Trump expected to commute sentencing of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich

[mountaineer]

Politico:

I Covered Blago’s Trial From Start To Finish. Trump’s Commutation Isn’t Crazy.
There was one sentiment I heard over and over again, which went something like, “I know Blagojevich was guilty as hell, but 14 years is insane.”
By NATASHA KORECKI
02/18/2020 08:11 PM EST

...     U.S. District Judge James Zagel handed down a 14-year sentence to Blagojevich. Prosecutors had calculated that under federal guidelines, Blagojevich’s crimes technically qualified for 30 years to life in prison, but they asked for 15 to 20 years.

Among Blagojevich’s crimes: lying to the FBI, trying to sell President Barack Obama’s old Senate seat and holding up money to a children’s hospital and a racetrack in exchange for campaign contributions. ...

I’ve written hundreds of stories, blog posts, magazine articles and, finally, a book on Blagojevich’s case. There was one sentiment I heard over and over again, which went something like, “I know Blagojevich was guilty as hell, but 14 years is insane.”

That’s why President Donald Trump likely risks little political blowback by commuting the sentence of his onetime Apprentice contestant, even in the state that Blagojevich disgraced.  ...

All this isn’t to say Illinois loved Blagojevich. Far from it. And the feeling was mutual, as one Blagojevich statement on a recorded phone call illustrated: “I f----ing busted my ass. ... I gave your f---ing baby health care. ... What do I get for that? Only 13 percent of you think I'm doing a good job, so f--- all of you.”   ...

Even with Trump’s commutation, Blagojevich will have served eight years, a longer term than Ryan’s.   ...

Entire article at Politico

[mountaineer]

Not only can't I pronounce it, I can't spell it.  And my last name is worse than his.  I guess it's a mental block or something.

So it's Blago or Bogo or something short.

Bluh-GOY-eh-vitch. I think it's Serbian.

[mystery-ak]

I had two private meetings with him while he was governor.  More vulgar in his manner of speaking than any person I have ever met.

I have heard that about him...

[skeeter]

Politico:Entire article at Politico

It's all about fairness and consistency in sentencing.

[darroll]

Poor Blago needs to be in a nut house, not prison.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

Politico:Entire article at Politico

Thanks for posting the link @mountaineer .

 â€œI know Blagojevich was guilty as hell, but 14 years is insane.”

I know right? 

Previous IL Gov George Ryan was sentenced to 6½ years for a scandal that resulted in 6 deaths.  All Rod was convicted of was "lying to the FBI, trying to sell President Barack Obama’s old Senate seat and holding up money to a children’s hospital and a racetrack in exchange for campaign contributions"...that's just NY values.  The kind of insider values the Establishment GOP has always stood for.

Thankfully, we have President Trump to right this gross miscarriage of Justice upon an honorable "guilty as hell" democrat.  For the first time since Nov 7, 2007, Illinois does NOT have a former governor in prison.  God Bless you Mr. President.  #MAGA

[catfish1957]

So it's Blago or Bogo or something short.

So is that when you can buy one senate seat and get one free?

[Smokin Joe]

   OTOH, if Trump commuted the sentences of Willian Jefferson and Ray Nagen to shore up the vote in LA., I'd bet you'd be OK with that @Right_in_Virginia cause Trump can't do anything wrong, in your book.

It's the 'everybody's doing it' defense, when NONE of them should be doing it, and NONE should be tolerated being corrupt. The higher the office, the more severe the penalty, because they, of all people, should know better. This sumbitch was SELLING 1/100 of the US Senate..

IF it is ever going to stop, you have to start somewhere, and then keep going, not balk.

Otherwise, why even bother?
Roll up the flags and have another drink in memory of the Republic Dr. Franklin talked about.

[txradioguy]

It's the 'everybody's doing it' defense, when NONE of them should be doing it, and NONE should be tolerated being corrupt. The higher the office, the more severe the penalty, because they, of all people, should know better. This sumbitch was SELLING 1/100 of the US Senate..

IF it is ever going to stop, you have to start somewhere, and then keep going, not balk.

Otherwise, why even bother?
Roll up the flags and have another drink in memory of the Republic Dr. Franklin talked about.

 

[mountaineer]

Blago drops some bombshells about Obama on Watters’ World, teases more to come
February 23, 2020 | Vivek Saxena

During convicted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s first post-release Fox News interview this Saturday on “Watters World,” he dished out a couple notable bombshells about former President Barack Hussein Obama.

First, the just-released former Englewood Federal Correctional Institution inmate excoriated Obama for lacking the “testicular virility necessary to do the right thing” and commute his sentence as President Donald Trump has done.

Second, he indicated that Obama — the same man who let him rot in prison for a “horse-trading deal” gone bad — had played a role in the very deal that had cost him eight years of his life. ... More at BizPacReview

[verga]

I would have been surprised to find out Obozo wasn't involved.