By GottaLaff
Conor Patrick Fitzgerald was welcomed Dec. 21 by Chicago's U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and his wife, Jennifer, the prosecutor's office confirmed Monday.I doubt the name Scooter was an option.
Fitzgerald, once a bachelor known for his long working hours, became a father at age 49.
"Failed"? What a worthless p.o.s. More at the link.
(AP) Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald famously declared in the Valerie Plame affair that "there is a cloud over the vice president." Last week's release of an FBI interview summary of Dick Cheney's answers in the criminal investigation underscores why Fitzgerald felt that way.
On 72 occasions, according to the 28-page FBI summary, Cheney equivocated to the FBI during his lengthy May 2004 interview, saying he could not be certain in his answers to questions about matters large and small in the Plame controversy.
(snip)
Among the most basic questions for Cheney in the Plame probe: How did Libby find out that the wife of Bush administration war critic Joseph Wilson worked at the CIA?
Libby's own handwritten notes suggest Libby found out from Cheney. When Libby discovered Cheney's reference to Plame and the CIA in his notes - notes that Libby knew he would soon have to turn over to the FBI - the chief of staff went to the vice president, probably in late September or early October 2003.
Sharing the information with Cheney was in itself an unusual step at the outset of a criminal investigation in which potential White House witnesses were being ordered by their superiors not to talk to each other about the Plame matter.
"It turns out that I have a note that I had heard about" Plame's CIA identity "from you," Libby says he told the vice president.
And what did Cheney say in response? Fitzgerald asked Libby in front of a federal grand jury six months later.
"He didn't say much," Libby replied. "You know, he said something about 'From me?' something like that, and tilted his head, something he does commonly, and that was that."
Cheney's version of the conversation, as related in the FBI interview summary?
Cheney "cannot recall Scooter Libby telling him how he first heard of Valerie Wilson. It is possible Libby may have learned about Valerie Wilson's employment from the vice president ... but the vice president has no specific recollection of such a conversation."
On another basic point, Cheney simply refused to answer.
By GottaLaff
The Obama administration indicated in court papers it may appeal a federal judge’s ruling ordering the Justice Department to release portions of the transcribed interview between former Vice President Dick Cheney and Patrick Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor appointed to probe the roles Bush administration officials played in the leak of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson six years ago.
The resistance from the Obama administration has left some of its supporters shaking their heads. Not only does the obstruction go against President Obama’s pledge of government openness, but it is protecting the reputation of Cheney, one of Obama’s most vocal critics.
Court papers filed by Obama’s Justice Department in July revealed that Bush and Cheney were in contact about the scandal, including what is described as “a confidential conversation” and “an apparent communication between the Vice President and the President.”
That court filing also revealed that Fitzgerald questioned Cheney about his participation in the decision to declassify parts of a 2002 National Intelligence Estimate regarding Iraq’s alleged WMD. It ultimately fell to Bush to clear selected parts of the NIE so they could be leaked as part of the White House campaign to disparage Wilson.
By GottaLaff
Right wing extremism doesn't hold a candle to all those wacky left wingy violent episodes, though.Hal Turner, an intermittent Internet radio talk show host and blogger, was arrested today by FBI agents at his home in North Bergen, N.J., on a federal complaint filed in Chicago alleging that he made Internet postings threatening to assault and murder three federal appeals court judges in Chicago in retaliation for their recent ruling upholding handgun bans in Chicago and a suburb.
Internet postings on June 2 and 3 proclaimed ‘outrage’ over the June 2, 2009, handgun decision [...] stating, among other things: ‘Let me be the first to say this plainly: These Judges deserve to be killed.’ The postings included photographs, phone numbers, work address and room numbers of these judges, along with a photo of the building in which they work and a map of its location.
[...] He was charged with threatening to assault and murder three federal judges with intent to retaliate against them for performing official duties in a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. [...]
‘We take threats to federal judges very seriously. Period,’ said Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, who announced the charges with Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Just when you thought The Hair had been forgotten.
A federal judge today authorized the release of audio tapes of secret recordings of coversations between U.S. Sen. Roland Burris and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s brother to a Senate ethics committee.
