rob blagojevich also says he had his freedom stolen from him. he spent nearly 3,000 days in prison and his oldest daughter was in high school when he left and now she's in graduate school. he said prison is like a tomb and its squalor. the former governor directly addressed voters who elected h him. >> i'm returning home today from a long exile, a freed political prisoner. i want to say again to the people of illinois who twice elected me governor, i didn't let you down. i would have let you down if i had given into this. >> he says he's no longer longer a democrat but a trump oak rat. blagojevich says the criminal justice system is a racist and broken, it primarily incarcerates people of color and some of those people he claims he met in prison. patty blagojevich, the wife of the former governor who held a very long campaign to get him out of prison was joined today by their two daughters. she did not directly address the media and the former governor did not take any direct questions from the press. >> melissa: thank you. for more on this, let

rob blagojevich is a free man this morning. the former illinois democratic governor one of nearly a dozen to have his sentence pardoned or commuted. back home in illinois and thanking president trump for cutting his sentence short. >> i'm julie banderas. the now white-haired democrat returning to his home in chicago overnight. he was convicted in 2011 as you all remember on more than a dozen counts including attempting to sell president elect obama's vacant u.s. senate seat. now blagojevich says he is a grateful trump supporter. >> everlasting gratitude for president trump for doing what he did. he didn't have to do this. republican president. i was a democratic governor. my fellow democrats don't treat him very good. so all i can say is i think that this is the ending of the first act of a two-act play. i think there is a lot that needs to be done in the second half so that wrong that's have been done can be righted. >> matt finn is live in chicago with the details. >> julie, this is the former governor's home where his wife a

president trump and blagojevich to have a connection and history. blagojevich appeared on mr. trump's reality show "celebrity apprentice." for years now, blagojevich's wife patty has been on a campaign appealing directly to the present for her husband to be released. blagojevich himself has written offense from prison, the most recent appealing to president trump by arguing that nancy pelosi would have also impeached president lincoln. there is, once again, a large media press outside of the former governor's house. we do expect some type of press conference or update. we will bring that to you as it develops. >> dana: that neighborhood is not going to be quiet for the next 24 hours. matt finn, thank you. more big news in the political world today. mike bloomberg will share the stage this week with democratic rivals. rivals. howie kurtz weighs in on that and much more come up next. >> dana: president trump looking to steal the spotlight from democrats ahead of the nevada caucuses. and holding several events out west including a las vegas rally on caucus night. you might call i

history will not judge roger blagojevich well." this is about the millionth media stakeout outside the blagojevich home, there are reporters here, at any moment we expect to hear it directly from rod and patty blagojevich and we will bring that to you when it happens. melissa? >> melissa: the president's barking backlash in the political world including from 2020 candidate bernie sanders, who tweeted "today trump planted clemency to tax cheats, wall street crooks, billionaires and corrupt government officials, meanwhile thousands of poor and working-class kids sit in jail for nonviolent drug convictions. this is what a broken and racist criminal justice system look like. richard, i will ask you if that's fair given that this is consistent with what the president has been doing, he's worked for a criminal justice reform especially with nonviolent offenders. obviously this is someone who was on the apprentice, blago had pandered to him by writing up beds but it isn't inconsistent with his policy on nonviolent offenders and how much t

>> yeah, yeah, go ahead. >> blagojevich, one interesting little note on blagojevich is that the u.s.ney who prosecuted him for trying to sell his office was none other than patrick fitzgerald who is a good friend of james comey. >> james comey, the prosecutor, so there may be a little tit for tat in that too. >> i love all the details. all the details matter. gloria, thank you very much. >> thanks, brooke. >>> still ahead here, we're talking 2020, the race is heating up ahead of this weekend' nevada caucus. the democrat candidates working to target the state's big latino population. my next guest says it may not be so easy to win their support from president trump. one of the products i helped develop at 3m was a more secure diaper closure. there were babies involved... and they weren't saying much. that's what we do at 3m, we listen to people, even those who don't have a voice. we are people helping people. >>> the nevada caucus is in four days, will kick off a distinct time in the race for the president. almost all the state with a large latino population will vote in the next mont

