The former Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, was once on top of the world and financially secure but much like a classical Greek tragedy his fall from grace was full of hubris.
So, how did this once-respected politician lose not only the respect of his peers but his fortune? Let’s take a deeper look into his childhood, education, family, and offenses for answers as his net worth is directly tied to his political demise.
Blagojevich was born in Chicago on December 10, 1956 and was far from a nepo-baby. As a child of Serbian immigrants, he worked hard from a young age to help support the family by shining shoes and delivering pizzas. He began his college career at the University of Tampa but transferred to Northwestern University. He graduated in 1979 with a degree in history. He continued his studies at Pepperdine University School of Law.
After law school, he clerked for Chicago Alderman Edward Vrdolyak. He then worked as Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney specializing in cases of domestic abuse and weapons. His political breakthrough came in 1992 when he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. Four years later, he made the leap to the U.S. House of Representatives where he represented Illinois’s 5th Congressional District.
Blagojevich made history in 2002 when he became the first Democrat elected Governor of Illinois in 30 years. It appeared that he was on the fast track to even bigger success as he made positive changes such as death penalty reform and expanding healthcare coverage. However, whispers were growing about possible corruption inside his administration.
Things came to a head in December of 2008. Those whispers had caught the attention of the FBI who launched an investigation and found enough evidence for his arrest on federal corruption charges. One of the crimes he was accused of was attempting to sell or use Barack Obama’s empty Senate seat for financial and political gain. During his trial, recordings of him saying the opportunity was “f**king golden” were entered into evidence.
As a result of the Jan. 2009 arrest, he was impeached by the Illinois House of Representatives and removed from office by the Senate. Two years later, the courts also doled out justice after the jury couldn’t reach a consensus on some charges. He was found guilty of 17 charges some of which included fraud, attempted extortion, and conspiracy to solicit bribes. He was sentenced to 14 years in jail but only ended up serving eight.
In 2020 President Trump commuted his sentence. The Illinois Supreme Court was less forgiving, kicking him out of the bar. Blagojevich’s finances took a hit during his legal troubles and it’s believed today that he’s ‘only’ worth $100,000.
Since his release, Blagojevich has tried to reinvent himself and regain his financial stability. He changed party affiliations aligning with the Republican party, even attending the 2024 convention and backing President-Elect Trump.
Since he can no longer work as a lawyer, he has dabbled in public speaking, hosting a short-lived radio show, “Lightning Rod Today” and appearing on Fox News. He has advocated for justice reform though critics say this subject is more of a self-serving way for him to maintain a place in the public eye. Much like Trump, he claims the justice system has been weaponized and he is a victim. Time can only tell if history remembers Blagojevich, as a cautionary tale or a phoenix who rises from the ashes.