CHICAGO (AP) — Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich won his freedom last week when President Donald Trump commuted his prison sentence, but he may lose his law licence.
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At a hearing on Tuesday before a panel of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, commission attorneys urged the panel to recommend that Blagojevich’s suspended licence be permanently revoked.
Making their case, the attorneys reminded the panel about some of the things that led to Blagojevich’s conviction and 14-year prison sentence, which Trump put a stop to after about eight years. They spoke about the former governor’s attempts to auction off an appointment to President Barack Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat and how Blagojevich tried to shake down the CEO of a children’s hospital.
Blagojevich didn’t attend the hearing, but his attorney, Sheldon Sorosky, echoed the argument that Blagojevich has been making since even before his 2011 conviction on corruption charges and since his release from prison: that he didn’t break the law.
The 3-member panel will take up to three months to issue its report to a commission review board. It is likely, given the commission last year filed a complaint seeking Blagojevich be disbarred, that the ultimate recommendation will be to revoke his law license. But the commission said that the ultimate decision to revoke or suspend an attorney’s law license must be made by the state supreme court.
Well obviously. He is a felon.
You are absolutely correct
There are only two non-violent actions that will automatically cause a lawyer to be permanently disbarred: Taking client money from the IOLTA/Trust account for personal use and a conviction of criminal corruption/fraud.
He was convicted by a jury of his peers for the latter and there is audio recordings of his crimes.
I believe his prison sentence was way too harsh and Trump did the right thing, but he needs to have his license revoked.
Blago does not need to practice law. He can go on the lecture circuit, and receive huge amounts of cash for a one hour speech. In fact, that is what Clinton did. Also, he can write a book. I don’t think that Blago will have a problem making a living in the future.
The man was punished enough, and I hope that he is left alone, and is permitted to live in peace. His long sentence was indeed excessive, and was a disgrace.