Rod Blagojevich returns home, calls himself a ‘freed political prisoner’
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich described himself as a “freed political prisoner” Wednesday — and said he was getting used to living in the real world post-prison.
“We want to express our most profound and everlasting gratitude to President Trump,” Blagojevich told a crowd of supporters outside his Chicago home, referring to his wife and children, a day after Trump commuted his 14-year sentence. “How can you thank someone who’s given you back your freedom that was stolen from you.”
“I’m returning home today from a long exile as a freed political prisoner,” said Blagojevich, 63. “From beginning to end, this was persecution masquerading as prosecution.”
As he talked, he paused occasionally to dab his chin after he cut himself shaving.
“It’s been a long, long journey. I’m bruised, I’m battered, and I’m bloody,” he said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve shaved with a normal razor. I’ve gotta keep dabbing the blood.”
Blagojevich said Trump “didn’t have to do this. He’s a Republican president. I was a Democratic governor. Doing this does nothing to help his politics.”
“President Trump is a man who is tough and outspoken. But he also has a kind heart,” he said.
Blagojevich was convicted of 17 public corruption charges in 2010 and 2011, including trying to solicit money in exchange for an appointment to the US Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama after he won the presidency in 2008.
He was caught on tape describing the seat as “a f—ing valuable thing” and “you just don’t give it away for nothing.”
He defended himself Wednesday.
“I didn’t let you down. I would have let you down if I gave in to this,” he said before pivoting to thank Trump again.
“He’s not a typical politician. He’s a problem solver,” Blagojevich said. “He sees wrong and tries to right it.”
The president, who is on a four-day trip to the West Coast, tweeted about Blagojevich, who was once a contestant on his NBC reality show “Celebrity Apprentice.”
“Rod Blagojevich did not sell the Senate seat. He served 8 years in prison, with many remaining. He paid a big price. Another Comey and gang deal!” the president said.
The former governor was released from a Colorado prison, where he had been held since 2018, on Tuesday evening.
He repeated that he has now become a “Trump-ocrat” and said, “If I have the ability to vote, I’m going to vote for him.”
The commutation of his sentence, Blagojevich said, marks the “beginning of the process to actually turn an injustice into a justice.”
He praised Trump for his efforts on criminal justice reform.
“No one has done more, or is currently working to do more to fix this broken and racist criminal justice system than President Trump and Jared Kushner,” he said.