The Fitzgerald factor
posted at 10:55 am on November 10, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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The Chicago Tribune wants assurances that Barack Obama will keep at least one of his campaign promises. Patrick Fitzgerald, as a political appointee, serves as US Attorney only as long as it pleases the President. Will Obama replace Fitzgerald just as his investigation into the Chicago Machine begins to put some of the President-elect’s political allies in his crosshairs?
Today one unstoppable force of nature threatens the culture of sleaze and its insider financial deals, its illegal patronage hiring, and its pay-to-play contracts for cronies: Since his arrival from New York in 2001, U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald has demonstrated the energy and integrity that, in time, could liberate Illinoisans from indentured servitude to criminals in government.
President-elect Barack Obama has said he’ll keep Fitzgerald in the job, and we trust he’ll keep his word. But Fitzgerald, who serves at the president’s pleasure, has powerful enemies. They know that as his list of cooperating witnesses lengthens—convicted fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko may be joining that club—so does his list of potential targets. Those with reason to fear Fitzgerald’s breath on their necks would love to see him dumped—or promoted high into Justice Department oblivion—when Obama takes office. …
Mr. President-elect, please tell Patrick Fitzgerald that his job future is as secure as yours. And invite Illinois officials to keep this independent and skilled prosecutor at bay not by angling to remove him, but by following the law.
This could act as a canary-in-the-coal mine bellwether for the incoming Obama administration. If Obama replaces Fitzgerald, either by demanding his resignation or kicking him upstairs to a powerless post, he will signal that he intends to protect his political base in Chicago above all else. If he keeps Fitzgerald on the job and supports him with a pro-reform AG at Justice, it will send a powerful message to the Daleys and Strogers that business as usual may come to an end.
Actually, I would be surprised to see him replace Fitzgerald, for two reasons. First, Fitzgerald earned a great deal of respect on the Left for his pursuit of the ridiculous investigation into the Wilson/Plame leak and his subsequent prosecution of Scooter Libby. Fitzgerald is not seen as a partisan, and in fact exemplifies the non-partisan ideal of the DoJ.
Second, and more importantly, Obama no longer needs the Chicago Machine. Getting elected to the Presidency freed him from his need to maintain connections to the Daleys and the Strogers. It would be almost impossible for Obama to lose Illinois in 2012 even if Daley campaigned against him. Freed from the need to stroking Daley to win elections, he can build a reputation for refom by actually taking action for the first time in his career to reform anything.
If Obama cleans up Chicago — and I mean really cleans up Chicago — by keeping Fitzgerald on the job, he will have accomplished something truly significant. There are no downsides for him in doing so, and tremendous upsides for both himself and the Democratic Party outside of Illinois. Either way, how Obama handles Fitzgerald will be an early indicator as to whether Obama really intends to pursue reform.
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Obama is a puppet of the Chicago Machine, he still needs them. Fitzgerald will be dealt with
jp on November 10, 2008 at 10:59 AM
Obama is now going to clean up Chicago…are you on drugs??
georgealbert on November 10, 2008 at 10:59 AM
If Rezko or Auchi or any of Obama’s other cronies in Chicago start squealing on Obama, Fitzgerald will be toast.
Unless he gets an indictment of Obama before Bush leaves office.
Steve Z on November 10, 2008 at 11:00 AM
10 to 1 Fitzgerald is gone. When has Obamy EVER been non-partisan?
And somehow, it will be blamed on the Republicans, which will be parroted by the msm.
notagool on November 10, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Fitz needs to get the indictments out before Inauguration Day (the day before would be amusing).
Realist on November 10, 2008 at 11:01 AM
One big problem with the nice ideology is that Obama himself could be in the cross-hairs. Not only that, but there may be other skeletons in the closet that Obama can protect by scratching the Machine’s back. Don’t look for Obama to go “clean”; look, instead, at his Chief of Staff appointment.