then dropping the big one, rod blagojevich. >> the release from prison of the former illinois governoras a long time coming, his supporters have been advocating for a pardon since president trump took office. in the end, he stopped short of a full pardon, instead commuting his sentence. >> he served eight years in ja jail, long time to go, many people disagree with the sentence, he's a democrat, not a republican. >> he was tried twice and convicted once on charges mostly stemming from his attempts to sell the senate seat once occupied by president obama. >> got this thing and it's [bleep] golden. >> he was said to be on defense but decided to go ahead with it. >> i met him a couple of times he was on the apprentice years ago, he seemed like a very nice person. >> he also pardon the former new york city police commissioner bernard kerrick, financier michael milken, and former san francisco 49ers owner eddie debartolo. >> i take my hat off to donald trump for what he did, like i said, it's all about being here for eddie today. >> on his way to the west coast, president trump also respond

the president even pointed to rod blagojevich's wife. >> we have commuted the sentence of rod blagojevicht's a long time. i watched his wife on television. i don't know him very well. i met him a couple times. he was on for a short while on "the apprentice" a while ago. many don't agree with me. he is a democratic. >> with me cofounder of front page live.com. carl, so go o thank you so much. >> thank you. >> let's take a look at what has become this platform of the news and many think is the platform for him. mostly on fox, there are guests like rudy guilliani, christopher rudy and one person pushed for bernie kerik and rupert murdoch, fox personality and other pardons. what do you make of this influence and how unprecedented it is. >> this could be a two-way street. >> this could be the list the president wanted publicized on fox news or people who went to fox news to get to the president. as you saw, the president said, i saw it on news, on television. it was a fox news interview that that happened. i suppose that's fair game. in the greater picture of all of this, this is a man now pre

trump commutes the sentence of former illinois governor and "celebrity apprentice" contestant rod blagojevich, and former nyc police chief bernie keric. and now, the president says that he is backing attorney general barr, and he says that he is allowed to get into the stone case, but he has chosen not to. >>> and now, bernie sanders is leading by double digits in a brand-new poll a couple of days before the nevada caucus. and now, michael bloomberg comes in second and qualifying for the first debate. >>> and dr. dangerous, and the coronavirus claims the life of a second key doctor as the cases are near 75,000. tonight, new concern about the risk that medical workers are facing. i'm wolf blitzer, and you are in the "situation room." >> a former illinois governor and former police commissioner and junk bond king are among a group granted clemency today as the president has declared himself the top law enforcement officer, and he is saying that he has confidence in attorney general barr, and he also says that roger stone has been treated unfairly. we are following the democratic campaign, and a

. >>> the president granted clemency to some well convicted criminals including rod blagojevich. who might be spared next. >>> set in stone. roger stone sentencing will happen thursday as a judge tries to ignore president trump's angry tweets and the political furor surrounding the case. he could get a new trial any way. >>> up for debate, michael bloomberg is hours away from the first face off with his democratic poeopponents. the billionaire qualifying for the debate as a new poll shows he's gaining and bernie sanders is dominating. we want to welcome our viewers in the united states and around the world. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." >>> tonight, president trump is declaring he's the nation's chief law enforcement officer while insisting he has confidence in his attorney general william barr. mr. trump spoke out around the controversy swirling around the justice department and his decision to grant clemency for a slew of high profile convicted criminals. he commuted the sentence of rod blagojevich and pardoned police commissioner among others. first, let's

let's just start with former governor blagojevich. why blagojevich? why now? >> reporter: well, i think there are several reasons why, brooke. i mean, one thing we should point out is that the president has been considering this commutation for rod blagojevich for some time. it is worth noting that blagojevich was a contestant on "the apprentice." in addition to that, his wife has been pleading for leniency for some time now, but there are some common denominators in all of this, brooke. as the president is, you know, facing this stinging criticism that he's been too involved in the u.s. justice system over the last couple of weeks, you know, in the aftermath of his acquittal in the impeachment saga, you know, he is, once again, sort of beating his chest over the u.s. justice system and granting these commutations and these pardons. in addition to the blagojevich commutation he's granting pardons to bernie kerik and michael milken who as you said was convicted of securities fraud after a whole slew of scams during the 1980s. the president talked about both of

the president announced that he is commuting the sentence of former illinois governor rod blagojevich who was a one-time star on his tv show "the celebrity apprentice." he plead guilty to trying to sell a open senate seat, as he put it on one moment. >> i have this thing, and it is [ bleep ] golden. i'm just not giving it up for nothing. >> president trump also pardonning former new york police chief bernard keric who was convicted of tax fraud, and allowing his office who wanted to do business with new york city to renovate his office and a gift that keric accepted and hid. this is two of the list of seven pardons and four commutations that the president announced today and what were the actions to benefit these two well connected powerful men who abused their position might mean when it comes to possible similar actions for the felonious trump aides such as paul manafort and michael flynn and roger stone. and now as kaitlan collins is reporting that he is making the moves just two days before his friend and confidant roger stone is to be sentenced. >> reporter: today, the president

