Rod Blagojevich Sentence Commuted: The History Of Crooked Illinois Governors
(CBS) -- When Donald Trump commuted Rod Blagojevich's federal sentence on multiple corruption charges, Illinois' 40th governor was just one in a long list of crooked state chief executives.
During his second term, Blagojevich was accused of conspiring to sell off a U.S. Senate appointment to the highest bidder. He was removed from office by impeachment in 2009.
Eventually, Blagojevich was convicted in a second trial (the first was declared a mistrial) and sent to prison in 2012 for 14 years.
In 2002, Gov. George Ryan decided not to seek re-election as federal prosecutors began closing in on him as part of the Operation Safe Roads investigation. About a year later, in December 2003, Ryan was indicted.
He was convicted on charges that he steered several state contracts to his friends; spent campaign funds to pay personal expenses and obstructed justice by attempting to end the state investigation of the license-for-bribes scandal. While he was Secretary of State, state workers accepted cash in return for issuing truck driver licenses.
Ryan was released from prison in 2013.
Ryan's decision not to run in 2002 cleared the way for Blagojevich to become governor.
Two other Illinois governors have been sent to jail. Otto Kerner, Jr., governor from 1961 to 1968, was convicted of bribery and income-tax charges from his time as governor, and received three years in prison in 1973.
Daniel Walker, governor from 1973 to 1977, was later involved in the savings and loan scandals and convicted of federal crimes related to fraudulent loans. He was sentenced to seven years in prison.