ManUFan on November 10, 2008 at 11:01 AM
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
chunderroad on November 10, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Ya sure, Obarky is going to pursue reform, just as diligently as he did as state senator and then federal senator. Yeah.
Omarxa has the ultimate power seat and he knows how he got there, I don’t see his stepping on any toes in the base.
Fitz is gone.
Bishop on November 10, 2008 at 11:02 AM
The machine will grind him up just like they built him up. They existed long before he came around and they will be around long after he is gone.
thomasaur on November 10, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Interesting. Obama’s name popping up all over the investigation would ilicit a murmur of uproar but the ‘true-believers’ won’t give a flying crap.
Texas74 on November 10, 2008 at 11:03 AM
If Fitzgerald is removed, and the Chicago-fication of the Obama administration continues with more corrupt appointees, can we start routinely referring to the Obama White House as ‘The Obama Crack House’?
Eg: “At a Crack House press briefing today…”
EnglishMike on November 10, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Given Obama’s integration into the Machine, one has to suspect that some of the skeletons are in Obama’s closet.
I can’t see him throwing over those who’ve helped him so mightily. There’s too much temptation for those who’ve been thrown over to rattle the skeletons.
We shall either see that Obama has emerged from the Machine as pure as the driven snow, or Fitzpatrick is dead man walking.
unclesmrgol on November 10, 2008 at 11:05 AM
Anyone want to bet the MSM turns Fitzgerald into the next Ken Starr
MDWNJ on November 10, 2008 at 11:05 AM
It took LaGuardia to break Tammney Hall, we’ll see what is required for Chicago.
Techie on November 10, 2008 at 11:06 AM
First, Fitzgerald earned a great deal of respect on the Left for his pursuit of the ridiculous investigation into the Wilson/Plame leak and his subsequent prosecution of Scooter Libby.
It’s ridiculous to investigate an administration for outing a CIA agent?
Tom_Shipley on November 10, 2008 at 11:06 AM
The fly in this ointment is the assumption that Obama is not involved in the criminal activity. That is a pretty big assumption bordering on absurd. Obama will certainly dismiss all the US attornies just like Clinton did to cover the deed. And the MSM won’t say diddly squat.
davo on November 10, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Fitzgerald has been cleaning the clock of the Chicago Democratic Machine since he arrived in the city, so you can bet that even as we speak, Mayor Daley is urging B.O. to do anything to get this guy out of town as fast as he can.
If B.O. is true to his word, he will leave Fitz to do what he is doing best right now.
If he doesn’t, the bad guys will most definitely win.
pilamaye on November 10, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Upon indictment of next Obama crony: “This is not the Patrick I know”
Ponz on November 10, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Obama is going to fire ALL the US Attorneys, following in the footsteps of Bill Clinton. He has precedent and must stop the investigations in Chicago, Fannie/Freddie, Friends of Angelo loans, and the Acorn probes.
Press will give him a pass as its “Change”… and the stories will then die as old news before they are quietly defunded by new US Attorneys.
Romeo13 on November 10, 2008 at 11:07 AM
-BANGING HEAD ON DESK-
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on November 10, 2008 at 11:07 AM
It’ll be a great test, and as a Chicago resident, I’m afraid that Obama might not pass it. While Obama does seem to throw allies under the bus, he only does so if they are threatening to bring him down. He didn’t publically break with Reverand Wright until it became political useful for him to do so, and he won’t break with Daley until it becomes useful for him to do so. The fact that he’s made Emanuel chief of staff and wants to make Valerie Jarrett U.S. Senator suggests that he’s sticking with the Combine.
The only way I see Fitzgerald staying is if there’s something more to the Rezko-Obama relationship than just stupidity and lack of ethics. If Rezko somehow implicates Hope! and Change! in the next few months, Daley will be going under the bus with Granny and Rev. Wright.
