Fitzgerald to Conyers: “Okay, Now I’m Ready to Talk”

[kpete]

Fitzgerald to Conyers: “Okay, Now I’m Ready to Talk”
By: emptywheel Thursday June 5, 2008 6:51 am

Thanks to BayStateLibrul for pointing out this provocative comment from Patrick Fitzgerald after yesterday's Rezko verdict:

The White House Rasputin, Karl "The Architect" Rove, also was mentioned in the trial, as was former House Speaker Dennis "Don't Ask Me About My Land Deal" Hastert, alleged to have been part of an effort by the bipartisan Illinois Combine to get rid of Fitzgerald. To demonstrate their kinship, Cellini and Rezko flew out to Washington on a play date and visited a White House reception with President Bush, where Kjellander joined them.

Later in the Rezko trial, two witnesses said that Rezko told them not to worry about the criminal investigation, because the Republicans—Rove and Kjellander—would get rid of Fitzgerald. Hastert would install a friendly federal puppy who wouldn't bother the Combine, according to the testimony. "The federal prosecutor will no longer be the same federal prosecutor," testified Elie Maloof, a Rezko associate who is now a cooperating witness.

And a state pension board lawyer who has already pleaded guilty told grand jurors that Cellini told him "Bob Kjellander's job is to take care of the U.S. attorney."

The Illinois Republican Party holds its own convention this week in Decatur. The party establishment, which has long been cozy with the Daley Democrats at City Hall, has done little or nothing to rid the Illinois GOP of Kjellander and Cellini influence.

"If I owe a response (about the push to remove him from his job), I owe it to Congress, first," Fitzgerald said when asked about all this after the verdict.

Well, now that you mention it, Fitz, I seem to recall that Congress did ask you questions about this issue--questions that you obliquely passed on because of an ongoing criminal trial.

But that's not the version of the "what if you got fired" question that I find most interesting. Rather, there's a question that asks specifically if Fitzgerald became aware of efforts to fire him during the course of the CIA Leak investigation. Fizgerald refuses to answer ... because of the ongoing Rezko case.

...............

Let's see. Fitz "respectfully decline(s) to discuss matters currently at issue in a trial ongoing." The trial is over. And on the day the trial ends, Fitz says, "I owe Congress" a response about Kjellander's and Rove's efforts to get him fired???

I'm reading that message loud and clear, Chairman Conyers. Are you?

more at:
http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2008/06/05/fitzgerald-to-conyers-okay-now-im-ready-to-talk/

So, I just called Chairman Conyers’s office and retailed EW’s (and Pat Fitzgerald’s) messages — w/ FDL reference. Careful staffer said that she took it all down; would pass it on to the Congressman.

No harm in a few more calls on the subject, I imagine. 202.224.3121.

[babylonsister]

1. Clear the decks and let's hear from Fitz, Mr. Conyers! nt

[lovuian]

14. Looking in the crystal ball I see Obstructive of Justice and

Conspiracy charges looming that Fitz was tried to be remove while doing the Plame Case

Ahhh yes Fitz lets hear from you

[Phred42]

2. you are correct! Self Delete

wrong guy

[Fly by night]

4. WTF are you talking about?

Do you even know who Patrick Fitzgerald is?

[grace0418]

5. Uh, take a few minutes to research Fitzgerald.

Seriously.

[sam sarrha]

3. if they would only keep picking at this obvious ReThuglican crap, their party would explode like the

rotten egg it obviously is

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Finally, they're listening to the bloggers.

I noticed yesterday that a link that took us to the landlined media which finally wrote the article on Hasteret, also encouraged bloggers to send in their tips. Times, they are a changing.

[liberalla]

33. "Times, they are a changing"

They sure are! and it is Beeeuuutifuuulllll !!!!

Reaching out to bloggers?
OMG - They've seen the light!

[The Backlash Cometh]

42. If only the Florida newspapers would catch on...sooner than later.

[babsbunny]

43. I love positive posts!

That's how "Yes We Can" works!

