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Trump on Blago: 'I'm thinking of commuting his sentence'

OK, so now it appears Trump is rethinking his commutation of Blago's sentence. He got some blowback from the Illinois congressional delegation.

Several Republican lawmakers called acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and White House counsel Pat Cipollone, the sources told CNN, and the Republican members of Illinois congressional delegation issued a joint statement opposing the move.
At least two of them, Reps. Darin LaHood and Mike Bost, made their case directly to the President on Thursday night, urging him not to go forward. They laid out the litany of crimes Blagojevich committed while in office and argued it would send the wrong message to voters about corruption by public officials.
Trump's response: "I wish I had the perspective before," according to Bost, who served on the Illinois House's impeachment committee to remove Blagojevich from office in 2009.
"Those charges were so outrageously bad," Bost said.
That same evening, LaHood -- a former federal and state prosecutor -- called Trump as well and laid out in detail the brazen charges against Blagojevich, including allegations he threatened to cancel millions in state dollars for a children's hospital if its CEO did not write him a $25,000 campaign check. Among the charges was that Blagojevich attempted to sell former President Barack Obama's Senate seat that he resigned in order to become president.
And Trump was informed on the call that Blagojevich -- whom Trump knew from his role on "Celebrity Apprentice" -- didn't offer any remorse for his crimes, sources said.

But here is the real reason the republicans oppose Blago's release:

"I think this would have real ramifications," said LaHood, who also spoke with Cipollone about the matter. "We're trying to send a message that this type of public corruption is terrible for Illinois."

Translation: We are trying to get re-elected. If the president sets Blago free, our opponents in the upcoming election are going to have field day with that. We'll have to defend early releasing a unremorseful corrupt politician. If we break with the president before the primary, Trump's base will dispatch us quickly. If we support the commuted sentence, the general election might be lost. So please, Mr. President, don't put us in this situation.
 
OK, so now it appears Trump is rethinking his commutation of Blago's sentence. He got some blowback from the Illinois congressional delegation.



But here is the real reason the republicans oppose Blago's release:



Translation: We are trying to get re-elected. If the president sets Blago free, our opponents in the upcoming election are going to have field day with that. We'll have to defend early releasing a unremorseful corrupt politician. If we break with the president before the primary, Trump's base will dispatch us quickly. If we support the commuted sentence, the general election might be lost. So please, Mr. President, don't put us in this situation.

Nah. Nobody in IL is going to cheer Blago’s release. The democrats have disowned him. And most of those downstate Republicans are in safe seats that are stocked with people who do not have the skills, brains, or motivation to leave the small, dying towns of downstate IL.
 
Im not claiming she does not have experience as a diplomat or a bureaucrat but she isnt the most quslified ever either

Compared to Trump, she has a PhD in "qualified" to be president.
 
Well... Trump does seem to have a time of it with Cabinet vacancies, and Blagojevich is someone that Trump would find good for the job.

Insider, corrupt to the hills and back, selling influence, willing to break a law or two to get ahead... all checks.

Well, all of that doesn't matter because he was on The Apprentice which means he gets a pass.
:)
 
Source: (NPR - Chicago) Trump on Blago: 'I'm thinking of commuting his sentence'

Additional Reference: (Wikipedia) Rod Blagojevich corruption charges

I presented my OP using NPR, rather than the original NYT source, due to the NYT paywall restrictions. Here's a link to the NYT article:

(NYT) Trump Suggests He’s Likely to Commute Sentence of Rod Blagojevich

--

Quite honestly, I'm aghast. What is Trump thinking, here? Blago is the "worst of the worst!". He's literally the personification of the crooked pol on the make, selling-out his citizenry to line his pockets via criminal graft & corruption!

And what is with the last very paragraph, I quoted above? The one where Trump claims Blago's actions were "minor", and that "many politicians do it". What??? Is Trump condoning, or trivializing this type of corruption?

In a state/county/city that is synonymous with corruption, a local jury of 12 peer citizens found Blago guilty-beyond-doubt of 17 of 20 felony charges! Felonies! Think about it: It was Chicagoans that found him to be crooked! Chicagoans!

Prior to his trial & conviction, the good people of Illinois had the good sense to impeach & removed Blago from office! He literally sold appointed seats to the highest bidder, including a Senate seat. Sold for hard cash for his pockets, and for high-paying political government appointments for his wife & family members to line their pockets further.

Blago is the sleaziest & swampiest criminal the crooked swamp has to offer. The good citizens of Illinois worked extremely hard to get him off the street, out of government, and behind bars. It is my strong belief that Trump should not over-turn the will of the people that suffered under Blago & his cronies, but should rather respect the wishes of the citizens as represented through the actions of the jury.

Trump’s a hack. As crooked as they get.
 
Source: (NPR - Chicago) Trump on Blago: 'I'm thinking of commuting his sentence'

Additional Reference: (Wikipedia) Rod Blagojevich corruption charges

I presented my OP using NPR, rather than the original NYT source, due to the NYT paywall restrictions. Here's a link to the NYT article:

(NYT) Trump Suggests He’s Likely to Commute Sentence of Rod Blagojevich

--

Quite honestly, I'm aghast. What is Trump thinking, here? Blago is the "worst of the worst!". He's literally the personification of the crooked pol on the make, selling-out his citizenry to line his pockets via criminal graft & corruption!

And what is with the last very paragraph, I quoted above? The one where Trump claims Blago's actions were "minor", and that "many politicians do it". What??? Is Trump condoning, or trivializing this type of corruption?

In a state/county/city that is synonymous with corruption, a local jury of 12 peer citizens found Blago guilty-beyond-doubt of 17 of 20 felony charges! Felonies! Think about it: It was Chicagoans that found him to be crooked! Chicagoans!

Prior to his trial & conviction, the good people of Illinois had the good sense to impeach & removed Blago from office! He literally sold appointed seats to the highest bidder, including a Senate seat. Sold for hard cash for his pockets, and for high-paying political government appointments for his wife & family members to line their pockets further.

Blago is the sleaziest & swampiest criminal the crooked swamp has to offer. The good citizens of Illinois worked extremely hard to get him off the street, out of government, and behind bars. It is my strong belief that Trump should not over-turn the will of the people that suffered under Blago & his cronies, but should rather respect the wishes of the citizens as represented through the actions of the jury.
Every individual that he commuted were convicted of corruption/fraud. The “swamp” that he promised to drain. Birds of a feather flock together.
 
Commutation

A commutation does not reverse a conviction and the recipient of a commutation remains guilty in accordance with the original conviction.
Commutation (law) - Wikipedia

With that said I would not have given him the Commutation!
 
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