Good evening.

We begin tonight with my conversation with former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich.

President Trump this week commuted his 14-year federal prison sentence.

He was convicted of a string of charges, including wire fraud, attempted extortion and conspiracy

to solicit bribes.

Blagojevich was impeached by the Illinois State Legislature back in 2009, and a year later,

declared his innocence during a brief appearance on Celebrity of Prentice, hosted of course

by Donald Trump.

His commutation has been criticized by both Democrats and Republicans in Illinois, familiar

with his record, a spoke with the former Democratic governor, who now calls himself a

Trumpocrat just a few moments ago.

Governor Blagojevich, there's obviously been criticism about the president's decision

to commute your sentence that certainly within his power to do so.

I guess what interests me is that since you've been out in the statements you've made,

you've shown no remorse for the crimes that you were convicted by a jury of, and you're

portraying yourself as a victim of persecution by prosecutors.

Just about everyone that was actually looked at the evidence against you says that that's

just false.

Well, I don't think they've looked carefully because I am a political prisoner.

I was put in prison for practicing.

Wait a minute, your political prisoner?

See Nelson Mandela was a political prisoner.

...