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officeDrone87 t1_j58f83y wrote

Reply to comment by cornnndoggg_ in Philip Esformes, whose prison sentence Trump commuted, loses appeal and faces retrial on health-care fraud charges by buy_low-sell_high

Don't forget Rod Blagojevich.

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WanderingPickles t1_j58k7vq wrote

Rod, the infamous right winger? /s

I only joke because, well, look around.

More seriously, Blagojevich was as dirty as they come. Exactly the sorting person trump admires.

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amanofeasyvirtue t1_j5913az wrote

How much you think trump sold them for?

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WanderingPickles t1_j5a3fqp wrote

Honestly, who knows. And would be it be for something so common & mundane as money?

Perhaps it was because Trump saw in Rod someone like himself; it is said that Trump figures everyone is cheating and has the knives out so why not him first? Maybe he figured that good ‘ol Rod was “unfairly” targeted when everyone is dirty. The reasoning continues that if everyone is dirty then it is unfair that any one person gets in trouble.

Commuting/pardoning some of these folks would surely bring some amount of gratitude that may pay off later in terms of influence. If Trump is ever convicted maybe these people would influence the next president to grant clemency too…

There is probably some sort of (twisted) logic at play, but we don’t really know what. What is so maddening to me, and others, is that Trump (and other presidents to a much lesser degree) pardoned and commuted real dirt bags. Generally people who had flown among the higher echelons but got caught. There are advantages to that… even after being imprisoned.

Meanwhile, lots of prisoners who have been wrongfully convicted, who have become worthy of mercy languish because they are poor, nobodies, anonymous.

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bridgerberdel t1_j5b4pjt wrote

Occam's razor. Trump is a grifter. He sold those pardons.

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burner2947361810 t1_j5anqb7 wrote

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Rowdy Roddy got the pardon because he helped Trump make a discounted deal for Trump Tower in Chicago. Ground was broken in 2005 but the planning groundwork starts years prior. Roddy was Illinois rep of the 5th district (Chicago) until 2003 then became governor from 2003-2009. Being from Chicago, in a high government office, and convicted of felony corruption means it's not much of a stretch to tie it together. I'll take my time fool hat off now.

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