Illinidiva on November 10, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Sunlight might not be what Obama’s looking for in Chicago. The real question is what’s hiding in Obama’s past in Chicago. There are some issues surrounding his shady land deal with Rezko, as well as his other connections to the machine. Reporters never really looked into his role in the machine (you’re shocked, I know). Also, why would he pick a fight with his power base? I’ll be pleasantly surprised if Fitzgerald stays on and continues his investigation.
NYCcon on November 10, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Don’t you know, these US Attorney’s serve at the pleasure of the President. NO!!!
You must be thinking of President Bush.
Going to be a piece of cake to dump this investigation, just fire them all and replace — Like Clinton did. Not a peep from the media will be heard.
tarpon on November 10, 2008 at 11:09 AM
No, but it is ridiculous that the ONLY crime commited was a byproduct of the investigation, AFTER they knew who the origional leaker was.
Romeo13 on November 10, 2008 at 11:10 AM
Bets? If I know The Machine, they have a nice little dossier on The One that they can release to the press if necessary – for example, who leaked the sealed divorce records of both his primary opponent and general opponent when he ran for the Senate. You don’t think that The Machine would let him get that much power without having a mighty strong hold on him, do you?
Realist on November 10, 2008 at 11:10 AM
It’s ridiculous to investigate an administration for outing a CIA agent?
Only when people outside the administration admit to leaking, hence the term “ridiculous.”
Bishop on November 10, 2008 at 11:10 AM
“If Obama cleans up Chicago….”
I’ll have whatever Ed’s having.
danking70 on November 10, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Grue in the Attic on November 10, 2008 at 11:07 AM
I don’t really want to get into this, BUT…
Plame was a covert CIA agent when Armitage, Libby and Rove revealed to the press that Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA.
Cheney wrote a note that directed that Plame should be brought up in trying to discredit Wilson.
The irrefutable facts are that the Bush White House outed Plame when they told members of the press that Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA.
Tom_Shipley on November 10, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Ever seen The Firm…such is Chicago politics
tomas on November 10, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Very well could be. Looks like Obama is in for it, either way.
Something about lying down with dogs, getting up with fleas etc. comes to mind.
I’ll guess that Obama will fire Fitzgerald. His “true believers” will cover for him, calling his obvious cowardice all kinds of brave. If he keeps Fitzgerald and the Chicago machine gets burnt then the attacks will come from the ranks of the true believers which will be much more problematic for him.
Gilda on November 10, 2008 at 11:14 AM
I’ve heard that there is no such thing as a stupid question but you just proved that to be wrong.
thomasaur on November 10, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Second, and more importantly, Obama no longer needs the Chicago Machine.
The Chicago Machine is simply a cog in the larger DFL Syndicate, Odummy will be told that he needs them whether he likes it or not.
Bishop on November 10, 2008 at 11:14 AM
honestly, if I was given power by the Chicago machine and then turned on them I’d fear for my life. No way Obama turns on them.
jp on November 10, 2008 at 11:15 AM
There is one downside you underestimate: the Chicago Political Machine knows where the political bodies are buried. And that includes the political bodies related to Obama. At the very least, the Chicago Political Machine could “invent” political bodies related to Obama if it wanted to. So, if Obama were smart, he would simply replace all of the U.S. Attorneys in one fell swoop and then name Fitzgerlald to a higher post within a different part of the government.
Obama would be making a big mistake if he allowed Fitzgerald to stay on, a mistake that would rival Clinton’s decision to name a special prosecutor under pressure from the Republicans. It is always better to take the hit politically over form, as opposed to taking a hit substantively. Obama’s decision to withdraw from public financing is a good example: people generally didn’t care that he withdrew and went back on his word; they did respond to his message created by the influx of money.
RedSoxNation on November 10, 2008 at 11:16 AM
Then don’t. No one forced you to reply.
Everyone else already answered, thanks.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on November 10, 2008 at 11:16 AM
dittos to RSN and jp…
Ed, what are you taking? I’d like some of that!!
yeah you’re a typical obamite…wacko.
right4life on November 10, 2008 at 11:18 AM
The Thugocracy will not be impeded by truth, honor and integrity.
