what did rod blagojevich do
Rod Blagojevich is the former Democratic governor of Illinois who was impeached, removed from office, and later sent to federal prison for corruption, most famously for trying to profit from Barack Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat.
What did Rod Blagojevich do?
- He served as the 40th governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009 and was the first Democrat to win that office in the state since the 1970s.
- While governor, he was secretly recorded discussing how Obama’s Senate seat was “golden” and how he wasn’t going to give it up “for nothing,” indicating he wanted money, a job, or other benefits in exchange for the appointment.
- Federal prosecutors charged him with corruption crimes including wire fraud, attempted extortion, and conspiracy to solicit bribes, tied to the Senate seat and other alleged “pay to play” schemes involving state actions and campaign contributions.
- In 2009, the Illinois legislature impeached and removed him from office, making him the first governor in state history to be kicked out this way.
- In 2011, a jury convicted him on 17 felony counts; he was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, serving about eight before his sentence was later commuted and he was released.
Main facts about Rod Blagojevich
| Key Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who is he? | Former Illinois governor (2003–2009), Democrat. | [1][3]
| What did he do wrong? | Tried to use his power (especially over Obama’s old Senate seat) to demand money, jobs, or favors; engaged in broader pay‑to‑play corruption. | [9][4][5]
| What crimes was he convicted of? | Wire fraud, attempted extortion, and conspiracy to solicit bribes, among others (17 felony counts total). | [10][9]
| What happened to his job? | Impeached and removed as governor in January 2009. | [3][7]
| What was his sentence? | 14 years in federal prison; he served about eight years before his release. | [5][8]
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.