Getting Rid of Patrick Fitzgerald

by Cal Skinner

If Rahm Emanuel is going to be President-elect Barack Obama's chief of staff, can the removal of Chicago U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald be far behind?

Fitzgerald, of course, had the audacity to put in a court document that Hired Truck guys helped Emanuel win his 2002 primary election campaign against reform-minded State Rep. Nancy Kazak.

And, Emanuel holds grudges.

Getting even and helping the Bi-partisan Combine avoid more indictments for the endemic corruption in Illinois means Fitzgerald has to go.

How to do it?

That is the question.

Some have suggested Fitzgerald could be named Attorney General.

Hey, that would do the trick.

Then, senior U.S. Senator Dick Durbin can pick a “safe,” yet respectable replacement who will not continue to play the role of Elliot Ness.

Posted first on McHenry County Blog.

Comments

[Brad]

If Rahm wants Fitzgerald gone, then President Obama will just fire him like Bush did to other US attorneys (and like Clinton did before him). We all remember the uprising when Bush did that, but when (not if) Obama does this, it will be 'no big deal'.

I wonder if Fitzgerald is a Republican? Someone with his record and high regard is exactly what we need in our next US Senatorial candidate.

[David P. Graf]

Cal,

If they tried to kick Fitzgerald "upstairs" by making him the Attorney General, I have the feeling that it would be the combine's biggest mistake ever. Their counterparts in the past tried to do the same with Teddy Roosevelt by making him VP and you know what happened after that.

[Tom]

Fitzgerald is not a republican, he is a self-proclaimed independent. In response to this article, I really like Pat Fitzgerald and hope this does not come true

[Neil]

Fitzgerald has said he will resign at the end of Bush's term (which all US Attorney's must do) and take time to decide what he wants to do next. I think you'll see Fitz continue to choose public service.

Here's an idea, get him into the DOJ in DC to cleanup the problems Bush, Rove and Gonzalez created.

Better yet, appoint him as special prosecutor to investigate politicized prosecutions they initiated.

The other question is whether Durbin (and Obama's replacement) and Obama will ask Fitz to stay on. Fitz is good for Illinois. If they don't have him, they'll need someone who is just as tough.