[mac2]

50. Why isn't Hastert in court for fraud over his land deal?

The Clintons were dragged through court even though they lost money and weren't guilty.

What's good for the Democratic gander is not good for the Republican apparently.

The primary and this Refko trial all seems so distracting doesn't it?

[The Backlash Cometh]

60. From where I stand, the reason why Hastert isn't getting as much

flak from the authorities, is because the public isn't making a stink about it, because they don't yet fully understand what he did wrong. Why is that important? Because, WAKE UP PEOPLE, EVERYBODY IS DOING THIS KIND OF CRAP ALL ACROSS AMERICA. Most people are afraid to upset the applecart, because these kinds of shady deals are the way they make their money. You reveal too much and the whole crony system falls apart. So, the only shady deals that get the attention of the justice system is whenever someone gets in the way of the political powers that be. That means, NOW is the time to go after Republicans because the Democrats are coming in power, and NOW may be the only time to even the score with crooked Democrats because they still may not have as much power as they soon will have to shut down investigations.

[mac2]

64. The big newspapers in town...The Chicago Tribune and

The Sun Times have not carried the story or asked questions. The Chicago Tribune supports Obama but remains silent about Hastert.

[The Backlash Cometh]

70. The CT also owns the Orlando Sentinel.

So, the same kind of stories are getting stifled.

[SpiralHawk]

7. "Bring it on." - Honest Citizens of the United States of America

eom

[Truth2Tell]

8. Alleged Libby Grand Jury transcripts

posted on the Web here:

http://libbywatcher.blogspot.com/

Seem to implicate Cheney,

[lovuian]

15. yep so why didn't Cheney testify???

this is the BIG QUESTION

[Truth2Tell]

16. Yes. An interesting quote from the blog

I linked to:

"...It is my reasonable belief that some activities related to the functioning of the Plame Grand Jury were themselves a continuation of the criminal cover-up of the original crime in this case."

[lovuian]

36. Ohhhhh verrrrry Interesting

now that really has a person thinking

[Missy Vixen]

23. I keep telling people this, and they keep refusing to listen

Those of us who followed the liveblogging of the Libby trial (archives are available at www.firedoglake.com; it might be nice if some of you spent a few hours reading up on them before trotting out the same tired arguments,) knew that Cheney was not going to take the stand for several reasons, one of which was the fact that his appearing would turn what was a cut and dried perjury/OOJ case into a circus. Cheney's testimony did not help the case against Libby, therefore, he was not asked to testify.

Charging, trying and getting a conviction on Libby was a long and arduous trip through graymail and mucho other issues that should have derailed this case from the start. It's a testament to PJF's determination and the tireless efforts of his staff that the case was even heard, let alone won.

Rove's grand jury testimony? Does it occur to anyone here that Rove's testimony might be considered necessary at some point? It's difficult to testify when one is under indictment. Rove escaped by the seat of his pants; somehow, things have changed, and I can only hope that the fat lady's warming up to sing for him.

Patrick Fitzgerald said that sand was flung in the eyes of the umpire, namely himself. He could only prosecute what he could charge, and he can't charge vaporware dressed up as a case. There are so many armchair federal prosecutors here. Please educate yourselves at Firedoglake and at Marcy Wheeler's (emptywheel's) blog. They've forgotten more about the Libby case than most of the legal experts will ever know. I might also mention that, while I respect Elizabeth de la Vega and her career experience, I don't care for the fact that she should know some of this stuff, too.

Julie

[annabanana]

40. 100% on the nose Julie! Reading that liveblogging was one of the

most rewarding (albeit wrist and eye straining) exercises I've ever done.

High drama, day after day. I am so excited to see that it may move forward at last.

[mac2]

51. Can't touch the don.

[pacalo]

9. K&R!

[Supersedeas]

10. where is the corp Media???

[bdamomma]

11. to busy calling Obama an elitist.

