Ex-Republican Senator Fitzgerald: Rove Tried To Limit Attorney Choice

[Hissyspit]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703140213mar14,1,2314396.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

EX-SENATOR RECALLS

Fitzgerald: Rove tried to limit choice

By Andrew Zajac
Washington Bureau
Published March 14, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Former Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.) said Tuesday that White House political adviser 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 Rep. Dennis Hastert, then speaker of the House, and allies of then-Gov. George Ryan, who knew 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." Peter Fitzgerald said he believes the "base" was Illinois Republican insiders upset at the prosecutor's assault on corruption.

MORE

[salin]

1. interesting story - a thumbs up for the former senator for telling this story.

Demonstrates the beginnings of the politicization and reasons/causes for choices per the WH and the USAs.

[Cha]

7. YEh, surprising!

Is this why Peter Fitzgerald retired? Cause he pissed off the base?

[rosesaylavee]

2. Peter Fitzgerald was outspoken for a Republican

and REALLY pissed off the base for truthfully relaying a conversation with * that took place on Air Force 1 when * said he would kill Sadam if he found him - foregoing a trial. That undid any RW support he had in the state.

[Hippo_Tron]

6. I didn't agree with him on many issues, but Fitzgerald was an honest guy

And those are hard to come by in the GOP. If more Republicans were like him, the administration wouldn't have gotten away with all of this crap that is just coming out now.

[enough]

3. K&R

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. One way to make sure you don't upset the status quo in a particular

city, is to make sure you hire from within. Nothing like keeping someone who is already broken in and has learned the corrupt practices.

[Hissyspit]

5. .