Trump pardons former Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich

Donald Trump pardoned Rod Blagojevich on Monday, the former Democratic governor of Illinois who was convicted of the attempted sale of the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. In 2020, Trump had already commuted his sentence, allowing him to be released from prison after serving eight years of the 14 to which he had been sentenced.

"I am honored to do so," the president declared as he signed the decree in the Oval Office of the White House. In his opinion, Blagojevich fell into the trap of "a lot of bad people," AFP reports. The former governor, who has always pleaded not guilty to all charges despite the conviction, announced a press conference to give his views on his pardon.

Attempt to take advantage of the responsibilities of the governor's office

The issue that landed Blagojevich in prison was a murky attempt to cash in on Obama's departure from the Senate to the White House. In the event of a vacancy in the Senate, the governor of the state to which that lawmaker belongs has the power to appoint the replacement.

Obama, whose seat was in Illinois, demitted after winning the election in 2008, and Blagojevich, governor of The Prairie State at the time, tried to sell his seat in exchange for high-level and highly paid positions for himself and his wife.

Blagojevich participated in Trump's 'The Apprentice' in 2010

Blagojevich has been an old acquaintance of Trump's since long before he became president. In fact, in 2010, Blagojevich participated in the reality show hosted by Donald Trump, "The Apprentice."

Since his return to power on Jan. 20, Donald Trump has used his power to pardon more than 1,200 people prosecuted or convicted of having participated in the assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.