Rod Blagojevich

Former Governor of Illinois, Impeached Official, Media Company Founder

Travels From Travels From:
Chicago, IL, USA
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Rod Blagojevich Biography

Rod Blagojevich has lived an interesting life, to say the least. He was the Governor of Illinois, the first Democrat elected to that office in 26 years, and the first Illinois Governor to be impeached. Later, he was known as Federal Prisoner number 40892–424 after being convicted on public corruption charges related to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama when he became President. But there’s so much more to his story…

Born to a blue-collar family in Chicago, Blagojevich shined shoes, delivered pizzas, and worked in a meat packing plant during his youth. He also worked for two summers on the Alaskan Pipeline. Thanks to the sacrifices of his parents and his continued hard work, he attended and graduated from Northwestern University and went on to earn a law degree from Pepperdine University. He was an Assistant State’s Attorney for Cook County, Illinois, a state representative, and in 1996 was elected to the U.S. Congress.

In 2002, he continued his personal version of the American Dream by defeating long odds to become the 40th Governor of the state of Illinois. While in office, he notably increased access to affordable healthcare for children, provided free mammograms and Pap Smears for tens of thousands of uninsured women, established free public transportation for every senior citizen and disabled person in the state, and opposed his own party’s attempts to raise taxes. However, his tenure took a dramatic turn in 2008 while attempting to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the election of President Obama. Blagojevich was charged with corruption, impeached, tried twice, and eventually convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison. He served 8 years of the sentence before it was commuted by President Donald Trump on February 18, 2020. He has always maintained his innocence despite the circumstances that have profoundly affected his family.

Now back in Chicago, he is building a media company named Blue Suede Shoes Productions, with a focused mission to restore common sense in discussions on pivotal societal issues. His company is actively developing a documentary series, the "Lightening Rod Today Podcast," and daily content for social media aimed at encouraging Americans to look beyond partisan talking points and focus on solutions that benefit everyone.

In addition to his media endeavors, Blagojevich has appeared in discussions about the failures of modern-day politics on various platforms including FOX 32 and with Tucker Carlson on Fox News. He advocates for teaching critical and scientific thinking to younger generations and emphasizes the importance of open dialogue and feedback in reaching truthful and effective ideas. His passion for Elvis Presley remains, proven by his time fronting an Elvis tribute band while in prison and a sneak peek of the docuseries "Being Blago" that aired on ABC7 Chicago, showcasing his enduring influence and unique trajectory.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 08/02/2024.

Rod Blagojevich Speaking Topics

  • Motivation

  • American Government

  • Criminal Justice Reform

Rod Blagojevich Videos

  • Being Blago | Official Trailer
    Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich’s rise to the top tier of American politics looked inevitable. But then he fell. Hard. This is a story...
  • Rod Blagojevich Holds News Conference Following Trump ...
    Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich holds a news conference after being released from a prison in Colorado. His sentence was ...
  • Rod Blagojevich: I'm a Trumpocrat
    Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich holds a homecoming press conference at the Blagojevich Family Residence. This takes place a day ...

FAQs on booking Rod Blagojevich

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  • What topics does Rod Blagojevich speak about?

    Rod Blagojevich is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Civil Rights, Government, Law, Motivational, Political, Social Activism, Social Justice, Social Sciences.
  • Where does Rod Blagojevich travel from?

    Rod Blagojevich generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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Rod Blagojevich is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Motivation , American Government and Criminal Justice Reform. The estimated speaking fee range to book Rod Blagojevich for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Rod Blagojevich generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Maya L. Harris, Ashley Allison, Nana Akufo-Addo, Desmond Meade and Meryl Chertoff. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Rod Blagojevich for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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