Senator minces no words on GOP

[Nicholas_J]

Fitzgerald says party in Illinois is in shambles


By Rudolph Bush

Tribune staff reporter



September 19, 2004


WASHINGTON -- As he prepares to retire from the U.S. Senate and Illinois GOP politics, Sen. Peter Fitzgerald is leaving a party in such deep disarray that he believes it cannot survive in its current form.

Though he holds the highest elected office of any Illinois Republican, Fitzgerald has long been estranged from the state party leadership and blames it for now bringing the GOP low by focusing on profit and political gain at the expense of public service.

"The Republican Party cannot survive if we are not perceived as the more ethical party," because Democrats have a strong numerical advantage in the state, Fitzgerald said. "We have to throw the money changers out of our party, and its leadership must come from the ranks of those who are in politics for principled reasons."

For Illinois Republicans recent years have been dark, from the licenses for bribes scandal that brought down Gov. George Ryan to the 2002 election that left them with only one state office and finally a battle to retain the Senate seat being vacated by Fitzgerald that has been fraught with embarrassments and controversy.

Throughout, Fitzgerald has been critical, slamming the party for ethical failings even as GOP leaders tried to pull the pieces together.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/wireless/avantgo/nationworld/chi-0409190153sep19.story

[Eye and Monkey]

1. "We have to throw the money changers out of our party"

Sorry, reThugs say "All your base are belong to us. Make your time."

[coloradodem2005]

2. 2002 was a good year for Republicans.

Just not in Illinos. Now they are about to lose that office too. The thing is, Fitzgerald does not seem like a bad guy. Not from what I read. I wonder, is he talking about just in Illinois or across the country?