DL13 on November 10, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Sopranobama will not only defang fitz, he will encourage other cities to follow Chicago’s model.
Folks, this guy is totalitarian to the core.
RushBaby on November 10, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Daley knows where Obama’s bodies are buried, so to speak. I bet Fitzgerald gets thrown under the bus.
Sue on November 10, 2008 at 11:19 AM
Grue in the Attic on November 10, 2008 at 11:16 AM
I did because I’m astounded there are people out there like you that still can’t face reality. Plame was outed by the Bush administration. It has been proven in court.
Now, if you disagree, please provide evidence.
Tom_Shipley on November 10, 2008 at 11:19 AM
My thoughts exactly and I think the former will be the road he takes. However, if he replaces Fitz. with an honest man he could be in trouble ala Nixon. Remewmber the cover-up brought him down not the crime.
thomasaur on November 10, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Do covert CIA agents normally walk through the front doors of CIA headquarters to their office everyday?
Haysoos Marimba, Tom MUST be an Obamanation, there can be no other excuse.
Bishop on November 10, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Well this will be a big play for Obama…at least here anyway. Everyone here expects him to do the sleazy thing, and he very well might. But if he DOESN’T…will that garner recognition from the same people deriding him now for something he hasn’t done yet?
ernesto on November 10, 2008 at 11:20 AM
No offense Ed, but that is just plain naive.
Chicago is a foundation of so many interests that support the liberal party. Unions, inner-city politics, just look at his neighbors…Jacksons, Farakhan (I don’t care how to spell the name), Ayres, these are liberal bastions with their power base in Chicago.
When they speak of Chicago politics, they aren’t just talking about Chicago, they are talking about it being a breeding ground…the liberals will never “clean it up”, it would destroy their base.
right2bright on November 10, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Can’t cure stupid it seems…
*eats*
Kevin in Washington State on November 10, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Says the person who made the allegation, and brought up the subject, in the first place…
Romeo13 on November 10, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Fitzgerald needs to wrap up his work prior to inauguration day.
That would be a surprise.
maverick muse on November 10, 2008 at 11:21 AM
I remember when liberals wanted the CIA to follow civilian authority and not act as a law unto itself, actively undermining the administration it served. You’re a long ways away from Frank Church, Mr. Shipley.
Mr. D on November 10, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Why, yes, you attention-whoring little trolly-poo, yes!
All the CIA’s covert agents get in their personal cars and drive directly to their jobs at CIA HQ every day, for years, like Plame did. That’s how we make sure the bad guys know who they are.
Only an exceptionally brilliant trolly-poo like you could possibly figure this out. Wherever would we ignoramuses be without the stellar likes o’you to set us straight?
Gilda on November 10, 2008 at 11:22 AM
The Irrefutable fact is that Valerie Plame used her position to get her husband to go on a partisan fact finding mission, and that Wilson , lied about everything concerning the trip. Lied about his meetings, lied about being directed by Cheney, lied about who sent him. The only person that should have been investigated was Wilson. So how do you defend against Wilson’s lies, without showing who sent him, and the partisan nature of it. Which is a fact.
MDWNJ on November 10, 2008 at 11:22 AM
Wait … now they serve at the pleasure of the President? I thought it was a crime to dismiss any US attorney.
Oh … I forgot, Obama’s a democrat. My bad.
darwin on November 10, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Everyone here expects him to do the sleazy thing,
It’s not as if there isn’t a precedent, or a few thousand precedents.
You trust in your ‘he might’, I’ll keep a jaundiced eye on our new God-King and wait for the inevitable.
Bishop on November 10, 2008 at 11:24 AM
DING! DING! DING!
wccawa on November 10, 2008 at 11:24 AM
Uh, the only thing that was prooven in court, was that a lie was told to an investigation… no one was even prosecuted for “outing” Plame… because they would have had to proove that she was undercover…
Not “once had been” undercover, but was currently undercover.
