Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who gained notoriety for his attempt to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat after Obama's 2008 presidential win, is expected to receive a pardon from President Donald Trump. Blagojevich, a former contestant on 'Celebrity Apprentice,' served eight years in prison before Trump commuted his 14-year sentence in 2020.
Blagojevich was convicted in 2011 on 18 counts and initially sentenced to 14 years. However, Trump intervened and shortened his prison term. Notably, Blagojevich appeared on 'Celebrity Apprentice' in 2010, receiving praise from Trump before his corruption trial began.
President Trump has drawn connections between investigations into his own conduct and Blagojevich's case. The former U.S. attorney who prosecuted Blagojevich, Patrick Fitzgerald, later represented former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired by Trump in 2017. Comey, who was in the private sector during the Blagojevich investigation, had ties to key figures involved in the case.
Furthermore, Robert Mueller, who led the investigation into alleged Russian collusion, served as FBI director during the Blagojevich probe. In 2015, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago overturned five of Blagojevich's convictions, including charges related to offering a high-paying Senate job.
