x
Breaking News
More () »

Trump mulls commuting Rod Blagojevich's sentence, pardoning Martha Stewart

Trump tells reporters that ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said something dumb but that 'lots of politicians' do and thinks his sentence is excessive.
Credit: Chris Kleponis-Pool/Getty Images
President Donald Trump speaks to the media during a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron of France April 24, 2018 at the White House in Washington, DC.

President Donald Trump says he is considering commuting the sentence of ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and pardoning Martha Stewart.

The comments came aboard Air Force One on Thursday after he announced on Twitter that he planned to pardon conservative commentator Dinesh D'Souza.

Trump tells reporters that Blagojevich said something dumb but that "lots of politicians" do and thinks his sentence is excessive.

The Democratic former governor began serving his 14-year prison sentence on corruption convictions in 2012. His scheduled release date is 2024. Blagojevich was also a contestant on Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" reality television show in 2010.

Stewart was convicted in 2004 of obstructing justice and lying to the government about why she unloaded stock just before the price plummeted.

Trump says she "used to be one of my biggest fans."

Last week, Trump also issued a rare posthumous pardon to Jack Johnson, boxing's first black heavyweight champion. The pardon cleared Johnson's name more than 100 years after what many viewed as his racially charged conviction in 1913 for traveling with his white girlfriend.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Before You Leave, Check This Out