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Trump's commutation of Blagojevich sentence sparks anger from Illinois House Republican leader
Fox News ^ | Feb. 18,2020 | Louis Casiano

Posted on 02/18/2020 4:00:19 PM PST by Leaning Right

The Illinois House Republican leader blasted President Trump on Tuesday for granting clemency to former Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted of trying to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat after he was elected president.

"It's very disappointing," Jim Durkin told reporters in the state capitol in Springfield. “We have a massive federal investigation into corruption in the state of Illinois and this action distracts and dilutes what I think is the proper role of the Department of Justice — to root out corruption,”

He said Blagojevich was "rouge on steroids" during his tenure as governor.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: blagojevich; commutation; corruption; illinois; rouge
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To: Leaning Right

HE has served 12 years of a 14 year sentence. He is 63 years old & a little mercy is in order.


81 posted on 02/18/2020 5:27:03 PM PST by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: Leaning Right
I still think Obama was in it up to his ears and Blago was the fall guy to protect the incoming President.

-PJ

82 posted on 02/18/2020 5:28:12 PM PST by Political Junkie Too (Freedom of the press is the People's right to publish, not CNN's right to the 1st question.)
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To: Stingray51
EXACTLY SO!

Thanks for explaining it, better than I have, to those posting about this who neither know ANYTHING at all about this topic, nor understanding any of it as well.

83 posted on 02/18/2020 5:29:03 PM PST by nopardons
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To: Trump Girl Kit Cat

Longer than that! It’s been 8 years.

I originally said 12, he would be eligible for parole in 4 years, 12 years of his 14 year sentence.


84 posted on 02/18/2020 5:29:08 PM PST by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: Magnatron

He had his sentence commuted, He was not pardoned. He remains a convicted felon. He is simply released.


85 posted on 02/18/2020 5:30:22 PM PST by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: Trump Girl Kit Cat

We are in full agreement!


86 posted on 02/18/2020 5:30:27 PM PST by nopardons
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To: nopardons

Thank you!


87 posted on 02/18/2020 5:31:15 PM PST by Stingray51
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To: Leaning Right

“”We have a massive federal investigation into corruption in the state of Illinois and this action distracts and dilutes what I think is the proper role of the Department of Justice — to root out corruption,””

They’re all rotten. HOW LONG has this FEDERAL investigation been going on? Everything is punted with the excuse of “ongoing investigation.” When are we going to stop falling for that?


88 posted on 02/18/2020 5:31:46 PM PST by Thank You Rush
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To: caww
Blagojevich was convicted of selling Obama’s former seat....but his criminal activities go well beyond that. He’s one crooked guy. However could be Trumps letting this dog out of his cage to see who runs to, or away from.

Blago wasn't convicted of selling Obama's seat, they got him for wire fraud, and attempted extortion. It is speculated the Feds quietly pulled the wire down because Jug Ears was said to be involved.

89 posted on 02/18/2020 5:32:56 PM PST by dznutz
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To: Stingray51
You're welcome!

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sick of the posters who write utter crap about this, without knowing ANY of the facts and when someone does, they ignore it. So I was delighted to see/read your post and let you know I was!

90 posted on 02/18/2020 5:33:35 PM PST by nopardons
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To: Leaning Right
Maybe Trump is playing some sort of 4-D chess game that I just can’t follow. But on the surface this commutation seems like a bad idea.

I've lived in Illinois since October of 1977. I'm as Conservative as anyone else on here. I'm going to tell you point-blank that the Republicans in this state are no better than the Democrats. ALL of them are corrupt --- to their very core.

The Republican Governor of Illinois prior to Blagojevic, George Ryan received less than 7 years for his corruption, which led to the tragic deaths of six children from a single family on Interstate 94, which was caused by a criminal, illegal alien who "bought" his Commercial Drivers License paying a bribe to then Secretary of State George Ryan's office during his run for Governor.

So you tell me which is "just" and "right" .. a former Governor who received less than 7 years in prison for selling CDL's which resulted in the tragic deaths of six children, or a former Governor who received a 14 year sentence for doing the exact same thing every other corruptocrat in this worthless shithole state does.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case.

91 posted on 02/18/2020 5:37:10 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: usconservative
BTW, did I mention that Mueller was the head of the FBI at the time?

Drain the swamp indeed.

92 posted on 02/18/2020 5:40:27 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: mass55th

Because the History Channel is left-wing. Just check out the programming when it gets closer to Easter. All kinds of anti-Christian garbage.


93 posted on 02/18/2020 5:48:45 PM PST by frogjerk (We are conservatives. Not libertarians, not "fiscal conservatives", not moderates)
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To: Trump Girl Kit Cat

True


94 posted on 02/18/2020 5:58:05 PM PST by fortheDeclaration
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To: nopardons
Well, well pilgrim...welcome to illannoy! This guy is an Olympic class prick who deserves zero mercy.

Gleefully signed statewide smoking ban.Blagojevich signs law making public places smoke-free

Huge anti-gun schmuck. Blagojevich, Daley push gun ban.

I hope you are not saying you have compassion for this toad stool.

95 posted on 02/18/2020 6:13:25 PM PST by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: Leaning Right

Perhaps a poke in the eye to Mueller and his team and democratic establishment who wanted him out of the way.


96 posted on 02/18/2020 6:22:30 PM PST by Swirl
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To: webheart
Rouge on steroids means a really gaudy shade of red.

I think that was very popular with women in Chicago in the '30s and '40s. It's hard to tell though because all those old Edward G. Robinson movies were in black and white.

97 posted on 02/18/2020 6:31:09 PM PST by TigersEye (MAGA - 16 more years! - KAG)
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To: Bonemaker
I lived in Chicago for almost 20 years, as an adult and escaped in 1990. I still have many friends there and DO know what I'm talking about re this case and the complete CORRUPTION in Ill.!

As a matter of fact, I probably know quite a bit MORE "insider" political stuff than you do, so back off!

I'm only saying that Blago was set upon by Madigam and wee barry and many other DEMS and that the 14 year sentence was patently ridiculous and POLITICAL PUNISHMENT!

Was Blago also a crazed libturd? HELL YES, HE WAS!

But then so is every other damned Ill. DEM, most of whom were/are far MORE corrupt CRIMINALS than he; yet they NEVER get anything, when caught, more than a slap on the wrist...if that!

98 posted on 02/18/2020 6:44:01 PM PST by nopardons
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To: usconservative

SPOT ON and there are many more such examples of corrupt pols in Ill., for decade after decade after decade!


99 posted on 02/18/2020 6:46:25 PM PST by nopardons
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To: Magnatron

Magnatron wrote:
“I’m a little confused about Blagojevich being pardoned. He was definitely a POS who had crooked doings across a number of enterprises. The others on Trump’s list make sense. Blagojevich, not so much.”

You can bet he has info about IL corruption. Maybe he knows where the bodies are buried. He has had 5 yrs. to plan his revenge.

SS1


100 posted on 02/18/2020 7:01:23 PM PST by Spitzensparkin1 (Donate often, it is our FReeping ammo. Keep the supply train rollin', become a monthly donor.)
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