nothing is confirmed until patty blagojevich speaks to her husband.me since entering the prison in 2012, blago had to let his trademark black hair go, hair dye not allowed. he exercised and also formed a band that went by the name of the jailhouse rockers. the 63-year-old after losing at the appellate level and a denial by the u.s. supreme court to hear his case was set to walk out of prison in may of 2024. president trump intervene, something he had publicly considered at least since last year publicly. in this tweet from last summer the president wrote "rod blagojevich, former governor of illinois, was sentenced to 14 years in prison. he has served seven years. many people have asked that i study the possibility of commuting his sentence in that it was a very severe one." white house staff is continuing to review the matter and of course today we get word that that in fact is happening. coincidentally or maybe not coincidently as part of the trip out west, president trump will be in colorado here on thursday. he has a rally in colorado springs, that

blagojevich. i just want to make the point -- >> no, i know. >> reporter: look, the president likes the idea that he gets to be the good guy. he likes to be for forgiveness. it's part of a story he tells. you hear jared kushner tell the story, part of their redemption project. in that super bowl ad with alice johnson where she thavenged the president for his humanity and forgiveness. >> i don't think you can compare alice johnson to -- i think they're apples and oranges here. hans nichols, thank you very much. >>> weeks of looming large, michael bloomberg will be on the same stage as his contenders in las vegas, new york billionaire has officially qualified for the debate in vegas. although he won't be on the ballot for saturday's caucus out there, he isn't competing until super tuesday, but that hasn't stopped bloomberg from dominating the national conversation. he spent tens of millions of dollars on advertising, paid to the new york former mayor as a problem solver, arguably tied himself closer

blagojevich was governor to this pardon today.nor who was rogue on on steroids. he didn't care about the state of illinois. he cared about his own ambition. it is just because the celebrity of rob blagojevich which he is getting this time of relief and i think it wrong and it saenlen bad message to the people that you don't have to pay your debt to society. >> that's one of the republican leaders of the house, a credit to him for speaking his mind against the president. your reaction. >> exactly. that's the kind of beautiful sentiment that americans have. the simple idea that justice is blind. literally, lady justice is a blind folded individual in the statutes. and you shouldn't get out of jail because you're the president's friend or you met him at the country club our gave him a campaign contribution. conversely, you shouldn't put people in jail and throw book at them as the president has tried to do, or call for prosecution, sill reply because they have different politics than you. he is supposed to be the president of the ent

people's backs like he had mike milken's back and bernie karik's back and rod blagojevich. i think both stone and flynn are going home by the end of the year. >> the news continues when i hand it over to chris for "cuomo prime time." >> thank you, anderson. i am chris cuomo and welcome to "prime time." we are seeing right now in realtime what a president can do. he just named a head of national intelligence who is not a day of experience in the field. think about that. not in intelligence, not in national security, not in the military. he also pardoned political friends who are clearly corrupt. and he may do the same for roger stone. but we have a juror from that case who's here to set the record straight. what do you say? let's get after it. >>> a president who once agreed no one is above the law, now post impeachment says he is in control of all law. >> i'm actually, i guess, the chief law enforcement officer of the country. >> he has to guess? and guess what, he guessed wrong. the attorney general is our country's chief law enforcement officer. but you didn't hear bill b

ex-illinois governor rob blagojevich is out of president -- prison after being granted clemency by president trump. the list of others that mr. trump is setting free and who could be next. >>> buried alive. a woman is dug out of deep snow after an avalanche. the frantic search to find her the frantic search to find her friend. captioning funded by cbs >>> good morning from the studio 57 newsroom at cbs headquarters here in new york. i'm anne-marie green. >>> there will be a new face on stage tonight as the democratic candidates for president debate in las vegas. former new york city mayor mike bloomberg qualified and will take part in his first presidential debate. he'll go head to head with five other candidates, pete buttigieg, bernie sanders and elizabeth warren as well as amy klobuchar along with former vice president joe biden. bloomberg's on stage debut shows a poll rising to second place nationally behind sanders. laura podesta is here. no doubt his rivals will be going after him. >> reporter: a lot of the debate will be focused on money. bernie sanders, elizabeth warren have accused

