In every election since 2016, Donald Trump has run on the promise of fighting the corruption of the Democratic Party and its “Republican-In-Name-Only” allies.
Since Trump resumed office in January 2025, the only Democrats the president has done anything for are those who have faced or are actively facing widespread corruption allegations. This includes former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and current New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Blagojevich was convicted on federal corruption-related charges in 2009 and 2011 after he attempted to sell Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat in 2008. Blagojevich served nearly eight years of a 14-year sentence before Trump commuted his sentence in 2020. In 2025, when Trump resumed office, Trump officially pardoned Blagojevich.
When Trump was initially considering whether to commute Blagojevich’s sentence, a coalition of House Republicans from Illinois released a statement asking Trump not to commute his sentence.
“It’s important that we take a strong stand against pay-to-play politics, especially in Illinois where four of our last eight Governors have gone to federal prison for public corruption,” the statement said. “Commuting the sentence of Rod Blagojevich, who has a clear and documented record of egregious corruption, sets a dangerous precedent and goes against the trust voters place in elected officials.”
One of those Republicans was former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois’ 16th Congressional District. Kinzinger did not seek reelection in 2022 after being labeled a RINO, or a Republican disloyal to the party, by Trump and his allies.
Kinzinger voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection, though he voted against impeaching Trump during his first impeachment.
Like Blagojevich, Adams has faced widespread corruption allegations. The allegations even led to Adams’ indictment on bribery and campaign finance charges in 2024.
“For nearly a decade, Adams has used his prominent positions in New York City government to obtain illegal campaign contributions and luxury travel,” said the press release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. “To conceal this criminal conduct, Adams took steps to hide his receipt of improper benefits from the public and law enforcement.”
Under the Trump Administration, the Department of Justice has begun pressuring federal prosecutors in New York to drop their case against Adams. Several federal prosecutors in New York and Washington D.C. have since resigned in protest.
One of those prosecutors was Danielle Sassoon, former interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Sassoon, a Trump appointee, resigned after only three weeks in the role after being offered a quid pro quo deal by Adams’ attorney, according to reporting from The New York Times.
The accusation of a quid pro quo offer was made by Sassoon in a letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Democrats are not the only ones who have earned the good graces of the president, with Jan. 6 insurrectionists being among the first to receive presidential pardons following Inauguration Day.
One of those pardoned is Taylor James Johnatakis, a Washington man from Kingston. Johnatakis was convicted of several felonies in 2023 for his involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection, according to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Johnatakis was sentenced to over seven years in prison. Judge Royce Lamberth justified the sentence in a notice for sentencing by pointing out the extent of Johnatakis’ involvement.
“In an angry mob, there are leaders and there are followers,” Lamberth said. “Johnatakis was a leader. He knew what he was doing that day.”
The violent assault on the Capitol left one rioter shot and killed by Capitol Police and over a hundred officers injured. Members of Congress were also forced to run for their lives as rioters breached the Capitol while chanting death to specific members of Congress, both Republican and Democrat.
In the aftermath of the assault on the Capitol, over 1,400 rioters were convicted on federal charges. The aftermath also saw Trump’s second historical, bipartisan impeachment in the House. All 222 democratic members of the House were joined by 10 republican members.
