Rumors are circulating on social media that President Donald Trump did not actually pardon Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for federal corruption.
The Claim
Chris Jackson, political strategist who was an early supporter of former President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and appointed to the Democratic National Committee‘s Platform Committee, posted on X, formerly Twitter, implying that Trump did not actually pardon Blagojevich last month.
“No signature at all. Whoops,” Jackson wrote on X above a photograph of what appears to be a pardon of Blagojevich without a signature from the president.
The Facts
While the pardon document shown in Jackson’s X post does not include a signature from Trump, his signature is in fact on the executive grant of clemency.
Trump was also filmed signing the pardon for Blagojevich, who faced the federal corruption charges in 2020.
“It’s my honor to do it. I’ve watched him. He was set up by a lot of bad people,” Trump told reporters right before signing the pardon in the Oval Office.
“He wasn’t quite as successful, but he had somebody that saw what was going on. I didn’t know him other than, I believe he was on The Apprentice.”
Blagojevich had previously been convicted of 17 counts of corruption for giving political favors in exchange of financial benefits. This also involved trying to secure campaign money for an appointment to Barack Obama‘s Senate seat once he was elected president in 2008, charges show.
“I’ve got this thing and it’s f****** golden,” Blagojevich was recorded saying about the Senate seat. “I’m just not giving it up for … nothing.”
Another recording showed Blagojevich implying he was offered $500,000, and charges at the time stipulated he forced a children’s hospital CEO to pay $25,000 for approving pediatric reimbursement policies.
Blagojevich, who served eight years in prison, has since claimed he was set up by the “corrupt and dishonest” FBI.
“They feel like they’re a power center in their own right,” Blagojevich said in a podcast conversation with Joe Rogan.
“The post was a satirical take on Trump’s tactics, highlighting how absurd his claims about Biden’s pardons are,” Jackson told Newsweek. “Despite knowing better, Trump and his allies deliberately sow doubt about these perfectly legal actions. In today’s political climate, it’s only fair to hold them to the same standards they impose on others.”
The Ruling
False.
Trump’s signature is listed on the actual executive grant of clemency, showing Blagojevich was successfully pardoned by the president.
There is no evidence that Trump did not sign the pardon, and the full signature reflects the video footage of Trump invoking the pardon before reporters last month.
“Look what I found in the mail today! God bless President Trump. I am forever grateful to him,” Blagojevich wrote on X. “This pardon is another step in my long, hard fight to win full & complete vindication & expose the corrupt prosecution against me by uncontrolled weaponized prosecutors.”
FACT CHECK BY Newsweek’s Fact Check team
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