(US Atty) Pat Fitzgerald Boots One (accidentally releases names of sources in fraud case

The Smoking Gun ^ | 1-7-09

[STARWISE]

In a remarkable screw-up, a Department of Justice official today accidentally distributed to the media a document containing the names of nearly 20 confidential witnesses interviewed during a federal probe targeting the operators of a fraudulent investment scheme.

In announcing felony charges against two men for their roles in an alleged $15 million Ponziesque swindle, the spokesman for Chicago U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald (he of Rod Blagojevich- and Scooter Libby-prosecuting fame) e-mailed reporters a 62-page U.S. District Court complaint filed against John Walsh and Charles Martin, principals of the now-defunct One World Capital Group.

Included in the document was a one-page key that identified by name sources referred to in the complaint only by monikers such as "Employee A," "Customer D," or "Individual F."

The inadvertent disclosure of the sources--former One World employees, customers, and "other" individuals who spoke with FBI and IRS agents--caused Fitzgerald spokesman Randall Samborn to send an urgent follow-up email asking journalists to destroy the complaint due to the "non-public information disclosing the identities of persons not named in the affidavit."

A copy of the source key, which we've strategically blurred, can be found here.

[Grig]

Yeah, but after opening Pandora’s box like that I would be surprised if nobody snuck a clean copy onto the net somehow.

[Alissa]

I could only add that Blago may have MORE power in Chicago than Fritzgerald. Which is more scarier? Blago doesn’t seem intimitated by the Federal Prosecurtor. Again, which is the MORE scarier scenario?

[STARWISE]

Winnetka is an upscale bedroom community of Chicago. They gave the max for 2007 to the O-man.

Charles Martin » IL » Winnetka

Contributor	Candidate or PAC	Amount	Date	FEC Filing
Martin, Charles Winnetka, IL 60093 One World Capital Group/Finance	OBAMA, BARACK (D) President OBAMA FOR AMERICA	$2,300 primary	04/20/07
Martin, Charles G. Mr. Winnetka, IL 60093 Martin-Walsh Management/President	NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE (R)	$1,000 primary	09/25/06
Martin, Charles G. Mr. Winnetka, IL 60093 Martin-Walsh Management/President	NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE (R)	$1,000 primary	08/18/06
Martin, Charles G Mr. Winnetka, IL 60093 Martin-Walsh Mgmt./President	NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE (R)	$500 primary	01/16/06
Martin, Charles G Mr. Winnetka, IL 60093 Martin-Walsh Mgmt./President	NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE (R)	$500 primary	12/27/05
Martin, Charles G Mr. Winnetka, IL 60093 Martin-Walsh Mgmt./President	NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE (R)	$500 primary	12/14/05
Martin, Charles G Mr. Winnetka, IL 60093 Martin-Walsh Management/President	NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE (R)	$500 primary	11/28/05
Martin, Charles G Mr. Winnetka, IL 60093 Martin-Walsh Management/Owner	NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE (R)	$1,000 primary	10/06/05
Martin, Charles G Mr. Winnetka, IL 60093 Martin-walsh Management/President	NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE (R)	$500 primary	09/01/05
Martin, Charles G Mr. Winnetka, IL 60093 Martin Walsh Management Llc/Preside	NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE (R)	$500 primary	08/31/05

[Political Junkie Too]

Sorry, you missed my point.

I know this isn't the Blago case, but messing up on THIS case gives Obama the plausible deniability to fire Fitzpatrick without claiming that it was because of the Blago case.

Obama can cite "other" cases that had mistakes made.

-PJ

[Political Junkie Too]

See my post 44.

-PJ

[okie01]

Sorry, you missed my point.

I think just about everybody did. Probably because so many people earlier in the thread had made the same mistake I accused you of -- not reading the article.

[DAC21]

Oh yes this was no accident. Just turned the big 50...I’ll probably be gone when the 2nd revolution is upon us. This country is disgusting.

[Political Junkie Too]

I could have been clearer.

-PJ

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

My first reaction as well. You combine this with Fitzidiot deciding to stop the investigation of Blago before he actually accepts money indicates that Fitz was trying to create a non-case, for whatever reason (left/right balance after the Plame fiasco? had to do something because he was ‘informed’?) whose legs would fold under itself as it tried to gain speed.

[bpjam]

f’ing douchebag.

This guy is a serious tool and should be an Asst. US Attorney and not making any managerial decisions. This will be the third high profile investigation in which he has either 1) Violated the law or 2) Violated the DOJ guidelines for prosecuting crimes or, more likely, 3) allowed his ego and political considerations to turn the US Attorneys office into a place for score settling.

[STARWISE]

BTW, the info in #43 is from newsmeat.com, under a search for Charles G. Martin in IL.

[RDTF]

Just wow

Looks like he needs to hire a new staff

[rwfromkansas]

Even “the smoking gun” isn’t really a smoking gun anymore.

It’s out there. Just show us the dang document.

[ETL]

Justice Department Briefing on Blagojevich Investigation:
Patrick Fitzgerald, United States attorney general for the Northern District of Illinois [speaking to press]:

Excerpts from the transcript:

"In the governor words -- governor's words, quote, 'Fire all those bleeping people. Get them the bleep out of there. And get us some editorial support,' close quote. And the bleeps are not really bleeps."

"A month or so ago a $1.8 billion tollway project was announced. While that tollway project was being announced, Governor Blagojevich was privately seeking to have a person benefiting from that contract raise $100,000 in contributions, and privately the government (sic) said, 'I could have made a larger announcement but wanted to see how they would perform by the end of the year. If they don't perform, bleep 'em.' That's a quote. And the word 'bleep' was not the word he used."

(snip)

Fitzgerald: The governor's own words describing the Senate seat, quote, "It's a bleeping valuable thing -- thing. You just don't give it away for nothing," close quote.

Another quote, "I've got this thing, and it's bleeping golden. And I'm just not giving it up for bleeping nothing. I'm not going to do it, and I can always use it; I can parachute me there," quote. Those are his words, not our characterization, other than with regard to the bleep.

The tapes reveal that Governor Blagojevich wanted a number of things in exchange for making the appointment to the Senate seat -- an appointment as secretary of health and human services or an ambassadorship, an appointment to a private foundation, a higher paying job for his wife or campaign contributions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/us/politics/09text-illinois.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all
_________________________________________________________

[Rome2000]

Can't wait until POTUS MUZZIE HUSSEINS picks start polluting the landscape.

Greetings Comrade, welcome to the USSA!

[HardStarboard]

>>>...what Fitzgerald did to Libby was just plain disgusting.<<<

And gets more disgusting every day Bush fails to give him a full pardon.

[DrC]

“Obama can cite “other” cases that had mistakes made.”

Yes, imagine BHO sacking Fitzgerald due to mistake made in the Libby investigation!

[Ulysse]

PING

[weegee]

The Nifongism continues. He should be reprimanded for his several lapses in ethical judgment with respect to how he does his job.

[bert]

.....The way Spitzer destroyed the Strong Capital was disgusting......

Hank Greenburg’s revenge on Spitzer was delicious. He shows up from time time on Cavuto. He was definitely not a man to screw with.