Former Sen. Fitzgerald(R) recalls pressure over appointment (of Patrick Fitzgerald from Rove)

[maddezmom]

Former Sen. Fitzgerald recalls pressure over appointment

By Andrew Zajac
Washington Bureau
Published March 14, 2007


WASHINGTON -- In an illustration of the political sensitivities involved in the appointment of a federal prosecutor, former Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.) said Tuesday that White House political advisor Karl Rove told him in the spring of 2001 that he should limit his choice for U.S. attorney in Chicago to someone from Illinois.

According to Fitzgerald, who was determined to bring in a prosecutor from outside the state, Rove "just said we don't want you going outside the state. We don't want to be moving U.S. attorneys around."


Fitzgerald said he believes Rove was trying to influence the selection in reaction to pressure from Dennis Hastert, who was then speaker of the House, and allies of then-Gov. George Ryan, who knew that Fitzgerald was seeking someone from outside Illinois to attack political corruption.

Fitzgerald said he announced his choice, Patrick Fitzgerald (no relation), a New Yorker, on May 13, a Mother's Day Sunday to pre-empt any opposition.

A year or so later, according to Peter Fitzgerald, Rove "said to me that Fitzgerald appointment got great headlines for you, but it ticked off the base."


more:http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-070313fitzgerald,1,7646152.story?track=rss

[fooj]

1. Shit. They are coming out of the woodwork.

[maddezmom]

4. funny isn't it

Hopefully there will be more today that have finally seen the light. :D

[KittyWampus]

7. they were waiting for the right moment. Lighting match in a windstorm is futile

[aquart]

2. And again, I thank Comey.

For making Fitz damn near untouchable while he conducted the investigation and trial.

[maddezmom]

3. yes, you're right...

wonder if he'll be making any statements any time soon. Remember this?

Justice Deputy Resisted Parts Of Spy Program
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By ERIC LICHTBLAU AND JAMES RISEN
Published: January 1, 2006
A top Justice Department official objected in 2004 to aspects of the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program and refused to sign on to its continued use amid concerns about its legality and oversight, according to officials with knowledge of the tense internal debate. The concerns appear to have played a part in the temporary suspension of the secret program.

The concerns prompted two of President Bush's most senior aides -- Andrew H. Card Jr., his chief of staff, and Alberto R. Gonzales, then White House counsel and now attorney general -- to make an emergency visit to a Washington hospital in March 2004 to discuss the program's future and try to win the needed approval from Attorney General John Ashcroft, who was hospitalized for gallbladder surgery, the officials said.

The unusual meeting was prompted because Mr. Ashcroft's top deputy, James B. Comey, who was acting as attorney general in his absence, had indicated he was unwilling to give his approval to certifying central aspects of the program, as required under the White House procedures set up to oversee it.

With Mr. Comey unwilling to sign off on the program, the White House went to Mr. Ashcroft -- who had been in the intensive care unit at George Washington University Hospital with pancreatitis and was housed under unusually tight security -- because ''they needed him for certification,'' according to an official briefed on the episode. The official, like others who discussed the issue, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the classified nature of the program.

more: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E7D81030F932A35752C0A9609C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fC%2fComey%2c%20James%20B%2e

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. That will forever be remembered as a critical move.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. old pete took one up between the cheeks for being a cheeky bastard

and not bowing to the political-criminal combine that controls Illinois.
Once he went off the reservation, the GOP pulled out its big guns. Reporters on the take started fake stories about Peter, editors took positions questioning his brains and integrity (that's a laugh. the ones who were gunning for peter are either in jail or should be) The Ill GOP ate its own, luckily because we have Durbin and Obama, two fine examples of democratic senators.

ticked off the base my ass. It ticked off the power brokers, resulted in hundreds of indictments and convictions on both sides of the aisle and has really cleaned up Illinois - a seemingly impossible task.

[coffeenap]

8. Ah, the real reason he did not run again. Finally. n t

[ChairmanAgnostic]

9. ohare areodrome construction,

other big ticket items - he was against them. and that pissed of the grafters, crooks and shiteheels who control the $$ in this state.

[David Zephyr]

10. Senator Feinstein should call him to testify under oath next week.

He is a "direct" witness that contradicts Rove. Rove may be put into a position of taking the 5th or committing perjury.