In a surprising twist in North Carolina’s political landscape, Michael Whatley has enlisted the help of a controversial figure to bolster his U.S. Senate campaign. Facing challenges in polling and fundraising, Whatley has turned to former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, a man with a notorious past.
Whatley recently joined Blagojevich at a fundraiser held on March 19 at Trump Tower in Chicago. The event also featured Don Tracy, a Republican contender for the U.S. Senate seat in Illinois. The collaboration has raised eyebrows due to Blagojevich’s checkered history.
Blagojevich, first elected as Illinois governor in 2002, faced impeachment and removal from office in 2009. The charges stemmed from his attempt to profit from appointing a successor to then-President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat.
“I’ve got this thing, and it’s fucking golden,” Blagojevich infamously stated in a 2009 FBI-recorded call. “I’m just not giving it up for fucking nothing.”
Convicted in 2011 on 17 counts related to these actions, including extortion involving state funds, Blagojevich received a 14-year prison sentence. Despite the conviction, he maintains his innocence. President Donald Trump commuted his sentence in 2020, and a full pardon followed in 2021, erasing the charges from his record.
This move by Trump faced criticism from several Illinois legislators, including Republican state Sen. Jil Tracy, who remarked on the chaos and dysfunction during Blagojevich’s tenure. “This man abused his power and there definitely was a pay-for-play,” she observed.
Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin labeled the Blagojevich scandal as “one of the worst” in Illinois history.
Whatley’s choice of allies is not his first brush with controversy; his campaign previously accepted $21,000 from donors linked to health care fraud.
As the race unfolds, Whatley faces former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, the Democratic candidate vying for the Senate seat.
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