President-elect Obama: Hands Off Patrick Fitzgerald

RFFM.org ^ | December 16, 2008 | Daniel T. Zanoza

[Daniel T. Zanoza]

Patrick Fitzgerald, the U.S. attorney for Illinois' Northern District first achieved national prominence when he was appointed special prosecutor in the investigation of the so-called "outing" of CIA operative Valerie Plame. Fitzgerald brought charges against White House insider Scooter Libby, but most would agree the call for the prosecution of Libby was driven by politics and Fitzgerald was simply doing the job he was given.

Fitzgerald, who was first appointed to his position in Illinois by then-U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald (no relation), has done an outstanding job rooting out political corruption for nearly a decade, no matter in what Party he found it.

Fitzgerald's list of accomplishments regarding the fight against Illinois-style political corruption is lengthy. Perhaps his biggest catch was former Governor George Ryan who now sits in a federal prison after being convicted of numerous charges related to the abuse of his office.

Indeed, the name Fitzgerald strikes fear into the hearts of Illinois politicians, including those in the vaunted Daley Machine and those who remain from the "Republican Combine". However, such success has its drawbacks...

[jersey117]

Many believe that Fitz is protecting Obama. I think the it’s opposite. How many times during the campaign have you hear Obama use the phrase “no more Scooter Libbey justice”. I take that to mean O was not happy with the sentence Libby received.

[Puppage]

Many believe that Fitz is protecting Obama. I think the it’s opposite

Really? Then how do explain the fact that he had all the current evidence against Blago in June, but chose to sit on it until after the election?

[massgopguy]

Fitzgerald set a perjery trap for Libby to get back at him for the Marc Rich case.

[jersey117]

Then why not wait another month until after the inauguration and really play it safe? Wasn’t the senate seat sale info acquired recently?

[Puppage]

Then why not wait another month until after the inauguration and really play it safe?

Play WHAT safe? He's already been elected.

[ga medic]

At least some of the most damaging evidence against the governor came from his attempt to sell Obama’s senate seat. How could he have gotten this information prior to Obama’s election?

[Puppage]

At least some of the most damaging evidence against the governor came from his attempt to sell Obama’s senate seat. How could he have gotten this information prior to Obama’s election?

Do you really think he began discussing the "sale" of the seat only after the Nov. 4th election?

[Tallguy]

Random thought about Patrick Fitzgerald: Isn’t this how Arlen Spector got started?

[IrishPennant]

I posted this on an earlier thread - I think it rates saying again:

It has been reported that Fitz had enough to take "Bed Head" into custody months ago but was told to back off so as not to influence the elections.

Who gave him this order and WHO IS UNDULY INFLUENCING OUR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. The public arrest of Blago could have had a large and JUST negative influence on Zer0...and someone, somewhere made a choice for me and the rest of the United States that it would not be good to form opinions on candidates.

THIS IS A REAL CRIME PERPETRATED AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS!!

[ga medic]

No, but I would imagine that the prosecutor wanted to wait until the seat was actually guaranteed, so that the conversations were based in reality rather than just a possibility. He was probably waiting to see who would come around looking to buy the seat, and what other information he could gather on the Chicago political machine.

I think Fitzgerald was absolutely correct in getting as much of the discussion on tape as possible, and making sure his investigation was complete. He is well-known to be a very thorough prosecutor. He likes to have so much evidence that the conclusion is never in doubt.

It is unfortunate that the information was not out in time for the election, but Fitzgerald is too professional to let the election dictate the results of his case.

[Puppage]

No, but I would imagine that the prosecutor wanted to wait until the seat was actually guaranteed, so that the conversations were based in reality rather than just a possibility

The charge has nothing to do with the guarantee of an actual seat. It has everything to do with the corruption of actually offering the seat for sale in the first place.

He was probably waiting to see who would come around looking to buy the seat

Now, that's a very real possibilty.

[Red Steel]

How many times during the campaign have you hear Obama use the phrase “no more Scooter Libbey justice”. I take that to mean O was not happy with the sentence Libby received.

Oh, Really??

"Obama statement on Bush decision to commute Libby's sentence"

| July 02, 2007

"Barack Obama today released the following statement on President Bush's decision to commute the sentence of Scooter Libby."

"This decision to commute the sentence of a man who compromised our national security cements the legacy of an Administration characterized by a politics of cynicism and division, one that has consistently placed itself and its ideology above the law. This is exactly the kind of politics we must change so we can begin restoring the American people's faith in a government that puts the country's progress ahead of the bitter partisanship of recent years."

Obama is not happy that Bush commuted Libby's sentence. It seems to me Obama is for doing Libby type smear jobs.

[Non-Sequitur]

President-elect Obama: Hands Off Patrick Fitzgerald

Obama isn't that stupid. Fitzpatrick is safe so long as the Blagojevich investigation is ongoing.

[AdaGray]

Fitzgerald went public, condemning Blago, in order to create a safety net for himself... pure and simple. Obama can’t touch him now and that was his plan.