BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump commutes Rod Blagojevich's sentence and pardons former NYPD commissioner Bernie Kerik and 80s junk bond king Michael Milken after clearing corrupt ex-49ers owner but claims he hasn't 'given any thought' to pardoning Roger Stone
Donald Trump is expected to commute the 14-year sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and pardon former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik. Blagojevich, who was imprisoned for soliciting bribes, including those for the Senate seat once held by Barack Obama, had his sentence commuted. 'Yes we commuted the sentence of Rod Blogojevitch,' Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews before he left for a trip to the West Coast. 'I don't know him but he seems like a nice person.' 'He is a Democrat not a Republican,' the president added. 'It was a ridiculous sentence in my opinion.'
Kerik, who was police commissioner during the 9/11 attacks and, in 2009, pleaded guilty to tax fraud and false statements, will get a full pardon. 'I just pardoned Bernie Kerik,' the president said. 'He suffered greatly and paid a great price.' But he wouldn't say if he would pardon Roger Stone next. 'I haven't given it any thought,' Trump said.
Kerik was appointed police commissioner by Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor who is now Trump's personal attorney. In June 2006, Kerik pleaded guilty in Bronx Supreme Court to two ethics violations. Kerik acknowledged that during the time he was Interior Minister of Iraq – under President George W. Bush - he accepted a $250,000 interest-free 'loan' from Israeli billionaire Eitan Wertheimer and failed to report it. In 'November 2007', Kerik was indicted by a federal grand jury in White Plains, New York on charges of tax fraud, and making false statements to the federal government about the loan. He later pleaded guilty to eight felony tax and false statement charges and was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and three years' supervised release. That time concluded in October 2016.
Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor has been a resident of the Federal Correctional Institution, in Englewood, Colorado, since March 15, 2012. His expected release date was 2024, factoring in two years of credit for good behavior. As governor, he was in charge of appointing a successor to Obama's Senate seat after Obama was elected president. In 2009, Blagojevich appeared on NBC's 'The Apprentice,' the reality TV show then hosted by Trump
The news follows Trump's decision to pardon former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. on Tuesday and has increased speculation he will apply his presidential power to Roger Stone. Several former NFL players were at the White House on Tuesday - including Jim Brown, Jerry Rice, Charles Haley, and Ronnie Lott - to speak the president about DeBartolo. They praised the decision to pardon him. 'I take my hat off to Donald Trump for what he did,' Rice said. Brown called DeBartolo a 'great man.' DeBartolo paid $400,000 to former La. Gov. Edwin Edwards to help win a riverboat casino license in 1998. He pled guilty to the charge of failing to report a felony, and received a $1 million fine and two years of probation. And he was suspended for a year by the NFL. The son of a prominent real estate development family, DeBartolo owned the 49ers for 23 years and won five Super Bowls as their owner. He stepped down as owner in 1997 after two Louisiana newspapers reported he would be indicted for gambling fraud. In 1992, DeBartolo was accused of sexual assault by a cocktail waitress he met at a local bar in California. He denied any wrongdoing and was never charged but reportedly paid $200,000 to settle the case out of court. Rice, who as a wide receiver won three Super Bowls with the 49ers, praised DeBartolo's ownership of the team.
'It was all about family. That's really what they stood for. And that's the reason why I think we won so many championships,' Rice said. 'Eddie was like that 12th man that was on that football field. You know that this guy, you know, he wanted us to win. And I think he's the main reason why we won so many Super Bowls. So today is a great day for him. I'm glad to be here and be a part of that. And, you know, it's just something I'll never forget. You know, this man, he has done so much in the community, he has done so much in NFL football,' he noted.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8017379/Donald-Trump-commutes-Rod-Blagojevichs-sentence-pardons-Bernie-Kerik.html