Blagojevich release tells all too much about Trump's judgment - Crain's Chicago Business

I'm literally on the other side of the world as I write this: Dunedin, at the southern tip of New Zealand. But even here President Donald Trump's decision to commute the sentence of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich made news—and for good reason.

In so many ways, Trump's move to let loose a man who embarrassed his state and super-charged its culture of public corruption epitomizes what the presidency has become under the Trump administration. The rule of law, the wider message to other felonious pols, the recommendation and hard work of dozens of federal prosecutors and agents—all that has been ignored. All that counts is that Trump personally believes Blagojevich, who once was a contestant on his reality TV game show, to be a "nice guy," unfairly persecuted by mean officials in the U.S. attorney's office. So, let him out—despite the unanimous feeling of the state's GOP congressional delegation to the contrary.

In any country, but particular the America in which we live, the rule of law, the adherence to social and political norms is critical, lest we devolve into one of those dictatorships that are too common in much of the world.

Oh, presidents do have the legal right to do things such as give Blago a get-out-of-jail-free card. Just like he technically has the right to sound off on Twitter about how judges are unfair to his cronies or how those like Roger Stone convicted of witness tampering ought to be let out  with a slap on the wrist. Or how Rudy Giuliani ought to be given a hearing at the highest level on his craziest Ukrainian conspiracy theories even as associates face federal corruption charges and Giuliani himself is subject to a federal probe.

But exercising a right is not the same thing as exercising it wisely. There is a time to go slow, to adhere to standards that have served us well.  And the case of Rod Blagojevich is one of them.

Consider: Blagojevich took office largely amid the wreckage that former Gov. George Ryan made of the state's reputation and its Republican Party. And Ryan took office not long after whole courtrooms full of other Illinois officials, folks like ex-Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, went down on corruption charges.

But Blago—and this isn't my opinion but that off a federal judge and jury—ignored those lessons.  Instead, he put a mix of politics and government on steroids. He shook down a race track owner.  He extorted campaign cash from a children's hospital. He tried to literally sell then-President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat, terming it "fucking golden."

And so the judge gave him 14 years, after little if any sign of contrition displayed by Hot Rod.

Now comes Trump, who promised to do lots of things to improve America but never said word one about freeing Blagojevich.

Blagojevich is "a nice guy," Trump said. And the sentence was way too long. And besides, I have the power, so I'm going to do it.

For those of you who have grown weary of the Washington scandals of late, who don't know quite who to believe about the Ukraine or Russian interference, etc., this latest development ought to be a clarifying moment. Trump has just shown us something utterly unmistakable about his judgment. Or the lack thereof.

Is this really what voters here and around the country cast their ballot for, to have a president who governs not with carefully considered judgment but by personal whim? Ponder that question as the remainder of this election year rolls out.

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Blagojevich release tells all too much about Trump's judgment - Crain's Chicago Business
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