Chicago's prosecutor mediocre? Hardly, FBI says

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/305679,CST-NWS-prosbox21.article

March 21, 2007
BY NATASHA KORECKI Federal Courts Reporter

Reports revealed Tuesday that a Justice Department aide rated Chicago U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald as "mediocre" as it charted out which prosecutors to fire. It came as a surprise to those who work with Fitzgerald.

"My director to this day will tell you he is the best U.S. attorney in the country, bar none," said Chicago's FBI chief Robert Grant. "No one has ever questioned Patrick Fitzgerald's integrity, I'll tell you that much."

The rating came just as Fitzgerald's efforts intensified in the investigation that recently led to the conviction of Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin in recent remarks said he'd block any move to fire Fitzgerald. "If they try in any way to threaten or endanger his ability to serve this country, they're in for a fight," Durbin said.

[salin]

1. this is being covered on Morning Edition this morning.

[Eurobabe]

2. BushCo started this politicizing, don't let them forget.

[malaise]

3. The more Bushco talk

thye more they expose themselves as common criminals. IMPEACH!

[City Lights]

4. The Trib's editors are irked about Fitz's ranking, too.

Maybe the chart rankings were Sampson's work alone. But here are questions for Gonzales, Sampson and other administration officials:

-How did Fitzgerald--renowned (and at times honored by Justice) for prosecutions of terrorists, mobsters and thieving public officials--earn a rating of "not distinguished"?

If we may borrow from the wisdom of Gonzales: Members of Congress, and members of the Judiciary Committees in particular--you need to go where the evidence takes you.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0703210109mar21,0,3090304.story?coll=chi-newsopinion-hed