Disgraced former Democratic Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has publicly announced his support for former Republican President Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House. In an interview on “The Cats Roundtable” on 770 WABC, Blagojevich, a convicted felon, referred to himself as a “Trump-o-crat” and praised the Republican Party under Trump’s leadership for championing the interests of the average working person in America.
Blagojevich, known as “Blago” in political circles, also revealed that his support for Trump is a personal gesture of gratitude. In February 2020, Trump commuted Blagojevich’s 14-year sentence for political corruption. The former governor had been convicted of attempting to sell the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama after his election as president in 2008. Blagojevich maintained his innocence, claiming that his actions were not criminal, and President Obama had refused to commute his sentence. However, Trump, who had previously featured Blagojevich on his reality TV show “The Apprentice,” intervened and granted him freedom.
Reflecting on his past legal troubles, Blagojevich highlighted that he was the first governor in the United States to endorse Obama. He emphasized their shared political roots in Chicago during the mid-1990s, with him becoming governor and Obama becoming a senator two years later. Blagojevich recounted an emissary sent by Obama, a union boss who was friendly to both of them, approaching him to discuss a political deal in exchange for the appointment of a Senate candidate Obama desired. Blagojevich clarified that there was nothing illegal on Obama’s part or his own. While Obama ascended to the White House for two terms, Blagojevich found himself incarcerated for eight years.
In a lighter tone, Blagojevich humorously compared his experience as governor to his time as “inmate #40892424,” expressing gratitude for his release and reunion with his family. He drew parallels between the tactics employed against him and those used against President Trump, claiming that his case served as a blueprint for weaponizing prosecutors and criminalizing routine political activities.
Blagojevich urged Americans to vote in the upcoming election to prevent the further weaponization of prosecutions, which he argued undermines the rule of law and the constitution. He likened such practices to those observed in Russia, the Soviet Union, and banana republics, asserting that they deviate from the principles of Abraham Lincoln’s vision of democracy.
Meanwhile, Blagojevich alleged that former President Obama is leveraging his substantial influence within the Democratic Party to pressure 81-year-old President Joe Biden, his former vice president, to step aside instead of seeking re-election. He claimed that Obama is utilizing his connections with influential constituency groups, including movie stars like George Clooney, to encourage Biden’s withdrawal. Blagojevich characterized this maneuver as another example of the cut-throat and backstabbing nature of politics.
