February 18, 2020, 5:39 PM
2 min read
President Donald Trump is expected to commute the sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, multiple senior level sources tell ABC News.
Among the causes that lead to Blagojevich's original conviction was the charge that he sought to exchange an appointment to former President Barack Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat in exchange for campaign money.
Blagojevich, a Democrat, has been a resident of the Federal Correctional Institution, in Englewood -- near Littleton, Colorado -- since March 15, 2012, where he is known as Inmate No. 40892-424.
His date for expected release remains 2024, factoring in two years of credit for good behavior.
The disgraced governor rose to fame in part because of his penchant for sartorial flamboyance, larger-than-life persona and an apparent eagerness to perform for the camera. He became known through tabloids by the mononym "Blago," and the Chicago Tribune reported that inmates inside of the prison refer to him simply as "Gov."
In 2009, he appeared on NBC's "The Apprentice," a reality TV show then hosted by Trump, alongside tenured reality show performers like Sharon Osborne and Bret Michaels.
Blagojevich fronted a prison band called “The Jailhouse Rockers,” named after the Elvis Presley song, which was dissolved after the lead guitarist was released, according to The Associated Press.
The band was used by his defense team as an example of his good behavior during the appeal to no avail.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