My big question is… why was MR. Plame never prosecuted? He was sent covert to Africa to get info for the CIA, and then released that info in a Press article, which set off the entire chain of events in the first place.
Romeo13 on November 10, 2008 at 11:26 AM
plame was outed by Powell’s assistant armitage, which was NOT proven in court, sorry. Novack admitted it.
right4life on November 10, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Please use lower case g when referring to the slug.
thomasaur on November 10, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Tom:
1. Everyone on the DC cocktail circuit new Plame was a CIA agent. But maybe they all took a vow of silence or something.
2. Plame put her husband forward for the Niger trip, then denied doing so.
3. Her ‘covert’ status is disputed, and is a technicality. She was a desk jockey, although in the movie she’ll no doubt be played by Angelina Jolie, and be shown abseiling through windows in Tehran in a black catsuit.
4. Fitzgerald knew is was Armitage who ‘leaked’ her name from the start, but he kept going because he wanted to ‘get’ someone closer to Bush.
5. You probably know all this. Get back under your bridge.
EnglishMike on November 10, 2008 at 11:29 AM
There’s no reason to think that Obama will be personally implicated in the Fitzgerald investigation, so there’s no way to believe it will play like Nixon. This is more about protecting the Combine than Obama himself. Unfortunately, nobody outside of Chicago knows who Fitzgerald is and the good (although sometimes overzealous) work he is doing in Chicago. (The Plame investigation was a joke, and many people, while happy that SafeRoads got what he deserved also felt that the trial was poorly handled). And the media sure isn’t going to tell them.
Illinidiva on November 10, 2008 at 11:30 AM
I am waiting for Shipley to post an accurate post…so far today he is batting ZERO.
The other post caught him mistating Obama’s win…he is such a tool, don’t feed him.
Ignore him…
right2bright on November 10, 2008 at 11:30 AM
The last part of this is possible.
The first part of this is just plain silly. I know you mean well, though. Never gonna happen.
Never. Not as long as there is a Daley or a Stroger alive.
;-)
drjohn on November 10, 2008 at 11:31 AM
It’s tough for the rest of us to prove a negative. Over to you.
EnglishMike on November 10, 2008 at 11:32 AM
It doesn’t matter what Fitz finds. If he is indicted can you imagine the outrage in this country? Fitz would immediately become a Republican shill and would be called a traitor to his country.
broker1 on November 10, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Libby’s was the only conviction and it amounted to his not being able to remember who he was gossiping with and when.
thomasaur on November 10, 2008 at 11:32 AM
If he’s sacked, will he see Henry “nostrilitis” Waxman convene hearings on the firings? Let’s not hold our breaf’
sladenyv on November 10, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Fitzi is looking for a new job on January 22nd 2009.
jukin on November 10, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Here’s my angle on why Fitzgerald won’t be asked to stay on as US Atty for the NDIL: the 2016 Olympics. With Obama as President, the international community likes us again, so that puts a finger on the scale in Chicago’s favor for getting the games (the successful Grant Park rally is obviously good major-event PR). There’s constant scuttlebutt that Bill Daley will run for Illinois governor. Obama in DC, a Daley in Springfield, and a Daley in Chicago is a powerful axis to make the Games happen. And looking at the very long view, a 2016 Chicago Olympics would be a helluva swansong for both Obama and the Daleys.
I think we know how the Games generally make for corruption and insider-dealing, only now add a Springfield/Cook County/Chicago flavor. So having Fitzgerald on the case the next 4-8 years is not in the Combine’s interest.
Sarge6 on November 10, 2008 at 11:35 AM
If both are in orange jumpsuits, it will be a start. BTW, I just love Chicago… They whine and b*tch about their corrupt pols and then turn around and vote them in again. Of course, Stroger likely won due to voter fraud. Some of the Dem. precincts on the South Side of Chicago were “late” reporting their vote totals.. always a clue.
