Trump expected to pardon former Illinois Gov Rod Blagojevich
President Donald Trump is expected to pardon former Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Fox News has learned.
Blagojevich, a former "Celebrity Apprentice" contestant, served eight years in prison on charges stemming from his effort to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat after Obama won the 2008 presidential election.
Trump commuted his 14-year sentence in 2020.
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Blagojevich was convicted in 2011 and was sentenced to 14 years before Trump cut his prison term short. Blagojevich appeared on "Celebrity Apprentice" in 2010, before his first corruption trial started, drawing praise from Trump at the time when he "fired" him as a contestant.
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Later as president, Trump drew links between investigations of his own behavior in his first term and Blagojevich's case.
Patrick Fitzgerald, the former U.S. attorney who prosecuted Blagojevich, represented former FBI Director James Comey, whom Trump fired from the agency in 2017.
Comey was working in the private sector during the Blagojevich investigation and indictment.
Former special counsel Robert Mueller, who oversaw the investigation into the Russian collusion hoax, was FBI director during the investigation into Blagojevich.
Blagojevich was convicted on 18 counts. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago in 2015 tossed out five of the convictions, including ones in which he offered to appoint someone to a high-paying job in the Senate.
Axios first reported the news of the expected pardon on Monday afternoon.
Fox News' Pat Ward and the Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a developing news story. Check back for updates.Original article source: Trump expected to pardon former Illinois Gov Rod Blagojevich
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The stakes could not be higher as universities shape the minds of future leaders, policymakers, and citizens who will navigate an increasingly complex global landscape. When African academics present papers at international conferences that uncritically repeat Russian talking points, they undermine their own credibility and that of their institutions. Across various African universities, a concerning pattern has emerged since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Rather than maintaining the scholarly distance necessary for objective analysis, numerous institutions have embraced narratives that closely align with Russian state propaganda. 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Some academics have conflated criticism of Western policies with support for Russian actions, creating a dangerous intellectual blind spot. Economic factors also play a role. Russian investment in African educational infrastructure, scholarship programs, and research partnerships have created institutional relationships that some universities appear reluctant to jeopardize through objective analysis of Russian actions. This economic dependence has compromised academic freedom, creating situations where financial considerations override scholarly integrity. The influence of Russian state media and disinformation campaigns cannot be overlooked. RT (formerly Russia Today) and Sputnik have specifically targeted African audiences with sophisticated propaganda operations designed to shape public opinion. 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Submit an Opinion Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
