Hastert to Can Patrick Fitzgerald?

[Oilwellian]

Late this evening I got emails from a few readers who told me about a news story on Chicago's Channel 9, WGN-TV which pointed out that Patrick Fitzgerald's term as US Attorney in Chicago is coming up in October and that pressure is building to deny him a reappointment.
As it was described to me, the news segment featured an interview with former Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R)(no relation), who suggested that Denny Hastert might be pushing to turn Fitzgerald out of his job.

And who would think a stand-up guy like Denny Hastert would stoop to something like that?

Now, there are a few points to make clear here -- the most important of which is that, at least in my understanding, Fitzgerald's appointment as special prosecutor in the Plame case is entirely separate from his appointment as USA in Chicago. So presumably getting dumped from one wouldn't affect his tenure in the other. Still, canning him in the main job wouldn't be a bad way of getting some pay back.

Secondly, though we're focused on Fitzgerald's role in the Plame case, he's been turning Illinois politics upside in the last few years, first taking down a Republican governor and now working over a Democratic Mayor of Chicago. So there's a lot of political backstory here beside just the Plame case.

I wasn't sure what to make of these reports from readers. But this story from the Chicago Tribune covers a lot of the same ground.

This sounds like a story that could use more attention.

http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/7/27/232930/764#centercol

[Roland99]

1. Ooo...that would be a nice bit of blowback if they did that.

[JDPriestly]

2. Virtue's reward: unemployment.

Sign of the times.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

3. how much more "in your face" crime do americans have to take before.......

we take to the fucking streets????

[wli]

4. how many take to the streets will matter

Showing up in force helps.

[TahitiNut]

8. I've been ready since December 2000.

:grr:

[Oilwellian]

5. I thought this was an interesting response

Further down in Marshall's thread:

Patrick Fitzgerald has recently indicted two major GOP fundraisers with close ties to Hastert and the Illinois Republican establishment.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-hosp21.html

[aquart]

6. Hey, firing Archibald Cox MADE Watergate.

Go Denny.

[jurassicpork]

7. I wouldn't expect anything less

...from a high school wrestling coach.

Have you heard that the administration is now investigating Fitzgerald's investigation?

It's like Tom DeLay all over again, except this time the stakes are much, MUCH bigger.

JP
http://jurassicpork.blogspot.com

[Wetzelbill]

24. hey, I used to be a high school wrestling coach

:)

[jurassicpork]

9. We've learned a lot since Archibald Cox.

Looks like Bush doesn't have to fire Fitzgerald, after all. All they have to do is stall and parry until October and wait for his appointment to expire. Then, they'll pull a Carlton Fisk on him and not tender him an extension while Gonzalez appoints some assclown to "prosecute" the case.

JP
http://jurassicpork.blogspot.com

[tservo]

11. This has nothing to do with the Plame investigation.

Does anyone believe that?

[DanCa]

13. welcome to du tservo

Hasteret is an embarrasement to my state.

[tservo]

16. Thanks Dan

glad to be here

[jurassicpork]

18. What doesn't have anything to do with the Plame investigation?

I'd find it hard to believe that that wouldn't be Bush's motivation for not renewing Fitzgerald's appointment this October.

JP
http://jurassicpork.blogspot.com

[newyawker99]

27. Hi tservo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[snot]

10. KICK! We've got a LOT riding on Pat Fitz, & we need to cover his back! nt

[autorank]

12. Bye, bye Daley...should have stood tall with your DEM Senator

...instead of attacking him. Corruption is corruption...throw the bums out!

Now, let's be realistic. Fitzgerald the prosecutor is a New York City kid, Jesuit educated. He's forgotten more about political strategy than most of these clowns know. If Denny Hastert wants to go head to head with Fitzgerald, I'm sure the prosecutor is playing advanced chess to Denny's front porch checkers.

Denny, stick you head between your legs and kiss your ass good bye!

This guy is bullet proof. Nobody will touch him until he indicts. They're just trying to influence him in the only way they can, bellicose bloviating.

[orleans]

14. "I'm sure I'm sure the prosecutor is playing advanced chess

to Denny's front porch checkers."

i hope you're right.

and as far as daley goes...i don't live in chicago--but i live near chicago--and he's really starting to piss me off. he's been sucking up to bushie for years now (he dreams of new airports and sugar plums) but it was horrible what he said to/about durbin.

i think daley's kid is in iraq (or something) and maybe he's just so busy being defensive he's got his head stuck up his ass. too bad. i'm getting real fed up with him.

[autorank]

15. Remember the "McCarthy" students...Daley's reception...fuck him!

[ProfessorGAC]

28. That's My Take As Well

Bulletproof is the right adjective. Besides, the prosecutor law doesn't dissolve the Grand Jury. So, no matter who they appoint in his stead, even if the metaphoric bullets get through the vest, the investigation won't just be dropped.

This is just rhetoric, and the Dems won't stand for this type of political stunt.
The Professor

[Bill Bored]

17. One little problem with this theory:

If Fitz is successful, Hastert gets to be President. He's next in line after Crash Cart!

[ngGale]

19. You just made a good point ...

could be Fitz's saving grace if Hastert is as greedy for power as the rest them.

[stewarde]

20. hey you stole my point!

If Fitz does it right Hastert would be President! Precisely! But let Hastert shoot himself in the foot!

[Wetzelbill]

23. DeLay would get Denny to step down and take over

Unless he's in the slammer himself.

[cynatnite]

21. If Fitz is successful, the repub party will need a funeral

It'll be a devastating blow to the repuke party overall. Hastert might be greedy for power, but it would make him the weakest pres that ever took office.

[Wetzelbill]

22. no kidding

[Tesla]

25. I just hope he dosen't have an "accident" before that.

He needs to copy, copy, copy, and tell them that ALL info will be released to newspapers if something happened to him.
Some kind of Insurance policy.

[Bill Bored]

31. Yeah, but we'd probably get a flat tax/national sales tax! nt

[merh]

30. Great point.

:popcorn: I will continue to watch things unfold. These type of scare tactics might just blow up in their face. They appear acts of desperation.

[wishlist]

26. part of Repub pressure on Fitz to wrap up investigation and not expand it

Repubs are sending signals to Fitz that they will not allow him to dig deeper into all the implications of WH actions and if he tries to further expand and extend his investigation, he will get replaced.

The Repubs refuse to acknowledge that deliberate and extensive White House wrongdoing coupled with Bush's inaction and lack of cooperation has caused the investigate to drag out and get more complicated.

[corkhead]

29. Let's hope Fitz drops some indictments before then

:9