Challenges Faced by Rod Blagojevich: Obstacles and Turning Points
Life is full of challenges, and Rod Blagojevich faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.
Rod Blagojevich, nicknamed "Blago", served as the 40th governor of Illinois (2003-2009). A Democrat, he previously held positions as an Illinois state representative (1993-1997) and U.S. representative for Illinois's 5th district (1997-2003).
2004: Executive Order on "Morning-After" Birth Control
During 2004, Rod Blagojevich issued an executive order requiring pharmacists to dispense "morning-after" birth control, leading to legal challenges.
2004: Flu Vaccine Controversy
In 2004, Rod Blagojevich ordered 260,000 doses of flu vaccine from overseas distributors, which the FDA barred from entering the United States, costing the state $2.6 million.
2005: Settlement of Judges' Lawsuit
In 2005, a class action lawsuit filed by Illinois judges against Rod Blagojevich in 2003 was settled in the judges' favor after Blagojevich stopped constitutionally-required cost of living pay increases.
March 2007: Announcement of Illinois Covered Plan
During March 2007, Rod Blagojevich announced and campaigned for Illinois Covered, his universal healthcare plan, proposing a gross receipts tax to fund it.
October 2008: Reimbursement Issues with FamilyCare
During October 2008, pharmacies were informed that they would not be reimbursed for drugs dispensed under Rod Blagojevich's FamilyCare plan, leading to criticism and calls for Blagojevich to personally cover the costs.
December 8, 2008: Threat to Bank of America
On December 8, 2008, Rod Blagojevich ordered all state agencies to stop conducting business with Bank of America Corp. to pressure the company to restore credit to Republic Windows and Doors.
December 9, 2008: Arrest on Corruption Charges
On December 9, 2008, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald directed the FBI to arrest Rod Blagojevich at his home and charge him with corruption related to "pay to play" schemes, including attempting to sell Barack Obama's senate seat.
December 2008: Public Disagreement with Pat Quinn
In December 2008, Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn stated that he had last spoken to Rod Blagojevich in the summer of 2007, highlighting a public disagreement over Blagojevich's proposed Gross Receipts Tax.
2008: Proposed New Bonds for Pension Funds
During 2008, Rod Blagojevich proposed issuing $16 billion in new bonds for the state to meet pension fund requirements.
2008: Campaign Ads Linking Ozinga to Blagojevich
During the 2008 Congressional race, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ran television advertisements linking Republican Marty Ozinga to Rod Blagojevich, asserting that Ozinga had given campaign donations to the Democratic governor.
2008: Omission from Democratic National Convention
In 2008, Barack Obama did not invite Rod Blagojevich to speak at the Democratic National Convention, showcasing a strained relationship, while Lisa Madigan, Hynes, and Giannoulias were invited.
2008: Proposed Budget and State Park Closures
In 2008, Rod Blagojevich proposed a budget with a 5% increase and suggested closing 11 state parks and 13 state historic sites to address budget reductions.
2008: Jacobs' Criticism of Blagojevich
In 2008, State Senator Mike Jacobs stated that Rod Blagojevich didn't have allies except Senate president Emil Jones.
January 2009: Appointment of Roland Burris to Senate Seat
After outreach efforts, Rod Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris to the US Senate seat at the end of 2008, and Burris was seated after some initial opposition in mid-January 2009.
January 27, 2009: Media Campaign Proclaiming Innocence
On January 27, 2009, Rod Blagojevich began a media campaign planned by publicist Glenn Selig, visiting various news programs to proclaim his innocence.
January 29, 2009: Impeachment and Removal from Office
On January 29, 2009, Rod Blagojevich was removed from office and prohibited from holding public office in Illinois again, following unanimous votes by the Illinois Senate.
April 2009: Federal Indictment
In April 2009, Blagojevich was indicted by a federal grand jury, primarily for attempting to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat.
June 1, 2009: Wife Debuts on "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!"
On June 1, 2009, Rod Blagojevich's wife took his place on "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!". She participated to earn funds to alleviate their financial struggles.
June 2, 2010: Radio Show Put on Hiatus
On June 2, 2010, WLS placed Blagojevich's radio show on hiatus due to his ongoing corruption trial.
June 3, 2010: Trial Set for Corruption Charges
June 3, 2010 was the date set for Rod Blagojevich's trial, with U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald characterizing his actions as trying to auction the open seat off to "the highest bidder".
August 17, 2010: Convicted of Lying to the FBI, Mistrial Declared
On August 17, 2010, Blagojevich was convicted on one count of lying to the FBI, with a mistrial declared on 23 other counts due to a hung jury.
June 27, 2011: Guilty Verdict in Retrial
On June 27, 2011, Blagojevich was found guilty on 17 of 20 charges in his retrial, including charges related to the Senate seat and extortion.
2011: Original Sentencing
In 2011, Rod Blagojevich received his original 14-year prison sentence during his trial
March 15, 2012: Reports to Prison
On March 15, 2012, Blagojevich reported to Federal Correctional Institution, Englewood, Colorado, to begin serving his sentence.
July 2013: Files Appeal
In July 2013, Blagojevich filed an appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit challenging his corruption conviction.
December 2013: Arguments Heard in Appeal Case
In December 2013, a three-judge panel of the Seventh Circuit heard arguments in Blagojevich's appeal case.
July 2015: Convictions Vacated
In July 2015, the court vacated five of the corruption convictions but affirmed the rest, remanding the case to the district court.
March 2016: Supreme Court Denies Petition
In March 2016, the Supreme Court of the United States denied Blagojevich's petition for a writ of certiorari.
August 2016: Resentencing Hearing
In August 2016, a resentencing hearing was held where Judge Zagel re-imposed the original 14-year sentence.
November 3, 2017: Appeal to U.S. Supreme Court
On November 3, 2017, Blagojevich's attorneys filed another appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court.
April 16, 2018: U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Appeal
On April 16, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Blagojevich's appeal for the second time in two years.
May 18, 2020: Disbarred by Illinois Supreme Court
On May 18, 2020, the Supreme Court of Illinois officially disbarred Blagojevich following his commutation.