[starroute]

12. Kjellander and Rove have been buddies forever

I haven't paid much attention to the Rezko trial until recently -- but the closer you look, the more Republican entanglements you see.

http://www.tomroeser.com/blogview.asp?blogID=23216

Kjellander started as a youthful volunteer organizer of the College Young Republicans and got to know Karl Rove in the activity. While in an earlier era, Republican businessmen risked their futures in behalf of a party that in the Depression was desperately unpopular, in the 1970s and `80s, Kjellander and Rove matriculated in paid-to-play staff roles. Rove started a prosperous direct mail campaign business trading on political contacts. Kjellander began his career as a foot soldier, following Republican governor Richard B. Ogilvie (1968-72), the original progenitor of get-rich-quick secret agreements between the Richard J. Daley and Republicans.

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=177986&src=109

4/23/2008

Federal prosecutors say two witnesses can testify that they were told by two separate Kjellander associates that he was working behind the scenes to get Fitzgerald removed. Kjellander is a longtime friend of Rove's.

The power play was allegedly plotted before Fitzgerald received a questionably low ranking by the Bush administration and the controversial ousting of eight U.S. Attorneys.

The first hints of the far-reaching accusations came out in court late Tuesday when Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Hamilton read the grand jury statements of Steven Loren, a lawyer who was convicted of hiding bribes in the state teacher pension board scandal .

Veteran insider Bill Cellini "said it was Bob Kjellander's job to take care of the U.S. attorney," Hamilton read from the transcript, which recounted a late 2004 meeting between Cellini and Loren over how to handle the deepening federal probe.

There's also the Carlyle Group and Bear Stearns connections:

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2754/

Beginning in 2002, the Republican-connected Carlyle Group hired Kjellander to secure an eventual $500 million investment from the state teacher’s pension fund. Kjellander received a finder’s fee of $4.5 million, which the pension board now says they knew nothing about. The scandal sparked a public uproar that caused the Illinois State Senate to pass legislation banning such payments. Kjellander called the bill an “overreaction.” Federal investigators probing the deal have subpoenaed records on Kjellander, but he has yet to be accused of a crime.

In 2003, Kjellander was involved in another state pension deal, this time a $10 billion bond deal with the Bear Stearns investment firm that netted him a “finder’s fee” of $809,000. When the deal came under scrutiny by the state General Assembly in 2004, neither state officials nor Bear Stearns could produce any kind of documentation showing what Kjellander had actually done on the deal, which helped sparked ongoing investigations by the SEC, Illinois Attorney General and the governor’s inspector general.

The scandal began in earnest, however, when a whistleblower lawsuit filed in 2004 alleged that a Bear Stearns broker who had worked with Kjellander on the deal had helped secure the contract for the firm through a criminal kickback scheme. That broker? Nicholas Hurtgen, who also happened to be a Pioneer for Bush’s 2004 campaign. The details in the suit are still sealed, but Hurtgen, who resigned from Bear Stearns in July 2004, also earned his firm a $500,000 consulting fee for a separate $100 million investment from the beleagured teachers pension system that federal investigators are investigating as well. Hurtgen was also indicted on separate criminal charges last year for allegedly extorting hospital officials in Naperville, Ill., into using Bear Stearns to finance their new hospital construction project.

[leveymg]

49. Hmm. Rove and Young Republican buddies ripping off large institutions to transfer money to

Saudi bank raiders and the GOP, and then obstructing justice. Where have we seen this before?

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/leveymg/366

Part of a pattern of ongoing criminal activities, perhaps? GOP=RICCO

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

13. I am appalled at the lack of coverage on the pre-war Iraq revelations of MISREPRESENTATION by,...

,...this administration!!!!

I do not care what anyone says! Prosecution for the greatest fraud EVER on the American people should take place IMMEDIATELY,...not after elections,...RIGHT DAMN NOW!!!

[Uncle Joe]

20. I believe tonight CBS will be covering sexual intimacy on the Internet

I doubt any of the networks news will be giving passing mention if at all to this explosive story, frankly they don't give a damn.

