Posted on 12/14/2008 5:53:36 PM PST by jimbo123
Conventional wisdom holds that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald ordered the FBI to arrest Rod Blagojevich before sunrise Tuesday in order to stop a crime from being committed. That would have been the sale of the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.
But the opposite is true: Members of Fitzgerald’s team are livid the scheme didn’t advance, at least for a little longer, according to some people close to Fitzgerald’s office. Why? Because had the plot unfolded, they might have had an opportunity most feds can only dream of: A chance to catch the sale of a Senate seat on tape, including the sellers and the buyers.
The precise timing of Tuesday’s dramatic, pre-dawn arrest was not dictated by Fitzgerald, nor was it dictated by the pace of Blagojevich’s alleged “crime spree.” It was dictated by the Chicago Tribune, according to people close to the investigation and a careful reading of the FBI’s affidavit in the case.
At Fitzgerald’s request, the paper had been holding back a story since October detailing how a confidante of Blagojevich was cooperating with his office.
Gerould Kern, the Tribune’s editor, said in a statement last week that these requests are granted in what he called isolated instances. “In each case, we strive to make the right decision as reporters and as citizens,” he said.
But editors decided to publish the story on Friday, Dec. 5, ending the Tribune’s own cooperation deal with the prosecutor.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.wsj.com ...
For this alone, I hope they go out of business
Emanuel, you magnificent bastard.
The Tribune OBSTRUCTED JUSTICE!! They are STILL trying to save Obama’s ASS.
Fitz...a set up.....to stop the crime from actually being committed...political hack...Fitz
I think we know why they wanted the investigation to come to a dead end.
It'll be funny if Blago walks because of the timing. The melodrama of the a.m., at home, arrest was too much.
(.....well, the former, not the latter, as I'm a Cub fan living in Florida).
Leni
Explains why Fitz hit the Trib with a subpoena last week.
In the context of Ci-cago, it looks like they thought if they did the One a favor he could, in office, steer some bailout funds their way, or at least a cut on some funds going to Ci-cago.
Did you read the article
It was the tribune that forced Fitzgerald to move early
does seem that way, at this point at least.
I love the comments. It’s a big F U to the mainstream media. In the end, Obama and the Mainstream Media will go down in flames over all of this process...otherwise America will.
Maybe they were protecting JJ,Jr. To publicize this right as the deal is about to go down is highly suspicious
Barbara Streisand!
They’re covering for Fitz’s covering for 0bama.
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald ordered the FBI to arrest Rod Blagojevich... Members of Fitzgerald's team are livid the scheme didn't advance, at least for a little longer, according to some people close to Fitzgerald's office. Why? Because had the plot unfolded, they might have had an opportunity most feds can only dream of: A chance to catch the sale of a Senate seat on tape, including the sellers and the buyers. The precise timing of Tuesday's dramatic, pre-dawn arrest was not dictated by Fitzgerald, nor was it dictated by the pace of Blagojevich's alleged "crime spree." It was dictated by the Chicago Tribune... At Fitzgerald's request, the paper had been holding back a story since October detailing how a confidante of Blagojevich was cooperating with his office. Gerould Kern, the Tribune's editor, said in a statement last week that these requests are granted in what he called isolated instances. "In each case, we strive to make the right decision as reporters and as citizens," he said. But editors decided to publish the story on Friday, Dec. 5, ending the Tribune's own cooperation deal with the prosecutor.Subpeona the phone records of everyone involved in this at the Trib -- smokin' gun is probably in there.
By the way, I think the Tribune was in communication with Obama and his cohorts and they timed the whole thing to let Jackson get caught up in the net and then shut down the whole operation before it got too close to Obama, and since Obama knew from the beginning of course he only was willing to give “appreciation”. Obama worked the whole thing. Hopefully, the prosecutors are angry enough now that somebody might be more careful in setting a snare in front of Obama next time.
This might have been interesting for the country to know before the election . Hearing dates in June also . Just think if Palin had a hint of this crap going on ...
How did the Tribune become aware of the investigation? Fitz, did you leak it?
May the Chicago Tribune and the rest of the Zell empire, go down in flames.
Screw the Cubs. Screw Chicago. Screw Zell.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.