Trump fills administration with 'big team of losers' that voters have already rejected
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Who is Rod Blagojevich and why is he controversial?
I told my nephew Alex he just turned 26 today. I called him for his birthday, and I said, it's too bad you're not four years older, because I could have given you a U.S. Senate seat for your birthday. You know what I mean? I've got this thing, and it's f***ing golden. And I'm just not giving it up for f***ing nothing. I'm not going to do it.
I'm not going to give it up for f***ing nothing. It's f***ing golden. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich tried to sell Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat. He tried to use that Senate seat appointment essentially to extort things from all sorts of people, all sorts of ways he thought he should get paid. for making that eventual appointment. He wanted a six-figure job for himself after his governorship. He wanted his wife put on corporate boards for another six-figure payout. He wanted big campaign donations. He demanded a cabinet position for himself in Obama's new government. Or better yet, he wanted to be an ambassador. He really liked the idea of being an ambassador. Rod Blagojevich, as I mentioned, did a lot of this on tape.
He was eventually charged with trying to shake down a Chicago newspaper and a Chicago children's hospital. He was charged with trying to shake down people who had contracts with the government for kickback campaign contributions. He was charged with lying to the FBI and he was charged with trying to sell that Senate seat. Ultimately, Rod Blagojevich was convicted and he got 14 years in prison. But you know what? he might yet get to be ambassador to something. It might yet work. It just took a while and a long stint in prison in the meantime. Because today, President Donald Trump said he is going to pardon Rod Blagojevich. In confirming the pardon today, President Trump denied widespread reports that he's also going to name Rod Blagojevich ambassador to Serbia,
How has Donald Trump used pardons in his administration?
When Trump was asked about that today, he said, no, he doesn't think he's gonna name him ambassador to Serbia, now at least, quote, but I would. He's now cleaner than anyone in this room. He's now cleaner. Yeah, because you just cleaned him. Would Donald Trump really pardon a felon and then name that person to be an ambassador? Yes, yes, he would. Jared Kushner's dad, Charles, he was a felon. Trump pardoned him already and then named him ambassador to France. Hey, Paris, here's your felon. Glad you're one of our most important allies in the world. And, you know, maybe Rod Blagojevich will be on his way to Belgrade as ambassador if he did. That really would be effing golden, right? I mean, took him a while to cash in on this extortion plot, but he got there in the end with an assist from Donald Trump. Blagojevich and Charles Kushner, of course, would make a great sort of nucleus of the diplomatic core for Donald Trump, perhaps alongside New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
You may recall that New York City's unctuous mayor, Eric Adams, was indicted in September for allegedly taking foreign campaign donations and bribes, including from the government of Turkey. Mayor Adams denies the allegations, but he then spent campaign season and since sucking up to Donald Trump in the most public and humiliating ways possible. Now, tonight, Trump's Justice Department
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Who is Rod Blagojevich and why is he controversial?
1:15–3:27
2
How has Donald Trump used pardons in his administration?
3:27–8:29
3
Why does Trump appoint candidates who lost elections?
8:29–10:26
4
What are the implications of appointing election losers?
10:26–12:48
5
What recent aviation incidents have occurred under Trump?
12:48–17:01
6
How is Trump's administration affecting federal programs?
17:01–19:14
7
What is the concept of 'autocratic breakthrough'?
19:14–22:11
8
How are the courts responding to Trump's policies?
22:11–45:11
Speakers
4 identifiedMore from The Rachel Maddow Show
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