the president said today he had seen blagojevich's wife and her pleas on tv. she had repeatedly pleaded for clemency on fox news. also on the list, former new york city police commissioner bernard kerik, appointed by then new york city mayor rudy giuliani, they are still good friends. and this all comes as the president has faced scrutiny for his public comments about the roger stone case and about federal prosecutors. the justice department reducing stone's sentence recommendation. abc's chief white house correspondent jonathan karl leading us off tonight. >> reporter: the most famous name on president trump's clemency list today, rod blagojevich. the disgraced former illinois governor and one-time contestant on "celebrity apprentice." >> i'll do anything legal and ethical and honest. ♪ money money money >> reporter: blagojevich, a democrat, has served eight years of a 14-year sentence for attempting to sell barack obama's senate seat. his wife patti appealed directly to the president on fox news. >> the president is about justice and fairness and we hope tha

blagojevich was convicted inbi and the president isn't stopping there. he's also pardoning bernard kerik, whose spectacular fall from new york city police commissioner and cabinet nominee ended in prison time for tax fraud and other crimes. all in all, the president issued four commutations and seven pardons, including one for 1980's junk bond king michael milken. weijia jiang reports tonight from the white house. >> rod, you're fired. >> reporter: former illinois governor rod blagojevich lost "celebrity apprentice" but won his freedom back today when president trump commuted his 14-year prison sentence. >> it was a tremendously powerful, ridiculous sentence in my opinion. >> reporter: the president noted he had seen blagojevich's wife argue for his release on fox ound guilty of trying to sell an appointment to barack obama's senate seat after he became president. blagojevich bragged about it in a notorious wiretapped conversation. >> i've got this thing, and it's ( bleep ) golden. >> reporter: the president also pardoned bernie kerik, the former commiss

blagojevich and cooper. >>> straight ahead.vey weinstein trial appear to be deadlocked on the two most serious charges. an inside look at the deliberations and questions they want answered. celebrating a successful business trip together is easy, if you're staying at holiday inn. we're there. so you can be too. they can save you these. in fact, if you had a dollar for every time they said it, you'd have a lot of dollars. which makes it hard to believe, especially coming from a talking lizard. pip, pip, cheerio! look, all i, dennis quaid, know is that esurance is built to save you dollars without skimping on service. and when they save, you save. the only way to know how much is to get a quote. chances are you'll save time, paperwork, and yes, dollars. when insurance is affordable, it's surprisingly painless. ...depend® silhouette™ briefs feature maximum absorbency, with trusted protection for all out confidence... beautiful colors and an improved fit for a sleek design and personal style. life's better when you're in it. be the

bernie kerik and blagojevich and michael milken.59 days away from the 2020 presidential election where, as i've been saying, you you, we, the american people, you are the ultimate jury. i like that part. and tonight, we can report democrats are in a state of complete and total utter chaos. now, you've got bolshevik. bernie sanders surging atop the national polls. he has a 19-point lead in the nevada caucus, which takes place this saturday. but they're worried it's going to be another mess like in iowa. meanwhile, you have quid pro quo joe, there you see him, set for another embarrassing fourth-place finish in the state, not good. his campaign imploding right before our very eyes and democrats are in full panic mode, that we can report tonight. now they are on to plan b. that would be billionaire farmer mike bloomberg, who just score

blagojevich. pres. trump: he served eight years in jail. he had a long time to go.people disagree with the sentence. he was a democrat, not a republic. it was a prosecution by the same people, comey,at fitck, the same group. ros: let's bring in julia manchester from the hill website. julia, great to have you on the program. is donald trump doing anything different to what previous presidents have done? julia: he absolutely is. in this way, he is essentially moving to pardonathese figures ave been very controversial, and the way he is doing it is very public. obviously, other presidents have pardoned oer controversial figures, however, president trump is different and that he has lo of ties to these figures. you mentioned before, rod blagojevich is obviously an acquaintance of president trump, was on "the apprentice," when president trump was hosting that show. so i think there is an entirely new element to this situation th we have not seen in previous cases, and i think it is opening the door to lots of criticism to president trump. ros: what about these rumorll ab

