recent explosion at a gas pumping station in a border area.
A new national forest stretching from the Cotswolds to the Mendips is set to be created, the UK government has announced. 20 million trees set to be planted across the West of England in the coming decades, creating at least 2,500 hectares of new woodland.
Hong Kong's iconic landmarks dimmed their lights on Saturday evening for Earth Hour, joining a global movement to raise awareness about climate change and promote energy conservation. The city's participation in the annual event highlighted the growing commitment to sustainability and environmental
Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have announced plans to reposition their forces from the town of Walikale, which they seized earlier this week, in an effort to support broader initiatives aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
UNICEF on Saturday urged the interim Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan to lift the ban on girls' secondary education as the new school year begins without girls for a third consecutive year.
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