Page 2 - aruba-today-20250211

A2 u.s. news
Tuesday 11 February 2025
Trump is expected to pardon ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich

5 years after commuting his sentence

By ZEKE MILLER and 2016 election. The president
MICHELLE L. PRICE made clear that he saw simi-
Associated Press larities between efforts to in-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- vestigate his own conduct
dent Donald Trump on Mon- and those that took down
day will pardon Democrat- Blagojevich.
ic former Illinois Gov. Rod "It was a prosecution by the
Blagojevich, according to a same people — Comey,
person familiar with his plans. Fitzpatrick, the same group,"
Trump commuted Blagojev- Trump told reporters. He was
ich's 14-year sentence for referring to Patrick Fitzgerald,
political corruption charges the former U.S. attorney who
during his first term. The Re- prosecuted Blagojevich and
publican president planned later represented former
to sign the pardon on Mon- FBI Director James Comey,
day, according to the per- whom Trump fired from the
son, who was not authorized agency in May 2017. Comey
to discuss the pardon pub- was working in the private
licly and spoke to The Associ- sector during the Blagojevich
ated Press on the condition investigation and indictment.
of anonymity. Former special counsel Rob-
Blagojevich was convicted ert Mueller, who oversaw the
in 2011 on charges that in- investigation into ties be-
cluded seeking to sell an Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, right, speaks, Oct. 21, 2020, during a news conference in tween between Russia and
appointment to then-Pres- Chicago. Trump's 2016 campaign, was
ident Barack Obama's old Associated Press FBI director during the inves-
Senate seat and trying to of whom were charged in he appeared on "Celebrity Patti Blagojevich spent near- tigation into Blagojevich.
shake down a children's hos- connection with the Jan. 6, Apprentice" in 2010 before ly two years making public Trump's decision to commute
pital. Blagojevich, who ap- 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. his first corruption trial started. pleas for her husband's re- Blagojevich's sentence was
peared on Trump's reality TV The clemency, announced When Trump fired Blagojev- lease during Trump's first met with bipartisan criticism
show "Celebrity Apprentice," on Trump's first day back in ich as a contestant, he term, appearing often on in Illinois. Democratic Gov.
served eight years in prison office, paved the way for the praised him for how he was Fox News Channel, which J.B. Pritzker said at the time
before Trump cut short his release from prison of people fighting his criminal case, tell- Trump devotedly watches. that Trump "has abused his
term in 2020. found guilty of violent attacks ing him, "You have a hell of She drew parallels between pardon power in inexpli-
The former governor's wife, on police as well as leaders a lot of guts." her husband's treatment and cable ways to reward his
Patti Blagojevich, reached of far-right extremist groups Blagojevich was convicted Trump's, along with shower- friends and condone cor-
by phone, referred a reporter convicted of failed plots to on 18 counts. The 7th U.S. Cir- ing Trump with praise. ruption, and I deeply believe
to a spokesperson who did keep Trump in power after cuit Court of Appeals in Chi- At the time that Trump an- this pardon sends the wrong
not immediately return a he lost the 2020 presidential cago in 2015 tossed out five nounced Blagojevich's com- message at the wrong time."
message seeking comment. election to Democrat Joe of the convictions, including mutation in 2020, Trump Axios first reported the news
Already this term, Trump Biden. ones in which he offered to had been investigated for of the expected pardon on
has granted clemency to Trump expressed some sym- appoint someone to a high- his ties to Russia and their Monday afternoon.q
more than 1,500 people, all pathy for Blagojevich when paying job in the Senate. attempts to interfere in the

Secrecy preceded the shutdown of the consumer protection

agency’s Washington headquarters

blue painter's tape, conceal- rooms were viewed by The any work task." Vought is also
ing their occupants. Voices Associated Press, and the serving as the bureau's acting
could be heard inside dis- scene was described by director. The previous direc-
cussing cuts to government two current employees who tor, Rohit Chopra, was fired
agencies. When the door was spoke on the condition of by Trump, a Republican, on
cracked open, there were anonymity because they Feb. 1. Vought's message fol-
young people with temporary feared retaliation. The se- lowed one on Saturday eve-
badges. crecy contradicts insistence ning that ordered the bureau
It was fresh evidence that the by the White House that Musk to "cease all supervision and
agency, which was created is transparently fulfilling Presi- examination activity."
to protect Americans from dent Donald Trump's goal The Consumer Financial
financial fraud, abuse and of downsizing the federal Protection Bureau, or CFPB,
deceptive practices, was the government. Russ Vought, was created after the 2008
newest target of Elon Musk Trump's budget chief, sent financial crisis and subprime
A sign stands at the construction site for the Consumer Financial and his Department of Gov- an email to employees on mortgage-lending scandal.
Protection Bureau’s headquarters in Washington, Aug. 27, 2018. ernment Efficiency. Now the Monday morning saying they Officials said that it has ob-
Associated Press
Washington headquarters is should "not perform any work tained nearly $20 billion in
By CHRIS MEGERIAN Financial Protection Bureau shut down for the week, and tasks." They were directed to financial relief for U.S. con-
Associated Press saw a sign of trouble to come. there are fears that it will be contact the top lawyer for sumers since its founding in
WASHINGTON (AP) — Over Windows in two basement gutted like the U.S. Agency for the Office of Management the form of canceled debts,
the weekend, some staff conference rooms were cov- International Development. and Budget "to get approval compensation and reduced
members at the Consumer ered with brown paper and Pictures of the conference in writing before performing loans. q