Illinidiva on November 10, 2008 at 11:37 AM
If anybody thinks Obama will keep this guy your crazy.And you know the media will not say a word about it.This is the way libs have always acted and the Rep. will never learn this.
thmcbb on November 10, 2008 at 11:37 AM
Within months of his starting his Plame investigation, Fitzgerald knew that Armitage was the primary leaker, that no federal law was broken, and that there was no White House conspiracy to out a covert CIA agent. Yet Fitzgerald did not have the integrity to shut the investigation down.
Instead, he chose to aggrandize his own power, and to investigate the matter to the hilt, until, inevitably, he got people on the record with differing recollections, so he could prosecute Libby for perjury. And – disgracefully, in my opinion – he gave a summation in that trail right out of Daily Kos, bring up allegations not even alleged let alone proven at trail, and positing an evil White House conspiracy headed by Dick Cheney.
The guy poses as Eliot Ness, but he’s really another unprincipled, power-hungry jerk, i.e., another Eliot Spitzer.
We should not, out of an excess of partisanship, seek to sick this douche on another President. The very idea of an effectively unchecked federal prosecutor should offend conservatives, who at least nominally are advocates of limited government.
And we must not forget the most consideration: National Security. Let’s assume for the sake of argument the worst about Obama: He’s head of a criminal conspiracy to criminally violate our campaign finance laws, and he engaged in multiple criminal acts with Rezco & Co. back in Chicago. Well, the guy’s President now, so we might just have to eat that crap sandwich for the sake of our country. We have a President who doesn’t appear to have the best national security instincts in the first place, but he’s the only President we’ve got, and we cannot afford to have his attention diverted from the dangers facing this country, so that he can huddle with a criminal defense attornies to save his own hide.
BCrago66 on November 10, 2008 at 11:37 AM
I prefer Leper Messiah personally 8)
I dunno, you and the other two seem to have done a pretty good job refuting him thus far. :)
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on November 10, 2008 at 11:38 AM
If Fitzgerald is replaced, I want a full investigation with names, conservations, emails and immediate resignation of Teh One’s Attorney General.
How do you like that, Dumbocrats?
(sniff, sniff….methinks I smell the stench of the winds of impeachment……or KFC)
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on November 10, 2008 at 11:39 AM
More of that sunny optimism, Eddie!
Somebody, somewhere in Chicago, was at the meeting / has the tape where Obama had to do something really sleezy to make it up the next rung of the ladder. So Obama can’t step too hard on Chicago or he’ll hit that old land mine.
Gloom – iss my chob!
eeyore on November 10, 2008 at 11:40 AM
+1
Obama is a megalomaniac. His election has just validated his own stratospheric opinion of himself. The Chicago machine may be about to find out what it means to get dumped by a guy who no longer needs it.
On the other hand, there could be a legitimate concern among Obama’s team that Fitzgerald’s investigation could become Obama’s Whitewater, and lead in all kinds of as-yet-unknown directions that could kill Obama with a thousand cuts. They might take the short term political heat of getting rid of Fitzgerald in order to avoid this.
rockmom on November 10, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Obama has lied so many times, does anyone really think this guy will stay on? C’mon! He may make it to Feb 1st but I somehow doubt it.
grdred944 on November 10, 2008 at 11:41 AM
lol oh yeah he isn’t going anywhere. Are these people in the press this clueless. they think that Obama will not protect his friends and himself. This attorney is so fired from day one. and I will wait breathlessly for the Congressional hearings on why Obama fired all his attornies form day one.
We are so screwed it isn’t funny but it is. I hope the change people get makes them choke for the next 4 years.
unseen on November 10, 2008 at 11:41 AM
I have a feeling that Fitz will be part of his blitz…
scottythrust on November 10, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Tom,
If you’re still here, the general idea when you’re ‘making sh*t up’ is that the people in whose presence you are making said sh*t up should not know that said sh*t is made up.
