DON’T LET FITZGERALD GO!

There are many topics in the news that have caused me outrage, but nothing has risen to the heights of my current indignation, frustration and anger than the media reports of the early demise of Patrick Fitzgerald because of the Blago trial outcome. To paraphrase Mark Twain, “Reports of his death are greatly exaggerated.” We cannot allow the misguided actions of lone juror hold out, Jo Ann Chiakulas, to taint the reputation of the best prosecutor to ever represent the Northern District of Illinois! The background of Chiakulas is going to be discussed ad nauseum by political pundits smarter than I am: former state employee, so she was used to seeing corruption; special assistant for minority affairs at the Illinois Department of Public Health, so she appreciated the All Kids healthcare program Blago created; director of the Chicago Urban League's Young Parents Center for more than 10 years, so she worked with Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and probably did not think he would buy a Senate seat; blah, blah, blah. But she at least did vote guilty on one count and Blago is now a convicted felon, something the media and Blago want to ignore as they proclaim “victory” for the corrupt former governor. The media should not have to be reminded of all of Fitzgerald’s successes. How dare the Wall Street Journal write an editorial that said, ''If Mr. Fitzgerald doesn't resign of his own accord, the Justice Department should remove him.'' A United States attorney serves at the discretion of the President of the United States and Obama cannot send a message that he will protect his former shady Illinois pals by removing Fitzgerald. The list of the accomplishments and successful prosecutions of the U.S. Attorney’s office since Fitzgerald took command would run pages long, but I will list a few to remind the near-sighted media to open their eyes. There was former Governor George Ryan and his Chicago businessman friend Larry Werner whose network of political bribery and gift-giving led to more than 60 indictments. At the conclusion of the trial, in April 2006, Ryan was found guilty on all 18 counts against him; and Warner was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, fraud, attempted extortion, and money laundering. In March 2006, former Chicago City Clerk James Laski pled guilty to pocketing nearly $50,000 in bribes for steering city business to two trucking companies in conjunction with the Hired Truck Program scandal.

Since April 2007, Fitzgerald has overseen Operation Crooked Code, the investigation and prosecution of more than two dozen defendants for bribery and related charges in the City of Chicago's Departments of Buildings and Zoning. Even if the rest of the world wants to forget about the Conrad Black trial and victory, that is certainly one that Sun-Times reporters cannot ignore!

It was just this past June Former Chicago

Police Commander Jon Burge, the subject of accusations of torture against suspects for decades, was convicted on all counts of an indictment charging him with perjury and obstruction of justice. Does the media have a memory that cannot go back even two months and remember this most recent conviction?

In the song,” Let My People Go,” God told Moses to beg the pharaohs to let his people go. I beg President Obama to NOT let Fitzgerald go; there is too much corruption in Illinois so his job is not done.