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* Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich writes about prison reform, but of course he makes it mostly about himself…
Before my arrest and retrial, my life was the American dream.
Growing up, I had shined shoes, worked in a slaughterhouse, worked on the Alaskan oil pipeline, and delivered pizzas. I went to law school, I was a prosecutor for two years, I served in the Illinois House, the U.S. Congress, and was twice-elected governor. I won 14 elections in a row.
My gubernatorial administration made historic progress in Illinois on women’s and children’s healthcare. We opened free preschool to every 3- and 4-year-old. We also reduced repeat crimes by ex-offenders. My initiative, “Inside Out,” provided better access to education, job training, substance abuse treatment and counseling services to inmates and parolees. This led to the lowest conviction rate among parolees in Illinois history; a reduction in arrests among the parolee population; and reductions in repeat incarceration among parolees with substance abuse issues. The dramatic drop in recidivism even saved the state of Illinois $64 million in incarceration costs over a four-year span from 2004 to 2008.
Today however, I am living the reverse American dream – a bad dream that I share with other inmates at a prison in Colorado where I am currently serving a 14-year sentence. So what happened?
He got caught. That’s what happened. Anyway, he does make a few good points, so click here if you’re inclined.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 9:56 am
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Interesting how he had it placed it in a newspaper Trump reads. I wonder why….
Comment by Ryan Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:04 am
He should be granted clemency
Comment by Taxpayer 1 Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:05 am
Rod, nobody to blame but yourself.
Comment by Monkey Business Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:09 am
I come with compassion and mercy. Would like to see Trump commute his sentence or pardon Blagoevich.
Comment by Real Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:17 am
I’m sure he’s hoping to get his name in front of Trump administration types. If that’s the case, he should have gone harder on Justice Dept. and FBI, and praised Trump in some way.
I don’t know that the Examiner was Blago’s first choice. From what I’ve read, Trump scans the NYT and WP for coverage of himself, and reads the New York Post for gossip.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:20 am
Odd, in the beginning he touts his own record while Governor, but includes no details in the body of the piece. Perhaps because there were none?
Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:25 am
I’d be OK with a commutation to time served, not a pardon, but his cynically begging for it (that’s what he’s doing) is unseemly. His points are fine but a good editor could have removed the fluffy preamble.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:25 am
Rod’s sentence should be commuted.
Rod should remain a convicted felon for all time, no pardon, no absolving.
I dunno what it says when a convicted felon ex-governor is more thoughtful to the job of governor while incarcerated then while holding the office he corrupted for himself.
It’s a good read.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:30 am
His article makes some excellent points. Don’t comment unless you read it.
The “Three ‘R’s” of penology are Restitution, Rehabilitation, and Retribution.
The federal criminal justice system has been and continues to be a stepping stone where ambitious men and women build a reputation to propel them into political office. Many governors, mayors and senators are former federal prosecutors.
Not only is this wrong, but it doesn’t do much for the Three ‘R’s. Prisons are failing because of an overemphasis on retribution. No, prisons shouldn’t be country clubs, but Blagojevich raises some legitimate abuses in his article.
The feds, especially, like to make examples of people. It scares the rest of us. It makes voters happy. But does it reduce crime?
The justice system in the U.S. is one of the hottest potatoes in politics. Washington could reform it but doesn’t have the guts.
And so it goes on and on.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:31 am
His sentence was way too harsh and he has served more than enough time. He should be released and or granted clemency.
Comment by Honeybadger Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:34 am
Real prison reformer. Showed lots of mercy in sitting on pardons. Believe he set a record for ingnoring requests
That send he should have his sentence commuted
Comment by DuPage Saint Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:37 am
Actually he worked in TWO slaughterhouses, the second being his time as governor.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:37 am
Dude, you got caught breaking the law. I don’t feel sorry for you. You shook down people for government favors in exchange for campaign donations. That is illegal. Get over it. Accept your punishment like a man.
Comment by Not It Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:46 am
Let’s ask all the victims of his political charades whether Blago should be let off the hook. I’ll listen to them before some of the ‘politicos’ on this blog.
Comment by Wylie Coyote Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:46 am
No pardon, no commutation, until Rod finally admits his guilt.
Until he does that, he can rot.
Comment by Monkey Business Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:54 am
I don’t think Rod’s punishment was harsh enough, but I do expect Trump to commute his sentence when it can do the maximum amount of damage to a politician he doesn’t like. Perhaps just before the Chicago mayoral election.
Comment by Angry Republican Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 10:57 am
He was duly tried and convicted. He should serve his full sentence. He has never accepted guilt for his actions. No reduction.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:43 am
He got caught and ran the clock out. No different than Bill Cosby or other famous people who have been convicted. Do the time.
Comment by zatoichi Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 11:45 am
Right message; wrong messenger.
Comment by Just Observing Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 12:11 pm
He needs to stay where he’s at until his sentence is finished. No mercy for this sociopath.
Comment by flea Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 12:16 pm
Rod’s funniest quote: “As a dishwasher, I start work at 3:30 each morning and earn a total of $8.40 a month. Did you know that the average wage for an inmate is 23 cents to $1.15 an hour? In some states, inmates have to work for free. I never expected to get rich in prison, but am I wrong in viewing this rock-bottom wage as society’s way of showing its contempt, telling us that we are all worthless? Is that a good message to send to people we plan to release someday, and whom we’d rather not see offend again? To people we hope will survive on their own without resorting again to crime?”
Comment by Try Try Try Agan Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 12:16 pm
That’s right, Rod. We’d rather not see you again…
Comment by Wylie Coyote Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 12:25 pm
He betrayed the people’s trust in the highest office in the state, and he shows no remorse for what he has done. He was, and still is, a master at public relations, and will exploit any issue to remove the focus from what he had done, to some general issue. His lack of acceptance of his crime and lack of remorse is why he is still in prison.
Comment by Professor Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 12:35 pm
His father-in-law (a Democratic Ward Committeeman) installed him in a safe seat in the General Assembly. That is an easy way to start in politics. He did not gain office on the basis of merit. He won due to clout.
I will grant that he did win three contested elections against formidable opponents (his first Congressional race and the two gubernatorial races), but the rest were routine races.
Comment by Practical Politics Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 1:17 pm
When you consider Rod’s approach to the criminal justice system when he was governor this all rings hollow.
I have no doubt that there are inequities in our criminal justice system and the sentences that get metered out. But I can’t find sympathy for Rod merely because he has a platform due to his notoriety as governor. I’m sure that there are other stories of lengthy sentences that are far more compelling than his. He thumbed his nose at the people of Illinois and the criminal justice system. The process worked as it should and these are the consequences.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Sep 28, 18 @ 4:17 pm