Why don’t you try and join a chat-room for 12-year-olds? Sure, you run the risk of being arrested, but those guys will respect you big time.
EnglishMike on November 10, 2008 at 11:41 AM
no one was even prosecuted for “outing” Plame… because they would have had to proove that she was undercover…
Not true. They did prove that Plame was a covert agent. See this.
But to prosecute someone for the outing, you had to prove that they intentionally outed her, or that they knew she was covert and knew the results of their actions would reveal she was a CIA agent.
Fitzgerald said that was impossible due to Libby’s obstruction of justice, and that’s why perjury charges were brought against him.
Tom_Shipley on November 10, 2008 at 11:42 AM
I was just thinking about how a Chicago Olympics would make the SLC scandal look like small potatoes.. As a Chicagoan, I’d love the 2016 games here (both for the excitement plus the infrastructure improvements… Brand New EL sounds nice!). But the corruption has really made me hesitant.
Illinidiva on November 10, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Even if BO wanted to divorce himself from the Daley Machine (which I doubt) he won’t do it. It’s very likely that he will be a one term presidency, and he’ll need them again.
Besides, you don’t just tell Daley to “shove off”. It doesn’t work like that in Chi-town.
Fitz will be gone, and few questions will be asked by the media. Fannie Freddie investigations will fizzle, and the zombies can continue worshiping the Zero.
No change. No hope for change.
Cody1991 on November 10, 2008 at 11:43 AM
uh, wasn’t this all about Wilson reporting no sales of nuclear material from Niger to Saddam? Bush “ignored” the wilson report, assuming yellowcake was in Iraq. Hence, bush lie people died.
Funny CBS reported months ago about the yellowcake that was not there (according to Wilson). Obviously Wilson and Plame were spies that needed to be outed or worse.
Scooter Libby in prison: a crime.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/05/world/main4235028.shtml
anti-boomer on November 10, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Fitzgerald will remain in the Northern District of Illinois to cover up Obama’s ties to Rezko/Auchi. Likewise, Daley has nothing to worry from Fitz.
Angry Dumbo on November 10, 2008 at 11:46 AM
This kind of thinking during the
Clinton impeachment hearings is what has diminished the office of the presidency. We as americans need to stand up and refuse to be fed crap sandwiches.
thomasaur on November 10, 2008 at 11:49 AM
So pursuing Scooter Libby when Armitage was clearly the source of the leak is ‘non-partisan’.
Ed,
Do you think Obama would let Fitzgerald pursue a pointless process crime conviction on a small fish in the Daley crime family?
Right_of_Attila on November 10, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Sorry Ed, but I disagree. Fitzgerald was just a means to an end for the left on that one. Now that the mission was somewhat accomplished (at least they got one hide), I don’t think they’ll have any compunction at all about throwing him overboard, particularly now that he could be seen as working against them.
You give the left too much benefit of the doubt with your analysis.
thirteen28 on November 10, 2008 at 11:50 AM
this is the part of the article that addresses the political impact of the yellowcake. that’s it! hahaha! meager.
anti-boomer on November 10, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Obama will not take a “hit” from firing Fitzgerald outside of John Kass columns and Chicago Tribune editorials. We know who Fitzgerald is because we are political junkies. Most average people do not even know who Joe Biden is, let alone the DA for Northern Illinois. They do not understand why he’s important.
However, once Obama fires Fitzgerald, then I’m ready to write an I-told-you-so email to the Trib. calling them on their crap endorsement.
Illinidiva on November 10, 2008 at 11:51 AM
So pursuing Scooter Libby when Armitage was clearly the source of the leak is ‘non-partisan’.
Armitage, Libby and Rove all told or confirmed to members of the press that Wilson’s wife worked for the CIA. Because Plame’s status was as a covert agent, each of these acts outed her and are grounds for prosecution if it could be shown that they knew she was covert at the time and revealed that she worked for the CIA anyway.
