Trump Grants Clemency to a Slew of Supporters and Allies

Fmr. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was expected to be released from prison in 2024 prior to President Trump commuting his sentence (Source)

Last Tuesday, Feb. 25, President Trump used his presidential pardon power to grant seven pardons and four commutations to 11 individuals out of the 14,000 clemency petitions that currently sit unaddressed in the Justice Department. The clemency orders freed celebrity felons like Rod Blagojevic and Michael Milken. Each recipient had a personal connection to Trump or was promoted and discussed on Fox News, the president’s network of choice. 

This wave of commutations and pardons comes after the president’s acquittal of impeachment charges by the Senate. In recent weeks, Trump has rid his team of disloyal aides and exercised his presidential prerogative to the maximum. 

Rod Blagojevich, the disgraced former Illinois governor, was among the 11 people granted clemency last week. Blagojevich, a Democrat and former “Celebrity Apprentice” contestant, returned home after completing eight years of a 14-year sentence for pay-for-play charges. He was found guilty in 2011 of corruption charges for trying to sell former President Obama’s vacant Senate seat, among other charges. The Fox News television appeals of Blagojevich’s wife, Patti, are said to have swayed Trump’s opinion, who called the sentence “ridiculous.”

The decision to grant clemency to Blagojevich comes as no surprise since Trump had been hinting at this move since 2018. However, White House advisors and aides attempted to deter Trump from this decision. Several conservative members of Congress, particularly Illinois Republicans, opposed the move as well, claiming that clemency would send a wrong message to voters about corruption. However, Jared Kushner lobbied for Blagojevich’s release from inside the White House. 

Trump also granted clemency to former San Francisco 49ers team owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. Under his leadership, the 49ers won five SuperBowls in 14 seasons. DeBartolo is also an avid Trump supporter and hosted a pre-inauguration party for the president in 2017. 

The pardon expunged a 22-year-old criminal charge for DeBartolo. In 1998, DeBartolo pleaded guilty for failing to report a felony in bribery when he paid former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards $400,000 in exchange for a riverboat gaming license. As a result, DeBartolo was banned from the NFL and passed control over the team to his sister. Despite the conviction, DeBartolo’s influence on the NFL remains strong. In 2016, DeBartolo was also inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his work with the 49ers. 

Micheal Milken was also granted clemency. He was named a “junk bond king” in the 1980s because he made his fortune trading high-yield, low-grade bonds at the now-defunct firm Drexel Burnham Lambert. Before Trump granted his pardon, Milken served 22 months of a 10-year prison sentence for violating securities laws. Milken was accused of participating in an insider trading scheme and was tied to a scandal with stock trader Ivan Boesky. Rudy Giuliani championed Milken’s pardon and promoted it to Trump. 

After his release from prison in 1993, Milken has aimed to rehabilitate his reputation. Milken became a major donor to cancer research charities after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He also founded the Milken Institute, an independent economic think tank that publishes research and hosts conferences that apply “market-based principles.” Trump praised Milken’s contribution to cancer research and argued that Milken already paid a “big price” throughout his prison sentence.  

Former New York police commissioner, Bernie Kerik, was another pardoned last week. Kerik was charged with tax fraud and lying to officials and served a three-year prison sentence as a result. Kerik is a former business partner to Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York and Trump ally.  

Kerik was also heavily involved in Former Navy SEAL Edward "Eddie" Gallagher’s case. Gallagher was accused of posing next to an ISIS fighter’s body and discrediting the armed forces through these actions. Trump reversed Gallagher’s rank demotion, which angered military officials. Kerik advocated in favor of Gallagher during the proceedings, which supposedly pushed Trump to pardon his sentence.  

Six other people were also granted clemency last week. It is increasingly clear that President Trump considers the opinions of his allies when making clemency decisions and prioritizes those who are vocal supporters of his administration. Trump bypassed the formal rules and procedures the former presidents undertake when considering clemency and relied on connections and the opinions of his allies instead.