[madrchsod]

17. as soon as the grand jury was finished

he told the congress he`d talk if they asked. they can request the entire grand jury investigation but the AG has to approve of that...

so little time so many indictments

[defendandprotect]

19. Wasn't there a lot of talk of Cheney being indicted/summoned? And then Fitz didn't?

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

26. Libby was prosecuted for being an obstacle. Fitz said it was up to Congress to get at,...

,...the truth.

Congressional investigations ARE revealing truths,...one at a time.

One truth is that DICK and the BushCO regime MISREPRESENTED the case for war. There are numerous criminal charges associated with such intentional manipulation and misrepresentation.

Other truths IN FACT will be revealed!

It is past time for justice to knock at the neocon/PNACers/corporacrats' doors.

They will suffer akin to the suffering they IMPOSED upon millions and millions of human beings. But, I will celebrate ANY justice wrought against them, as oppressors.

[madrchsod]

28. cheney was "off the record" so it was difficult to

indict him at that time but who knows what can be done now....

[Garbo 2004]

47. No, Cheney wasn't off the record. He didn't testify but was interviewed by Feds...and lying to Feds,

even if not under oath, is still a crime. But without Libby flipping on Cheney, Fitz didn't have anything to use against Cheney.

[mac2]

52. Cheney has committed a felony against the American people

by lying about terrorism, war, and now removing attorneys (who are investigating him and his cronies). DA!!

[Garbo 2004]

46. Cheney was on Libby's (the defense's) witness list, but never called. Fitz did not have Cheney as

a witness since a) he didn't need him for Libby's perjury trial, b) as noted above, trying to get Cheney as a witness would involve all sorts of complications that would outweigh value as a witness, and c) see a.

"Lots of talk" about a Cheney indictment was third party speculation. And alleged "scoops" by not credible (and suspected disinformation) sources. Libby did his job well, stonewalling the investigation and protecting his boss. Whatever leverage Fitzgerald had over Libby to get info on Cheney was removed by Bush's commutation of his sentence.

[mac2]

56. I'd rather get don Cheney than Libby

[Missy Vixen]

58. One more time: Cheney wasn't on the table without Libby

Libby wasn't talking.

Bush's commutation of his sentence ensures he probably will NEVER talk.

Julie

[mac2]

62. High crimes against the state is treason and not forgiven

by the party in power at the time. To think a President can do this is really undemocratic and an outrage.

[Missy Vixen]

59. Thank you, Garbo2004

Somehow, I'm thinking the pardon Libby's expecting in January 2009 is never going to come. They can't risk him talking. Ever.

Julie

[nels25]

65. Julie - Can you answer something for me.

I could never keep the whole Plame and Libby thing straight, I could never understand it, beyond the basic illegal outing of a CIA operative.

What if any action can be taken against Bush or any of the officials in his administration who have been found to have broken the law/laws after a new administration takes office.

By this I mean both US and violation of the US constitution (I know that a violation of the constitution can mean impeachment while in office, what actions can be taken after leaving office?)

I am not so concerned with an international trial for war crimes or some such, since I think that has a high potential to do our party more harm than good, and I am unsure of how good a precedent we want to set with that approach.

I am doubtful that when you come down to it the public would support an ex-president in the dock at the Hague, to say nothing about how that may play in the uniformed services.

Any way thank you, any any explanations you can give me I would appreciate.


:dem: :hi:

[defendandprotect]

18. Push/rec

[malaise]

21. Truth will out

Talk Fitz talk!!!

[kimmerspixelated]

25. INTO THE MEGAPHONE!!!

Go Fitz!

[pnorman]

22. WOW! This thread is the Mother Lode!

n/t

pnorman

[ms liberty]

24. K&R - This is big...I mean potentially really big. I want to see H20Man's take on this! n/t

[Patsy Stone]

27. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat.

Waiting and watching. :popcorn:

Go, Fitz! :bounce:

[elizfeelinggreat]

29. I thought that he couldn't testify before

when he offered, I think Waxman said the White House blocked it?

