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NEWS ABOUT: Patrick Fitzgerald

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Defiant Blago: Trial a Big Waste of Money

They threw 'the kitchen sink' at me and failed

(Newser) - Because federal prosecutors got Rod Blagojevich on only 1 of 24 counts , we get to do this all over again. Let the posturing begin, as rounded up by the Chicago Tribune :
  • Rod Blagojevich: "The government threw everything but the kitchen sink at me, and on every charge but one
... More »

Blago Judge: No Head-Butting in My Court

Ex-governor is colorful as ever in courtroom

(Newser) - The judge in the Rod Blagojevich trial doesn't intend to let the pugnacious former Illinois governor turn it into a grudge match with his nemesis, US attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. After a day of Blago antics —a rant in which he called prosecutors 'cowards and liars," challenged Fitzgerald to... More »

Chicago Cabbie Charged With Helping al-Qaeda

Raja Lahrasib Khan discussed stadium attack, feds say

(Newser) - A Chicago cab driver was arrested without incident this morning and charged with trying to send money overseas to help al-Qaeda. Raja Lahrasib Khan, 56, a native of Pakistan who became a naturalized US citizen in 1988, was ordered held without bond. He allegedly also talked about bombing a stadium... More »

Cheney: Wilson Mission Was CIA 'Amateur Hour'

New docs show former veep thought ill of Plame husband's Nigeria trip

(Newser) - Dick Cheney's memory may have been a little iffy about the Valerie Plame leak, but Politico reports that the former veep left no room for doubt about his opinion of her husband's trip to Niger to investigate an Iraqi purchase of plutonium. "It was amateur hour out at the... More »

Cheney on Plame Leak: I Can't Recall

VP comes up blank on specifics in newly released interview

(Newser) - After years of effort by the Bush and Obama administrations to keep documents related to the CIA leak case secret, redacted portions of the special prosecutor’s 2004 interview with Dick Cheney released today show plenty of nothing. The then-VP apparently suffered acute memory loss: Cheney told Patrick Fitzgerald he... More »

Blago Book: Senate Deal 'Routine' Politics

Former Illinois gov admits only 'routine' backroom dealing

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich’s memoir makes the case for his innocence with a lot of help from Shakespeare, the Chicago Tribune reports. While blaming his woes specifically on five enemies, he likens his plight to that of Othello and Lear. “You might as well throw in a little Richard the... More »

Evidence Tying Cheney to Plame Leak Grows

Obama DoJ renews Bush-era objections to releasing details

(Newser) - The Obama Justice Department is continuing its efforts to maintain the Bush administration's secrecy over Dick Cheney's role in the Valerie Plame CIA leak scandal, the Washington Post reports. A filing this week, intended to bolster the current administration’s case for keeping secret details of the then-VP’s 2004... More »

Daily Show Argument Exposes Obama as Bush Lite

Judge questions DoJ's claim about Cheney

(Newser) - A Justice Department lawyer argued in court yesterday—with a straight face—that releasing statements Dick Cheney made during the Valerie Plame investigation could cause future administration officials to hold back out of fear their statements would “get on The Daily Show.” The judge overseeing the hearing seemed... More »

Blago Fails to Boot Federal Prosecutor

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich has failed to get Chicago's top federal prosecutor kicked off of his case, the Chicago Tribune reports. A judge ruled today that comments made by Patrick Fitzgerald—which Blagojevich called inflammatory—did not warrant removing him from the corruption case. Nor did Fitzgerald's release of wiretap transcripts that... More »

Fitzgerald Asks for More Time in Blago Case

Citing complexities, attorney seeks to push back Jan. 7 deadline

(Newser) - US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has asked for more time to bring his indictment against Rod Blagojevich, citing the complexity of the case and holiday distractions as the reasons for the hold up. Unless he gets the extension, Fitzgerald will have to present his evidence to the grand jury on Jan.... More »

Obama Has Nothing to Hide, Plenty to Lose With Blago

Reflexively distancing himself from Illinois mess has made him look needlessly sketchy

(Newser) - Barack Obama looks to have done nothing wrong in his (however limited) dealings with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but the president-elect seemed bent on proving otherwise, Joe Conason writes on Salon. Obama’s “unnecessary mistakes” in handling the scandal “risked creating public suspicion where there need be none,... More »

What Crime Did He Actually Commit?

Despite phone taps, evidence against Blago may not secure conviction

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich's foul-mouthed conversations about Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat may have been "appalling," as Patrick Fitzgerald said last week. But were they actually illegal? With no appointment made and no evidence that the governor received anything, prosecutors may have a difficult case if and when Blagojevich... More »

Obama Camp Sits On List of Blago Contacts

No 'inappropriate discussions' by staff, but details must wait

(Newser) - Barack Obama's transition team has completed its review of contacts with Rod Blagojevich and his staff, but the US attorney has asked that details not be released while the investigation of the disgraced governor proceeds, the Chicago Tribune reports. A rep cut to the chase: “The president-elect’s staff... More »

Tribune Story Forced Feds to Arrest Blago Early

Story broke up meeting

(Newser) - US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald must have been grinding his teeth as he arrested Rod Blagojevich Tuesday morning, reports the Wall Street Journal. Fitzgerald’s team had been salivating over the prospect of catching the sale of Barack Obama’s Senate seat on tape, but those hopes were dashed when the... More »

Illinois' New Eliot Ness Bags Another Scalp

From twin towers to Valerie Plame, Fitzgerald is relentless

(Newser) - With the arrest of Rod Blagojevich, federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald notched up his second indictment against an Illinois governor in five years. But it's just another scalp for the US attorney who's brought down everyone from World Trade Center bomber Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman to media mogul Conrad Black, not... More »

A 'Shady' Guv Is Brought Down by Vanity

Blagojevich always seemed sketchy, but never 'Nixonian'

(Newser) - Of the six Illinois governors who preceded Rod Blagojevich, three have gone to prison—a 50% conviction rate that makes dealing crack on Chicago’s West Side look safe. Still, writes Edward McClelland in Salon, nobody was prepared for the breathtaking scale of Blagojevich's corruption. "Illinoisans have always had... More »

Blago Charges Go Beyond Obama Seat

'Breadth of corruption' would 'make Lincoln roll over in his grave'

(Newser) - In addition to bartering over President-elect Obama’s vacant Senate seat, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich sought campaign contributions in return for government action, and attempted to influence the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune, the Sun-Times reports. The FBI released transcripts of incriminating conversations today. “The conduct would make... More »

Cheney May Have Told Libby to Out Plame

'Scooter' told FBI agents it's 'possible' that VP gave order

(Newser) - "Scooter” Libby told the FBI it was “possible” that Dick Cheney ordered him to out CIA agent Valerie Plame to the press, the Washington Post reports. The revelation appears in a redacted FBI report under examination by a House panel led by Henry Waxman. The panel now wants... More »

Rezko Pal, Rove Tried to Oust US Attorney, Witness Says

They deny allegations about Patrick Fitzgerald

(Newser) - One of Tony Rezko's associates conspired with Karl Rove to try to get US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald fired to quash a federal investigation of Rezko, the Chicago Tribune reports. Prosecutors hope a judge will allow testimony to that effect in Rezko's corruption trial. Rove denies the allegations, as does the... More »

Bush Blocking Plame Probe, Says Waxman

He wants Mukasey to defy new boss, release documents

(Newser) - A House committee chairman investigating the Valerie Plame affair says the White House is blocking special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald from providing key documents from his investigation, the Washington Post reports. Fitzgerald agreed to hand over his findings before the Bush administration stepped in, says Henry Waxman, who has called on... More »

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