Patrick Fitzgerald Chosen As U.S. Attorney Over Rove Pressure

[deminks]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/03/14/rove-fitzgerald/

Former Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-IL) revealed yesterday that Karl Rove pressured him in 2001 to choose a U.S. Attorney who he believed would be lenient in probing state corruption, the Chicago Tribune reports. Fitzgerald ended up choosing Patrick Fitzgerald (no relation), who was later named Special Prosecutor in the CIA leak case.

From the Tribune:

Rove told Sen. Fitzgerald 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, a New Yorker, on May 13, a Mother’s Day Sunday, to pre-empt any opposition.


sorry if already posted

[BOSSHOG]

1. Imagine

rove chatting about fitz with his fellow criminals. "We don't need some honest motherfucker investigating us." Where is a good christian republican like kenn starr when you need him.

[insane_cratic_gal]

2. I bet he regrets doing that

I highly doubt Karl got off on charges because of it. I think Pat's huge record on prosecuting terrorism might of been the reasoning for his placement?

[Double T]

3. The layers and layers of corruption are never ending with bushco..........

how much evidence does a prosecutor need to get started on indictments of these criminals.

[TahitiNut]

4. Funny how competence and integrity never seem to be priorities.

:eyes:

[indepat]

6. The sole criteria is abject loyalty and obedience to der Fuhrer

[Joanne98]

5. The irony!

[Straight Shooter]

7. I think it's high time for all the sordid stories of Rove's interference to come out.

He's vulnerable now, and I bet there are all sorts of people just itching to tell the tale of how Rove pushed his weight around where he didn't belong, but no one had the power to stop him.

Rove has been the driving force behind the GOP politics of personal destruction for a long time.