These days it’s hard to tell for sure, but its seems as though, if anything, the biggest news of the last week was the most recent Democratic debate, during which Mike Bloomberg took a bit of a verbal beating. Elsewhere, people are still dying from Covid-19, and Ben Affleck is opening up about his struggles with alcoholism. Also, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will officially step down as royals at the end of March, and both Victoria’s Secret and E*Trade are being sold, but sadly not as a bundle. (If only.) What can we say? It’s been that kind of a week. What else happened over the last seven days? Well, all of this.
Presidential Pardons
What Happened: President Trump announced clemency for 11 people, including former Illinois governor and Celebrity Apprentice contestant Rod Blagojevich.
What Really Happened: Two weeks ago, mere days after his impeachment trial ended in acquittal in the Senate, President Trump got involved with the sentencing of his former adviser Roger Stone, a move that seemed to irk William Barr, the US attorney general. Last week, the president got involved with another criminal justice matter entirely.
But that’s not all!
Yes, Trump granted clemency to 11 people last week, and it was a list full of some particularly noteworthy individuals. Absent from that list, however, was Roger Stone, but let’s go back to Rod Blagojevich, shall we? Not too long ago he was convicted on federal corruption charges; then, last week, Trump commuted his sentence, adding this.
“Don’t know him” seems fairly unbelievable considering Trump once fired Blagojevich on camera.
Letting Blagojevich walk free didn’t exactly go down well with everyone.
Of course, there were 10 more people who got off as part of the president’s clemency spree. Is there anyone else noteworthy in that list? Oh wait, yes there is.
Oh, and if you’re wondering if there’s a message to be gleaned from all of these pardons, The Washington Post has a theory about that.
