By commuting the sentence of Rod Blagojevich, President Trump has boosted one of the mosquitolike corrupt officials who suck the blood out of democracy.
After all, this is not someone who deserves presidential leniency.
In December 2011, Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after being convicted of various corruption-related crimes he committed as Illinois governor. Most notable among these was his effort to sell the vacant Senate seat of newly elected President Barack Obama. Blagojevich was recorded on a wiretap referring to that seat, saying, "I've got this thing, and it's f---ing golden. I'm just not giving it up for f---ing nothing." The Democrat was also convicted of multiple attempted extortion attempts, including against a children's hospital executive.
This betrayal of trust and rampant penchant for corruption speak to the absurdity of Trump's commutation on Tuesday.