OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 6:38 AM PT — Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Chicago activist Raul Montes and Cook County Trump campaign worker Frank Coconate are urging the president to free Rod Blagojveich, so he can return to his family.
In a press briefing Monday outside the former governor’s home in Chicago, Montes expressed why releasing Bagojveich from prison early would be a “pivotal move” for the president.
“It’s sad for the family because seven years his daughters have been without him, and it’s time,” he stated. “And I feel that it might happen soon, I have that intuition.”
According to Coconate, the former governor’s crimes are not worth being locked away for seven years. He claimed “all Blagojveich is guilty for is talking on the phone.”
In 2011, Blagojevich was convicted of 17 corruption-related charges during a retrial. (ASP/Photo)
“People talk on the phone. He never took money, he never, he never took a nickel from the taxpayers of Illinois. They said he tried selling the Senate seat. He tried making deals with the Senate seat. It happens every day in Illinois, every day.” — Frank Coconate
Back in 2011, Blagojevich was convicted of several crimes, including extortion, lying to federal investigators and attempting to sell Barrack Obama’s Senate seat for personal gain.
President Trump announced last week, he is strongly considering commuting his 14 year sentence. Several Republican leaders have said the president should not reduce the sentence because the move would set a bad example for Congress. For now, President Trump says the White House will continue to review the case.
Rod Blagojevich, the former Governor of Illinois, was sentenced to 14 years in prison. He has served 7 years. Many people have asked that I study the possibility of commuting his sentence in that it was a very severe one. White House staff is continuing the review of this matter.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2019