Patrick Fitzgerald Resigns as U. S. Attorney

[Stuart G]

Source: Talking Points Memo

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick J. Fitzgerald, one of the most high profile federal prosecutors in the country, is stepping down from his position after over a decade in the position. His resignation takes effect on June 30.

Fitzgerald, 51, has no future employment plans and will take the summer off before considering career options, his office said in a statement. He has been at the Justice Department for over 24 years and led the investigation into the leak of Valerie Plame’s status as a CIA agent and the prosecution of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

When I was selected for this position in 2001, I said that it was one of the greatest opportunities that one could ever hope for, and I believe that even more now after having the privilege of working alongside hundreds of dedicated prosecutors and agents,” Fitzgerald said in a statement. “I have tried not to get in their way. I extend my deepest appreciation to the attorneys and staff for their determined commitment to public service. This was a great office when I arrived, and I have no doubt that it will continue to be a great office.”

Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement that Fitzgerald had served with the “utmost integrity and a steadfast commitment to the cause of justice.”


Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/pat-fitzgerald-resigns-as-us-attorney?ref=fpb

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Let us not forget, he went after Scooter Libby and got him....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Libby

[MADem]

1. Wonder what's next on his plate? He was quite the workaholic, IIRC...

I can't see him sipping pina coladas by the pool for too long...

Fitzgerald, 51, has no future employment plans and will take the summer off before considering career options, his office said in a statement. He has been at the Justice Department for over 24 years and led the investigation into the leak of Valerie Plame’s status as a CIA agent and the prosecution of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

[JDPriestly]

2. I bet he will write a book or books.

[Enrique]

18. reality show

mark my words.

[rhett o rick]

19. Go to work for Cheney. nm

[dennis4868]

20. he's already done that

[n2doc]

3. It's Fitz(no)mas!

(sorry, I couldn't help myself)

[BlueToTheBone]

4. ...

[MADem]

23. Wow, that was a while ago! Good memory, you! nt

[Kolesar]

5. Now would be a good time for the President to totally pardon Lewis Libby and make him talk

Before Beast left office, he commuted "Scooter's" sentence so that he could be free but not have to testify against Karl Rove and the others. President Obama could pardon him and remove his "immunity".

Better talk to an attorney to make sure this is well founded.

In any case, I think Cheney got to Fitzgerald and intimidated him into backing off from Rove and Cheney. Fuck 'em all

[McCamy Taylor]

6. Agree.

[TheWraith]

9. I don't think it works like that.

If you pardon someone, you can't then turn around and threaten to prosecute them. You also can't prosecute him twice for the same crime, i.e. obstruction of justice.

[Kolesar]

11. No, "testify"

Like where I said: "testify against Karl Rove and the others."

[Dreamer Tatum]

15. MAKE him talk?

How would he do that, exactly?

[sad sally]

17. Nice thought, but won't happen in a million years

[NYC Liberal]

21. He could reject the pardon, however, because accepting it is an admission of guilt:

http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/236/79/

Acceptance, as well as delivery, of a pardon is essential to its validity; if rejected by the person to whom it is tendered, the court has no power to force it on him. United States v. Wilson, 7 Pet. 150.

Quaere whether the President of the United States may exercise the pardoning power before conviction.

A witness may refuse to testify on the ground that his testimony may have an incriminating effect, notwithstanding the President offers, and he refuses, a pardon for any offense connected with the matters in regard to which he is asked to testify.

There are substantial differences between legislative immunity and a pardon; the latter carries an imputation of guilt and acceptance of a confession of it, while the former is noncommittal, and tantamount to silence of the witness.

There is a distinction between amnesty and pardon; the former overlooks the offense, and is usually addressed to crimes against the sovereignty of the state and political offenses, the latter remits punishment and condones infractions of the peace of the state.

[Gus2525]

7. His performance on the Scooter Libby case

was disappointing. He could have shown spine against Cheney et al. I can't believe he couldn't produce a more compelling case against Libby. I don't think he looked very hard up the chain of command if you listen to Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson.

[msanthrope]

8. He got a conviction, you know. Welcome to DU.

Do aspens still turn in clusters???

[spiderpig]

10. Remember how hopeful everyone was that someone had the spine to go after W&Co?

Were we ever disappointed.

[Stuart G]

12. I remember he had a press conference after the conviction.

He made it clear that others were responsible too. It also seemed (by inference) that if he had more evidence, he woulld ave gone after Cheney...at least that is what I heard that day. Maybe it was wishfull thinking

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. He got tired of the bullshit. Can't say that I blame him one bit!

[patrice]

14. You've heard of Regulatory Capture? Wondering what Patrick F. knows about DOJ Capture. Probably

not safe to tell.

[DallasNE]

16. Let Us Not Forget, He Refused To Go After Bigger Fish

Like Karl Rove, Dick Cheney and George W. Bush (although President Cheney may have withheld important details from Bush).

[BlueIris]

22. Thanks for trying, PJ.

I know you did all you could.

[annm4peace]

24. He has gone after Peace Activists harder than Scooter LIbby

LIbby was a criminal and a traitor and got off easy.

http://www.stopfbi.net/about/timeline


Fitzgerald has been going after peace and social justice activists for the last 2 years and they committed no crime.

I wonder if now the office will drop the witch hunt against activists? and stop criminalizing dissent.

Liberals think Fitzgerald was a good guy cause he went after Libby... when you take another look.. he is just doing the bidding of the 1%.

[OnyxCollie]

25. He was supposed to go after Cheney

and valiantly defeated the fall guy instead.

[pacalo]

26. Resigning before he has another job & no reason given?

I can hardly wait to hear how he explains why he's leaving so abruptly.

[AngryAmish]

27. Politicians in Illinois are dancing a jig right now

Everyone remembers the Libby case, but Fitzgerald put the last two governors of Illinois in jail and a really big fish (Cellini) is awaiting sentencing.

The next person will be a creature of the utterly corrupt political insiders of Illinois.

Mark my words, the next US Attorney will have a visible slime trail.

[sofa king]

28. Good.

He'll be speaking to the Heritage Foundation at a million dollars a pop, and running for office as a Republican within four years.

If Jeb Bush ever gets in, Fitzgerald will finally get his real payoff in the form of Solicitor General, AG, or an appellate or supreme court nomination.

But he won't be able to fix it for the Republicans this election season.

[JackRiddler]

29. It's time to stop falling for these bullshit artists.

Fitzmas, my ass. The most criminal regime in US history.