>>> we have commuted the sentence of rob blagojevich. he served eight years in jail. long time, and i watched his wife on television. i don't know him very well, i've met him a couple of times. he was on for a short while on "the apprentice" years ago. seemed like a very nice person, don't know him. but he has served eight years in jail. he has a long time to go. many people disagree with the sentence. he's a democrat, he's not a republican. it was a prosecution by the same peop people, the same group. he's very far from his children. they're growing older, they're in high school now, and they rarely get to see their father outside of an orange uniform. i saw that and i did commute his sentence. so he'll be able to go back home with his family after serving eight years in jail. that was a tremendously powerful, ridiculous sentence, in my opinion. and in the opinion of many others. yes? >> do you have confidence in your attorney general? >> total confidence in my attorney general. >> do you agree with his statement that you should stop speaking to the justice departmen

have commuted the sentence of rod blagojevich. he served eight years in jail. that's a long time. i watched his wife on television. i don't know him very well. i've met him a couple of times. he was on for a short while on "the apprentice" years ago. >> served eight years, ease just said. but he was supposed to serve 14 years. that was his sentence on corruption charges. including attempting to sell the senate seat left open when, wait f for it, barack obama was elected president. blagojevich caught on tape in a four-letter word-filled rant. >> i've got this thing, and it's [ bleep ] golden. and i'm just not giving it up for [ bleep ] nothing. >> well, that has been one surefire way to get the president's attention. mention barack obama. he is this president's kryptonite. and this is interesting. even some of trump's fox news allies are not exactly down with commuting blagojevich's sentence. >> that was at the time the definition of the swamp. >> yeah. you try to sell a senate seat and then got caught. i think he probably got his

here was blagojevich earlier today. >> teaches and history shows that right defeated. will in the end overcome and as dr. king used to say truth crushed to earth will one day rise again because no lie can live forever. i'm returning home today as a freed political prisoner. i hope now looking to the future that i can draw from my life experience, particularly those over the last eight years in prison and 11 years since this all came to us and do something to try to fight to help people who have been wrongfully incarcerated or and probably the rule and not the exception those who made a mistake, did wrong and sentenced to years in prison that not only destroy their lives and steal from them their futures but they hurt their children and family. >> blagojevich earlier today saying he was persecuted by the swamp, specifically referring the swamp as springfield, illinois. that state's capital. but this obviously, ali, strooking to people because blagojevich in many ways was the poster child for the type of pay to play politics that president trump then candidate trump vowe

blagojevich's wife >> that was a tremendously powerful, ridiculous sentence in my opinion very far from his children they're growing older. they're going to high school now. and they rarely get to see their father outside of an orange uniform. >> reporter: now with his freedom blagojevich will now try to move on with his life >> i just believe that sometimes out of evil you can -- good things can happen. and i think the wickedness and evil that was done to me and any family can be turned to good >> reporter: rod blagojevich can go home. dan scheneman, nbc news. >>> as the justice department faces one of its greatest controversies over cutting recommended prison time for roger stone, attorney general william barr admits that he thought about calling it quits barr reportedly told people close to the president that he considered resigning over trump's tweets about the justice department investigations. a justice department spokeswoman says the attorney general has no plans to resign. there have been growing calls for his resignation, though, after interfering in the stone case >>> can a sl

napolitano: dear member who prosecuted rod blagojevich? fitzgerald.who is his most celebrated person today jim comey. >> is certainly could have entered his mind. >> wow congratulations. how do hair get so white? it's been on the panel returns later, but first the constitution, once again under assault from lawmakers who want the ability just new bonner phone calls and e-mails without a warrant. so how can we stop them from extending this awful section 215 of the patriot act? west point graduate, notre dame graduate warren at davidson joins us next. oh, hi, samantha. you look more like a heather. do you ever get that? it's nice to finally meet you in person. you're pete nocchio? oh, the pic? that was actually a professional headshot. i'm sure that's it, yeah. i, uh, i think i've lost a few pounds recently too. i'm actually doing a juice cleanse. wait! you don't... (glass breaking) (gasp) ah! oh...! with geico, the savings keep on going. just like this sequel. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. now you can, with shipsticks.com! no

now blagojevich

they had rod blagojevich on wiretaps. they had tape on blagojevich on the phone trying to sell the senate seat. he couldn't have been more guilty, but donald trump, who was impeached for a phone call, doesn't believe politicians should ever get in trouble for anything they ever say on a telephone. >> he's been in jail for seven years over a phone call where nothing happens, but over a phone where nothing happened. over a phone call where -- which he shouldn't have said what he said, but it was braggadocio, you would say. i would think that there have been many things said over telephones. >> did donald trump commute blagojevich's sentence so he could take actions for a democrat who he thought got too tough a sentence? is that what he's going to say when he pardons or commutes the sentence of roger stone? i've done it for a democrat, i'm just being fair. i don't like sentences that are too tough. in trump world there's no such thing as coincidence. this happened this week for a reason. donald trump gave out some pardons to

