Commuted Ex-Gov. Blagojevich returned to Chicago as a “Trumpocra

by Mary Filatova Feb. 20, 2020

Disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich returned to his hometown of Chicago on Wednesday morning after President Donald Trump shortened his prison sentence. Blagojevich was sentenced to​ 14 years in prison on corruption charges.

“He didn’t have to do this, he’s a Republican president and I was a Democratic governor,” said Blagojevich to reporters waiting outside his home.

"I'm a Trumpocrat, if I had the ability to vote, I would vote for him," Blagojevich added.

In 2011, Blagojevich was found guilty of ​18 public corruption charges​ including trying to benefit from to appoint a successor to Obama's Senate seat and ​trying to shake down a children’s hospital.

"I believe that this move by the president shows he would do anything for his friends. Rod held money from a children's hospital caring for some of the most amazing and brave children with life-threatening illnesses,” said Eric Suarez, a 29-year-old from Melrose Park outside of Chicago. "I know that Rod was found guilty of other things but the children's hospital hits me the hardest. Those kids deserve the best and under the table deals shouldn't have to be made to find funds just to help them."

The opinions of Chicagoans were divided about Blagojevich’s return. Some can’t forget the things that he did during the governorship, while others are glad that Blagojevich’s daughters are with their dad again. His oldest daughter is now 22 and his younger daughter is now 16.

“I’m happy he’s home. He’s with his two daughters and his wife. His wife has been pleading for years for him to be released. Blagojevich made a mistake that sent him away for about 12 years. I feel like he served more than enough time,” said Matt Taupin, a public accountant who lives in the Old Town neighborhood.

Rod Blagojevich began​ his political career​ in 1977 in a six -year term in Congress as a Democrat. Since then, he has worked a three-year term as state representative, and member of a

powerful health board in Illinois. Promoting himself as an honest and ​“anti-corruption candidate,” Blagojevich won the election for Illinois governor in 2002 and was elected to a second term in 2006.​ Throughout his career, Blagojecich has been ​accused of federal charges ​of hiring fraud and making deals with businesses who work with the state. Thirteen months ​after he began his second term as governor,​ ​Blagoyevich was arrested on federal charges. The Illinois house has voted to ​impeach Blagojevich​, making him the first governor in the history to be impeached. Blagojevich was formally indicted with five co-defendant. In June 2007, Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in ​Federal Correctional Institute​ in Englewood, Colorado after being found guilty for 18 corruption charges. ​He admitted guilt and apologized to the trial judge, his family and Illinois residents he served as governor.

“I remember voting for Blagojevich the very first time I ever voted. I remember I believed in his campaign and the things that he was saying he could do for our state, but when they kicked him out of his spot I was so betrayed as a voter, ” said Sherry Johnson, a resident of the Lincoln Park neighborhood. All of the things he had been accused of doing made him look so horrible, and we know that in turn made us look like we’d helped him get there.”

Trump mentioned before that he ​wants to commute​ ​Blagojevich’s sentence over the phone call to reporters aboard Air Force One telling that​ former governor had enough time in jail.

“He’ll be able to go home to his family after serving eight years in jail, that was a tremendously powerful, ridiculous sentence in my opinion,” ​Trump said​.

Kerryn Davis, retired English as a second language teacher from Chicago found the timing of Blagojevich communmet strange.

“I was surprised about the timing of Blagojevich commutation because I remember when Trump first became a president, he mentioned that he would commute but he didn’t do it for so many years until his impeachment and it seemed strange, ” Davis said. “Trump has some kind of agenda going on. People who play chess use very tricky maneuvers. I feel like Trump is doing something similar that nobody knows what he’s doing until it comes out.”