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Trump Mulls Commuting Former Illinois Governor, Pardoning Martha Stewart

Gage Skidmore
/
Wikimedia Commons

Updated 12:05 p.m.

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."

10:10 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he will pardon conservative commentator Dinesh D'Souza, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance fraud.

Trump tweeted Thursday: "Will be giving a Full Pardon to Dinesh D'Souza today. He was treated very unfairly by our government!"

In 2014, D'Souza was sentenced to five years of probation after he pleaded guilty to violating federal election law by making illegal contributions to a U.S. Senate campaign in the names of others.

 

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