i mentioned rod blagojevich. let's listen to this.od blagojevich brought up. >> got -- i'm a trumpocrat? >> if i had the ability to vote, i would have voted for him. >> illinois does allow blagojevich to vote now that he's out of prison, but a trumpocrat. is that a new one for merriam webst webster? >> i think -- >> what is that? >> nothing surprises me anymore, but i think we'll see a lot of crossover republicans voting for democrats if the democrats nominate a moderate like i've hoped they'll do. i think we also have to get ready for "dancing with the stars" pardoned criminals. >>> three days from now, the nevada caucus is happening, and the clear leader in the polls is senator bernie sanders. he says he doesn't plan to release any more medical records despite his promises to do so prior to his heart attack. >>> also, pete buttigieg fires back at rush limbaugh for attacking his sexuality, but hear what he had to say about family values in a cnn town hall. they get that no two people are alike and customize your car insurance so you

napolitano: dear member who prosecuted rod blagojevich? fitzgerald. most celebrated person today jim comey. >> is certainly could have entered his mind. >> wow congratulations. how do hair get so white? it's been on the panel returns later, but first the constitution, once again under assault from lawmakers who want the ability just new bonner phone calls and e-mails without a warrant. so how can we stop them from extending this awful section 215 of the patriot act? west point graduate, notre dame graduate warren at davidson joins us next. napolitano: while we were all consumed by impeachment, piece of legislation was slowly and silently making its way through congress. it is a renewal of section 215 of the patriot act which authorizes the federal government to capture, without a warrant or records of all people in america held by third parties. do we really want the federal government meant to spy without warrants? think about it. after the constitution was ratified in 1789, it was amended to recognize the existence of natural rights and to keep the

meantime new video of rod blagojevich at denver international airport. he was set free after donald trump commuted his sentence. supporters have been pushing for a pardon since the president took office. >> he served eight years in jail, there is a long time to go, many people disagree with the sentence, he is a democrat, not a republican. >> the president also pardoned commissioner bernard character, michael milken and former san francisco 49ers owner eddie the barlow. it appears roger stone will be sentenced on thursday. today judge amy berman jackson found a reason to delay the sentencing but with the revelation of anti-trump tweets from the jury foreman the judge says she will consider please for a new trial. here is senior judicial analyst judge andrew napolitano. >> you have a duty, an affirmative obligation to reveal to us when we selected you the existence of these tweets and you wish you were so harshly negative about the president. >> when asked if he would consider pardoning roger stone paul manafort or general michael flynn the president said

who is serving 14 years for corruption blagojevich one of several notable disgraced figures who received pardons or clemency from the president today. our peter alexander has details. >> reporter: president trump tonight flexing his presidential muscle, releasing rob blagojevich from prison, four years before the disgraced illinois governor was expected to go free. >> he'll be able to go back home with his family after serving eight years in jail. that was a tremendously powerful ridiculous sentence in my opinion >> reporter: blagojevich was convicted in 2011, caught on tape trying to sell barack obama's vacated senate seat. >> i've got this thing and it's [ bleep ] golden and i'm just not giving it up for [ bleep ] nothing. >> reporter: and was also a former contestant on "celebrity apprentice." >> i have great respect for your tenacity, for the fact that you just don't give up. but rod, you're fired. >> good morning, mr. milken >> reporter: also pardoned today michael milken, the former wall street titan and so-called junk bond king who became the face of insider trading in the 1980s >

jillian: former illinois governor rod blagojevich back home thanks to the president. >> the most profound and everlasting gratitude to donald trump. rob: the high profile is some leniency the president gave >> reporter: joey does a chair fool! >> reporter: neither does one viral date go where. a coffee date sending the internet into an uproar. rob: "fox and friends first" continues right now. ♪ must be a lady tonight ♪ must be a lady tonight ♪ rob: you can watch the debate. jillian: i am bad luck. rob: good morning. you are watching "fox and friends first," i am rob schmidt. jillian: let's get to this, sin city showdown, 6, 2020 contenders take the debate stage in las vegas. rob: that will take aim at michael bloomberg. jillian: griff jenkins joins us with highlights from the campaign trail. >> i'm staying at the hotel, i'm terrible at the casinos. i digress, they are not rolling out the welcome mat for michael bloomberg. bloomberg along with sanders, warren, buttigieg, klobuchar and biden. any doubt the knives were out for bloomberg, listen to elizabeth for net latest tweet. it is a sham