Burris’ criminal lawyer, Timothy Wright, federal prosecutors and an attorney for Robert Blagojevich were in court this morning before U.S. Judge James Holderman, who handles grand jury matters.
Reporters were kicked out of the courtroom as the hearing was set to begin.
Before the hearing, Wright said, “the truth will finally come out,’’ in an apparent reference to recordings that took place last November and involve discussions between Friends of Blagojevich campaign fund chair Robert Blagojevich and Burris regarding fund-raising for the ex-governor.
By GottaLaff
Rahm Emanuel appears to have been a victim of one of the extortion attempts with which former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was charged tonight.
Patrick Fitzgerald's indictment refers to two incidents involving "Congressman A": In one, Blagojevich discusses approaching the unnamed congressman to broker a deal for Obama's Senate seat.
In another, unrelated, charge, Blagojevich in 2006 allegedly demanded that the congressman or his brother -- Emanuel's high-profile sibling is super-agent Ari Emanuel -- hold a fundraiser for the governor in exchange for releasing $2 million to support a publicly funded school.
Blagojevich "wanted it communicated to United States Congressman A that United States Congressman A's brother needed to have a fundraiser" for Blago, the indictment says. [...]
The indictment notes that Emanuel did not, in fact, hold the fundraiser; the money was released anyway.
By GottaLaff
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who brought criminal fraud charges against Rod Blagojevich and Scooter Libby, "will be staying in his job in the Obama administration, even though he was appointed to the position by President George W. Bush," NBC News reports.I'm glad he's staying on. There'd be no reason to fire him.
"U.S. attorneys are political appointees. The normal practice, when there's a change of political parties in the White House, is for the incoming administration to replace all 93 U.S. attorneys with appointees from the new president's party."
By GottaLaff
Just to keep you up to date:
The United States attorney prosecuting Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois on federal corruption charges asked Wednesday for a 90-day extension to bring an indictment against the governor, as more details emerged about how Mr. Blagojevich worked behind closed doors to find someone to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s former Senate seat.[...]Here is an example of what this time extension will provide for ratings-hungry, gossip-worshiping news [sic] outlets:
Federal prosecutors normally have 30 days to file an indictment against a defendant. That deadline would have been Jan. 7, and the extension would give prosecutors until April 7 instead. [...]
In the motion filed in federal court on Wednesday, United States Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald asked for more time because “multiple witnesses” have come forward in recent weeks and investigators have to review “thousands of intercepted phone calls.”
But, if nothing else, the image of all three standing together in front of flashing cameras served as a reminder of the political environment in which Obama developed: Blagojevich is awaiting an indictment; Burris may be blocked from claiming the Senate seat by leaders in Illinois and Washington; and Rush pushed for a black senator to replace Obama, who prefers not to participate in "the politics of race." [...]90 more days of opportunity for Republicans/the news [sic] media (synonymous, for the most part) to stumble all over themselves to manufacture stories that chip away at Obama. They need no justification other than an attempted bump in poll numbers/ratings/self-aggrandizement.
It is that "taint" of controversy with which Obama has become associated during the past month. [...]
Activist Al Sharpton said yesterday: "I think that Governor Blagojevich is trying to save himself and cynically trying to draw the president-elect into this. But President-elect Obama should stay out of this. The worst thing that he could do is be drawn back into Illinois politics."
So much for Blago trying to throw up dust to obscure the situation.
CHICAGO—The Illinois House committee investigating a possible impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich won't subpoena two incoming White House advisers, the committee chairwoman said Saturday, shutting down a request from the governor's attorney.
In a letter received by the committee Friday, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald asked the special investigative committee specifically to not subpoena President-elect Barack Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Nils Larsen, a Tribune Co. executive vice president.
Fitzgerald said any such subpoenas "would interfere with the ongoing criminal investigation into the activities of Governor Rod Blagojevich and others."
By GottaLaff
Via DKos, we have a blogger that shares a mutual frustration with TPC. We are sick to death of so-called reporters, journalists, and talking heads pressing Obama for answers that they already know he can't give, and then misinterpreting what he can and does say. Patrick Fitzgerald specifically instructed Obama to not discuss the Blagojevich matter, but hey, to quote our president [sic], so what?