Tom_Shipley on November 10, 2008 at 11:53 AM
With Gorelick as AG, Fitzgerald’s career as Chicago corruption buster can be measured in nano seconds.
a capella on November 10, 2008 at 11:55 AM
thomasaur,
1) The thing I’m most ashamed of about my post is that I spelled “attorneys,” like this: attornies.
2) And yes: I’d rather eat a crap sandwich than eat more terrorist attacks on America, on a scale equal to or greater than 9/11, and I do think that sicking a guy such as Fitzgerald on Obama does increase the chances of the later.
BCrago66 on November 10, 2008 at 11:56 AM
Plame, Wilson : political operatives. Whether they were outed : red herring. Whether they were political operatives undermining national security by filing false intel: the point.
Hang them; don’t protect them.
anti-boomer on November 10, 2008 at 11:56 AM
Careful there, it’s contagious. Thank God I’ve had my immunizations. Good ol’ Manly. :D
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on November 10, 2008 at 11:59 AM
The Obama-Rezko land deal would be enough to put any normal person behind bars for a couple of years. However, messiah’s are exempt from such laws.
The deal went something like this
1. Obama wanted to buy an obamamanison
2. The owners made a condition of sale that BOTH lots have to be sold on the same day
3. Despite the miraculous writing of his bio, obama didn’t have the cash for both
4. Rezkos wife stepped up to buy the vacant lot. She paid the full market value and obama paid a couple of hundred grand less
5. An appraiser who blew the whistle on the discount was fired.
6. Rezko’s wife then sold a piece of the vacant lot to the obamas. I’m not sure, but I think the remainder of her lot is now unbuildable.. thereby further enhancing the value of the obama property
6. Rezko suddenly found some support in the legistlature from a certain young state senator.
So, there are a couple of things going on here.
1. Quid pro quo of something of value in exchange for legistaltive favors
2. Tax implications – it would seem that obama got about a half million of value from rezko. Wanna take any guesses on the amount of tax declared and paid.
3. Falsification of real estate documents.
So, as I told my son, if he or I did something like that we would be looking at 10 years in a cell with a big guy saying “Bend over for me honey”. If you are the messiah elect, you get a platinum unlimited “stay out of jail” card.
Of course, one is innocent until proven guilty… I will extend that thought even to obama.
So, what is Fitzgerald going to do?? Will he have a grand jury that will hand down an indictment.. Are we so paralyized by the backlash?? Why weren’t people paralyzed the same way when Nixon was thrown out of office. What about other senators?? Randy Duke cunningham?? That republican is deservedly in jail. What about ted Stevens. That republican was indicted and may go to jail.
I guess the threat of riots is enough to subvert our judicial process.
Again, I have to say that obama would not be guilty until and unless a court decided so. However, I believe he will get a free pass and the matter will get flushed down the memory hole.
bullseye on November 10, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Um sorry, I’m not going to waste time caring about Fitzgerald. He made a mockery of justice with the Libby case.
Speedwagon82 on November 10, 2008 at 12:00 PM
…and the Chicago Tribune endorsed Obama.
southsideironworks on November 10, 2008 at 12:00 PM
As with any Chicago pol, BO has too many skeletons in the closets to leave a good DA to go snooping around. Fitz is gone within 60 days of inauguration.
jlp309 on November 10, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Obama will never extricate himself from the Chicago Machine. It’s not possible. Valerie Jarrett is his minder.
JAW on November 10, 2008 at 12:05 PM
She isn’t an agent, and she outed herself.
MarkTheGreat on November 10, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Plame stopped being a covert agent when she was outed by Aldridge Aimes. The hero of the left.
MarkTheGreat on November 10, 2008 at 12:09 PM
The only thing ever proven in court was that Libby disagreed with a reporter regarding the date and content of one off the record discussion.
MarkTheGreat on November 10, 2008 at 12:12 PM
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