Rod R. Blagojevich (born December 10 1956)Rod Blagojevich, his public service, and his vision for the state are all driven by a fundamental belief in the promise of the American Dream, a dream he has experienced first hand. Blagojevich was born in 1956 and raised on the Northwest side of Chicago, where he grew up in a modest apartment. Rod’s father was a prisoner of war during World War II, coming to this country penniless and unable to speak English. His father later got a job at Chicago steel plant, worked hard, and together with Rod’s mother, saved for 15 years in order to send Rod and his brother to college. Rod learned the value of hard work from his parents: shining shoes at age 9, delivering pizzas, working at a meat packing plant and even washing pots and pans on the Alaskan Pipeline to earn money for college and law school. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1979 and earned a law degree from Pepperdine University in 1983.
As a Cook County Assistant States Attorney, Blagojevich prosecuted domestic abuse cases and felony weapons charges. His experiences there made him a strong advocate for tougher sentencing laws and sensible handgun safety legislation when he was elected to the General Assembly in 1992. Blagojevich led the fight for Illinois’ truth in sentencing law that requires criminals to serve at least 85% of their prison term before being eligible for parole.
As a Congressman from Illinois’ 5th District, Blagojevich continued to make public safety issues his primary focus. Blagojevich passed legislation that stopped a Pentagon program from indirectly allowing civilians to buy sniper ammunition capable of piercing bulletproof glass and tank armor. Blagojevich won grants for the Illinois community prosecution programs. He pushed for strict enforcement of existing gun safety laws and was the first to raise concerns about weapon purchases at gun shows, where criminals can buy handguns without background checks.
At the height of the Balkan conflict, Blagojevich traveled to Belgrade, and worked with Rev. Jesse Jackson to persuade Yugoslav authorities to release three captive U.S. soldiers. After days of negotiations and a three-hour meeting between Blagojevich, Jackson and Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, the soldiers were freed. Later, Blagojevich discovered a U.S. Navy plan to secretly transport 23 million pounds of Vietnam-era napalm across the country by rail, through the Chicago area, to an East Chicago, Indiana disposal plant. After pressure from Rod and public outcry at meetings, the plant canceled its contract and the Navy tore up its plan.
At Mayor Richard M. Daley’s request, Blagojevich secured funding for after-school programs, providing students with tutoring, and to establish the National Teachers Academy in Illinois to attract the best and brightest teachers and improve the quality of teaching in our schools. A product of Chicago Public Schools and a lifelong reader, Blagojevich became the leader on ensuring quality library books in Illinois’ public schools. He secured up to $700 million to replace out-dated library books, earning him public service awards from the American Library Association, the Friends of Libraries USA and the White House Conference on Libraries.
In Congress, Blagojevich has been a leader in the fight for a Patients’ Bill of Rights, to assure prompt access to mammograms, and to require higher safety and care standards at nursing homes.
Blagojevich is committed to building on these accomplishments to create more opportunities and better futures for families across Illinois. He has made improving education for every child, creating good jobs in every part of our state, guaranteeing access to affordable prescription drugs for every senior and restoring honesty and integrity to state government the cornerstones of his public service.
A former golden gloves boxer, Blagojevich is committed to fighting a system that accepts corruption, mediocrity and failure, and pledges to make everyday life better for average working families in Illinois. Rod and his wife, Patricia, have two daughters, six-year-old Amy, and Anne, the newest addition to the family, born April 5th 2003. Links State of Illinois - Rod Blagojevich, Governor State of Illinois - Rod Blaojevich, Governor - Inauguration
| Preceded by: George H. Ryan |
Governors of Illinois | Succeeded by: — |