When Obama explains that concept again, during the Q and A, the follow-up TV commentators (deliberately?) misconstrue his response and perpetuate the implication that Obama is either avoiding their questions, misleading them, or contradicting himself. E-nough:
[S]omeone stood up and asked a "gotcha" question about Rahm talking to Blogojevich and whether Obama favored a special election, and Obama cut him off in the middle of his question and told him not to waste it because he wasn't going to answer it. Well, the reporter just didn't seem to understand that Obama wasn't going to talk about it because he's already said what was found in the report and why he's not releasing it. I'm sure the news will play the moment over and over, but I think it's safe to say that our next President is tired of the distractions. [...]Join the club.
[N]ow Chuck Todd is saying Obama can't seem annoyed by more pointless questions about Blogojevich. Then the other random guy starts talking about how they need to be tougher on Obama. Seriously? The media doesn't even understand what the hell is important to people. I'm sick of hearing about Blogojevich. I want to hear about the cabinet. I want to know who will be running this country. Everyone involved has exonerated Obama, and yet the press won't let the shit go. Where was all of this "we have to hold his feet to the fire" mentality for the past 8 years? The press hasn't been "easy" on Obama since right after Iowa.Anywhoo, that's what happened in today's press conference. I try not to hate people, but I reeeeeeeeeeally hate our press.
By GottaLaff
The "news" [sic] media must feel threatened, because Obama is too popular, and that's simply unacceptable. Or maybe they're just bored and just need a new toy to play with. Or they're pushing for better ratings (that's a given). Or they're tools (another given).Obama Honeymoon Continues
President-elect Obama "is entering the White House with an enormous reservoir of goodwill from an American public that is rooting for his success in the face of bad economic times," a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.
"The poll found that 73% of adults approve of the way he is handling the transition and his preparations for becoming president... Polling indicates that the nation is more unified around Mr. Obama than it was for either Bill Clinton in 1992 or George W. Bush in 2000. Americans say the challenges, too, are greater, with 77% of those surveyed predicting Mr. Obama will face bigger problems than most recent presidents have."
By GottaLaff
Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) is the anonymous Senate Candidate 5 "whose emissaries Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich reportedly claimed offered up to a million dollars to name him to the U.S. Senate," federal law enforcement sources tell ABC News.
Jackson Jr. said this morning he was contacted yesterday by federal prosecutors in Chicago who he said "asked me to come in and share with them my insights and thoughts about the selection process."
However, Jackson claims he is not a target of the investigation.
This is the first 8 minute segment, the rest are here. As soon as someone posts the whole thing on YouTube I'll replace it.
By GottaLaff
Patrick Fitzgerald holds thorough, evenhanded, disciplined press conferences.Merry Fitzmas. That was today's Shallow Thought. Thank you for wading in.
By GottaLaff
In a supplement to his responses to the House Judiciary Committee, Patrick Fitzgerald confirms what we've always suspected: Karl Rove was trying to have Patrick Fitzgerald fired while Fitzgerald was still investigating Rove for his role in leaking Valerie Wilson's identity--and the timing lines up perfectly with the Administration's efforts to fire a bunch of US Attorneys.Here are more pared down excerpts:
[H]ere's the allegation [...] (though I think Fitzgerald is referring to someone besides Ata, because Ata was not yet cooperating with the Rezko prosecutors): [...]The most corrupt bunch of thugs ever. Still in power, still not incarcerated."[Ata] had conversations with Mr. Rezko about the fact that Mr. Kjellander was working with Karl Rove to have Mr. Fitzgerald removed," Hamilton told U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve.[...]Note, Fitzgerald emphasizes that Rove was trying to fire him to protect Republican donor Bob Kjellander, not to protect Rove and Libby and Cheney. But that doesn't change the fact that Rove was in discussions about firing Fitzgerald while he--Rove--was under active investigation.
Also note the timing: while the discussions between this cooperating witness and (presumably) Kjellander happened earlier, the timing lines up with the effort to fire all the US Attorneys--and then, when Kyle Sampson suggested his name, Fitzgerald specifically--at the beginning of 2005.
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