i do think it's sincere that he knows rob blagojevich. i support and there's plenty of people in federal prison serving excessive sentences and a hope the president will look at a lot more of these folks. i have represented people in federal court 20 years. there's a lot of people that need to come home and that's something rob blagojevich wants to talk to president trump about if he gets the chance. >> bill: he'll be on martha. >>> after being stuck in japan on a cruise and we'll speak to an american facing two more weeks in quar teen and reports -- quarantine and a report a.g. bill barr is talk resignation. (announcer) ozempic® does not increase the risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke, or death. there's no increased risk. oh! and i only have to take it once a week. oh! ♪ oh, oh, oh, ozempic®! ♪ (announcer) ozempic® should not be the first medicine for treating diabetes, or for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. do not share needles or pens. don't reuse needles. do not take ozempic® if you hav

including former illinois governor, rod blagojevich. and nbc news is confirming word that the attorney general, william barr, considered stepping down because of the president's tweets about justice department investigations. we have a lot to cover this morning. let's start with nbc white house correspondent, peter alexander peter, good morning to you >> reporter: good morning to you. rod blagojevich was in prison for pay-to-play politics, the kind of corruption that president trump has vowed to end, with members of the president's own party in illinois urging him not to pardon blagojevich who's who of criminals, busted for corruption and financial crimes this morning, rod blagojevich is a free man the disgraced former governor of illinois, walking out of prison overnight, four years sooner than expected, after president trump signed off on a spree of pardons and commutations >> president trump is one who did this like i said, profoundly grateful if you're asking me what my party affiliation is, i'm a trumpocrat >> reporter: blagojevich

in congress issued a joint statement saying history will not judge rob blagojevich well. can want the president's move could depress republican turnout at the polls are important election year is a concern about state of illinois for next november. newly installed senate president donna hartman had a major hand in the blagojevich impeachment, the democrats said one key thing still bothers him to this day. it would be a lot easier to stomach is the former governor shown any contrition at any point along the way. >>but i think. >>donald trump the behavior where you never apologize or show contrition for anything and seems he is rewarding people who behave the way he behaves. >>governor pritzker did not meet the media to discuss this decision but did tweet out that he condemns the commutation saying it condones corruption and sends the wrong message to the public at the wrong time when federal prosecutors are still digging in looking for corruption here in illinois. senator dick durbin had previously said that 14 year prison sentence was pretty steep and he almost empathize

history which r will not judge rod blagojevich well.ive for the family says in that infamous recording blagojevich said he will not give up the golden thing he has for nothing, he was not referring to the vacated seat by president barack obama, but rather the spokesperson insisted he was referring to political leverage. liz? liz: matt finn, thank you for your reporting. lou dobbs joins us now with a look what is coming up on his show. lou, quite a day. >> a great day, a super day. these are all amazing days in washington without a doubt. liz joining us tonight will be "washington examiner" chief political correspondent byron york. we'll be taking up what is now a very public fight between the president, the attorney general, the radical dems and the deep state and we'll be joined as well by the president of the national border patrol council brandon judd on what is happening at our ports of entry and our southern and northern borders. and coronavirus expert dr. anthony fauci on the very latest in controlling this disease before it becom

i've got to start practicing again. >> trace: rod blagojevich, good of you to join us. bernie sanders is running away with the lead in a new national poll in joe biden hopes the voters of nevada will help him mount an early comeback in this democratic contest. his deputy campaign manager will join me exclusively from the site of tonight's debate, next. (whistling) (whistling) saturpain happens. aleve it. aleve is proven stronger and longer on pain than tylenol. when pain happens, aleve it. all day strong. the better question would be where do i not listen to it. while i'm eating my breakfast... on the edges of cliffs... on a ski lift... everywhere. ♪ download audible and start listening today. ♪ >> trace: democratic presidential contenders gearing up for a high-stakes debate in the better end of this weekends caucuses. bernie sanders has surged to a 16-point advantage over front runner joe biden in a new national poll. if joining me now his deputy campaign manager and communications director for joe biden, good of you to join us. you look at this paul and joe biden losi

blagojevich freed from prison. back this chicago recounting his journey. as trump would demand, pledging his political allegiance. >> it has been a long, long journey. i'm bruised and battered and bloody. it's been a long time since i've shaved with a normal razor. and it takes a little practice. sorry about that. i have to keep dabbing the blood. we want to express our most profound and ever lasting gratitude to president trump. i'm returning hope after a long exile. a freed political prisoner. i'm a trump-ocrat. if i have the ability to vote, i'll vote for him. >> that's not a thing. i will tell you straight up, there is no joy to be had in mr. blagojevich's hard time in prison. and one can argue there are too many harsh sentences in america. but donald trump didn't pardon the hundreds of others serving long and harsh sentences. he reached out to help this "the apprentice" contestant who schemed about getting obama's golden vacant seat. >> i have this thing and it's [ bleep ] golden and i'm not giving it up. >> to paraphrase, donald trump's impeachment l

