{"id":2401158,"date":"2025-02-10T19:37:03","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T00:37:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-fully-pardons-rod-blagojevich-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-02-10T19:38:35","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T00:38:35","slug":"trump-fully-pardons-rod-blagojevich-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-fully-pardons-rod-blagojevich-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump fully pardons Rod Blagojevich &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-fully-pardons-rod-blagojevich-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2401158&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former Illinois Governor Rod blagojevich received a\u2062 full pardon from President Donald Trump after having \u2062his sentence commuted in 2020.Blagojevich, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ga-republicans-launch-stop-stacey-effort-ahead-of-possible-abrams-2022-announcement\/\" title=\"GA Republicans Launch \u2018Stop Stacey\u2019 Effort Ahead Of Possible Abrams 2022 Announcement\">gained national attention<\/a> as a contestant\u200c on &#8220;Celebrity Apprentice,&#8221;\u200b was previously impeached and removed from office for attempting to sell \u200bBarack Obama&#8217;s vacated Senate seat. Trump expressed admiration for Blagojevich,\u2062 stating he believed he \u200dhad been\u200d wronged by &#8220;bad \u2063people.&#8221; \u200dBlagojevich&#8217;s potential appointment as ambassador to Serbia was briefly considered \u2062by Trump but ultimately dismissed. Alongside the pardon, Trump announced new tariffs on \u200bsteel \u200band aluminum imports and issued two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kerry-calls-russian-fm-to-discuss-paris-agreement\/\" title=\"Kerry calls Russian FM to discuss Paris Agreement\">executive orders related<\/a> \u2062to \u200dfederal\u2064 regulations and enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump pardons Rod Blagojevich, ex-governor and Celebrity Apprentice contestant<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1990482\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a> signed a full pardon for former Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday after commuting his sentence back in 2020.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Blagojevich developed a relationship with Trump when he appeared as a contestant on the ninth season of <em>Celebrity Apprentice<\/em>. Blagojevich was eventually &ldquo;fired&rdquo; by the president in the fourth episode of that season.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3292730\/all-executive-orders-actions-trump-first-day\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FULL LIST OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS, ACTIONS, AND PROCLAMATIONS TRUMP HAS MADE AS PRESIDENT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s my honor to do it. I&rsquo;ve watched him,&rdquo; Trump told reporters Monday of his decision to extend clemency to Blagojevich a second time. &ldquo;He was set up by a lot of bad people.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump was reportedly weighing naming Blagojevich his ambassador to Serbia but tamped down on that idea in the Oval Office.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;No, but I would,&rdquo; the president responded when asked if he was considering Blagojevich to serve as ambassador.<\/p>\n<p>Back in 2009, Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office after an investigation found that he had sought to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by former President Barack Obama after winning the 2008 general election.<\/p>\n<p>In 2012, Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison before the president commuted his sentence in late 2020. <\/p>\n<p>Trump on Monday also instituted a new set of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3315637\/trump-puts-25-tariffs-steel-aluminum-imports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"25% tariffs\">25% tariffs<\/a> for all steel and aluminum imports, including a lengthy list of downstream, related products and two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-judges-temporarily-block-gov-abbotts-executive-orders\/\" title=\"Texas judges temporarily block Gov. Abbott\u2019s ...\">separate executive orders<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>One order rolled back the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-judge-grants-gop-lawmaker-standing-to-sue-biden-administration-over-unrwa-funding-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Texas judge grants GOP lawmaker standing to sue Biden administration over UNRWA funding - Washington Examiner\">federal government&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s use of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3316164\/trump-signs-plastic-straw-executive-order-ends-paper\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"paper straws\">paper straws<\/a> in place of plastic, while the second order directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to pause enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.<\/p>\n<p>According to the Justice Department, the 1977 law &ldquo;was enacted for the purpose of making it unlawful for certain classes of persons and entities to make payments to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">foreign government officials<\/a> to assist in obtaining or retaining business.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1990482\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1990482\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump grants full pardon to ex-Illinois Gov. Blagojevich<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2645,"featured_media":2401159,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AP25041682845966.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[12737,44104,3634],"class_list":["post-2401158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-pardon","tag-rod-blagojevich","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AP25041682845966.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2401158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2645"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2401158"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2401158\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2401162,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2401158\/revisions\/2401162"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2401159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2401158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2401158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2401158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}