freedom, with no remorse for his crimes. >> i'm returning home today from a long exile. a freed political prisoner. >> reporter: he had served eight years of a 14-year sentence for trying to sell barack obama's senate seat. his scheme caught on a federal wiretap. >> i mean, i've got this thing and it's [ bleep ] golden. and i'm just not giving it up for [ bleep ] nothing. >> reporter: his wife had made a direct appeal to president trump in repeated appearances on fox news. >> the president's about justice and fairness. >> reporter: the president was listening. >> we want to again express our deepest gratitude to president trump. i'm a trump-ocrat. if i had the ability to vote, i'm going to vote for him. >> reporter: blagojevich was one of several people granted clemency by president trump yesterday at the urging of friends and supporters. among those pardoned, construction company owner paul pogue, who pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return. he and his family had donated more than $200,000 to the