call rho tonight, and rob blagojevich back home. his lead attorney is here live. positive for the virus and she will explain what it's like to live with. that and everything else that moves this afternoon coming up tonight on "bill hemmer reports." >> our political system is not designed for people like us, not designed for working people to succeed, young people or women of color. our entire political system revolves frankly around at rich men. and at rich men are not the center of my universe, working families are. >> dana: new york congresswoman alexandria ocasio-cortez talking about why she triggers people. joining me now is jerry baker composed of "wall street journal" at large on fox business. it's interesting. she is an effective spokesperson for the people who follow her and she does irritate others. >> i find it interesting, she's always harping on the theme of women and people of color, people like her can't get ahead in america but she has a tremendous story of someone who was a bartender who faced economic hardship and who has risen to become a very pr

today trump explained the reasons for these decisions. >> fraud, blagojevich, he served eight years in jail. that's a long time. bernie kerik, a man who had many recommendations from a lot of good people. we have mike milken, who's gone around and done an incredible job for the world with all of his research on cancer, and he's done this, and he suffered greatly. he paid a big price, paid a very tough price. >> trump also pardoned david safavian convicted in the jack abramoff scandal, and edward debartolo, who covered up governor of louisiana, edwin edwards. trump's acts of clemency are raising the possibility he'll do the same again for roger stone, paul manafort, or michael flynn. today the president was asked about his intentions regarding mr. stone. >> are you planning to pardon roger stone? >> i haven't given it any thought. in the meantime, he's going through a process. >> "the new york times" has this on this topic. quote, in conversations with advisers, mr. trump has raised the prospect of commuting the sentence of roger stone. and some democrats say they can see how this plays

longtime blagojevich's family says they're thrilled. he'll be coming home. illinois republicans slammed the president's decision calling blagojevich the face of public corruption in illinois now the big question will president trump pardoned his longtime friend roger stone who is facing sentencing in a federal court thursday. >>i haven't given it any thought in the meantime he's going through a process but i think he's been treated very unfairly. i'm andy rose reporting. >>blagojevich has walked out of prison after president trump are cut short the 14 year sentence to the former illinois governor for as we mentioned political corruption. >>the republican president called the punishment on the chicago democrat, excessive here's what blagojevich said as he walked free in the denver airport. >>your first taste really being on the outside there to say in a long time. finally grateful. president trump in. it's a profound and everlasting gratitude. it didn't have to do this is a republican president i was a democratic government. i have a lot more to >>the preside

blagojevich commuted.ife has been on fox news for the past several years, right, asking for this? >> reporter: and the president has hinted he has been leaning on this direction on blagojevich in the past. back in august he talked about how unfair he thought blagojevich was treated. he was prosecuted by mueller and fi

the man president trump released from prison yesterday rod blagojevich met the media today, the former governor of illinois with nothing but praise for the president. >> he's not a typical politician. he's tough, he's outspoken, he gets things done, he is a problem solver in a business where too many politicians don't want to solve problems. i may trumpocrat. >> a group of five republican members of congress urged the president not t blagojevich is the face of public corruption in illinois and not once has he shown any remorse for his documented record of egregious crimes that undermined the trust placed in him by voters. today, president trump shed more light on why he freed blagojevich from prison pointing to fbi director james comey. "rod blagojevich did not sell the senate seat, he's earned eight years in prison with many remaining. there were more ukraine related personnel changes today, president trump asking the undersecretary of defense for policy for his resignation. he had certified that ukraine had done enough to fight corruption to become eligible to receive military aid fr

blagojevich was caught on wiretaps calling the seat bleeping golden.e's president trump a short time ago talking about his decision. >> he served eight years in jail. that's a long time. and i watched his wife on television. i don't know him very well, i met him a couple times, he was on for a short while on the apprentice years ago, seemed like a very nice person, don't know him, but he served eight years in jail. that's a long time to go. many people disagree with the sentence, he's a democrat, he's not a republican. it was a prosecution by the same people -- comey, fitzpatrick, the same group. >> not to mention, robert mueller was the fbi director during the investigation. trump also pardoned bernard carri carrick, michael millkin, and eddie debartolo jr. joining me now, rick pearson who has covered illinois and national politics for more than 30 years, and certainly knows the rod blagojevich story backward and forward. what's your reaction? >> i'm surprised. we've seen in the past that trump has used and dangled that prospect that i would release r