Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is set to be pardoned by President Donald Trump on Monday, according to a source familiar with the matter. This decision comes nearly five years after Trump commuted Blagojevich's original 14-year sentence.
Blagojevich was convicted of trying to sell the US Senate seat that was vacated by Barack Obama after he won the 2008 presidential election. He served eight years of his sentence before Trump intervened with the commutation.
The news of the expected pardon was first reported by Axios, shedding light on the evolving relationship between Trump and Blagojevich. The two have known each other for more than a decade and have grown closer since the commutation. Blagojevich has even made appearances at some of Trump's campaign events and has met with him on occasion at Mar-a-Lago.
