Rev. Jesse Jackson asks President Trump to pardon former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich

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Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Rev. Jesse Jackson urges President Trump to pardon Rod Blagojevich
The Reverend Jesse Jackson and his son, Jesse Jackson Jr., are asking President Donald Trump to release former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich from prison.

The Reverend Jesse Jackson and his son, Jesse Jackson Jr., are asking President Donald Trump to release former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich from prison.

They made their case for Blagojevich to be pardoned in a letter in the Wall Street Journal.

In 2011, Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison after his political corruption conviction. Jackson said Blagojevich has already served seven years on corruption charges, and that's enough time.

They argued that others have received lighter sentences for more serious crimes including the president's former attorney Michael Cohen.

Jackson Jr. himself served federal prison time for using campaign money for lavish personal spending.