[Missy Vixen]

31. He had to ask permission of the Justice Department

as all sitting US Attorneys would have to. I believe it took several months for them to finally decide they'd let him speak.

Also, Congress can get to the bottom of this stuff due to intelligence clearances. It couldn't be brought into open court without having it bounced as a result of graymail.

Julie

[elizfeelinggreat]

32. Here's hoping Congress does!

Thanks for the clarification.

[Missy Vixen]

34. elizfeelinggreat, I hope so, too

Part of me is afraid, though -- this will get lost in the run-up to the election, and they'll magically find something else to do afterwards...

Julie

[elizfeelinggreat]

37. I hear you

but I'm crossing all my fingers and all my toes that it will be investigated further.

Our country desperately needs to give the Bush administration the sunshine treatment!


"What I would want to do is to have my Justice Department and my Attorney General immediately review the information that's already there and to find out are there inquiries that need to be pursued. I can't prejudge that because we don't have access to all the material right now. I think that you are right, if crimes have been committed, they should be investigated." Barack Obama

[nels25]

66. What about when a new administration take office??

[bluesmail]

30. K&R before they all get away in Dubai. Time is ticking. n/t

[bertman]

35. NOW YOU'RE TALKIN'!!

This almost sounds too good to be true.

I can't help but think that this and the Siegelman case and all of this newly-minted commentary about Bush being liable to prosecution for murder once he leaves office are causing the fascistas ears to perk up. Twisted minds are calculating the timing for the next "terrist" attack against Merka, the inevitable martial law that follows, and Boy George's exercising of his lawful power to crap on 200-plus years of this beautiful experiment in self-determination. Thanks to a craven Congress that's under the thrall of their corporate masters.

Call me paranoid. But I think the Nazis are standing by to do the dirty deed.



Nonetheless, I say "balls to the walls, Patrick!!" Burn the bahstids a new one!!!

[MadMaddie]

38. Let the investigations begin and continue into 1st quarter 2009

* will be gone....and there will be no Pardons.

[puebloknot]

45. And someone named "Obama" has said he will do a review of...

...Bush's "laws," and take down the ones that are unconstitutional.

Alas, I think Mr. Obama will find that he has no time for anything else, so I hope he's good at sharing the workload!

[goclark]

48. He has been able to share his work load

with all of his supporters so far. :bounce:

Fired Up!

[puebloknot]

71. Hey! Tell us how you *really* feel! :)

[mac2]

53. Every Congressman/woman should be doing that.

They like having their own way and laws.

[jmowreader]

55. There's only one possible way to overturn all of Bush's unconstitutional EOs

Bush issued so many EOs and signing statements over the course of his administration, there's no way you could review them all. What he's going to have to do, if he wants to make sure he removed all the evil with Shrub's name on it, is to issue one Executive Order the Monday after he's inaugurated that sets aside every Bush EO and every Bush signing statement, without exception.

[mac2]

63. Impeach him for treason and genocide Congress

The Republicans appeared one after another on CSPAN saying it was not a lie to war as the Democrats have recently stated. They once again get before the people and lie their heads off.

Shame on them. All those needless deaths of ours and theirs. Destruction, genocide, and robbery.

Oh yea...where's the proof Iraq had nuclear weapons and planned an attack on us? Not there is it? Many apologies are now reversing and coming back full circle to be the big lie for invasion once again.

[puebloknot]

69. And I'll be there to throw roses at his feet when he does that.

Yes, indeed, we just need a clean sweep, a rewind to whatever level of sanity we actually enjoy, prior to 2000.

After oblitating all Bush's EOs, if anyone wants to protest, let them stand in line and make the case for each EO on its own. That should keep them occupied for at least one administration's tenure.

[annabanana]

39. How the HELL did I miss this post all day long today?

Ok all you Fitz naysayers... Here he is.

I knew right down to the soles of my feet that this guy was the real deal. I knew it.
Goddam this just fives me chills all the way through.

Will Fitz do battle?

[elizfeelinggreat]

41. :) ! :)

"WRONG. Your ears you keep and I'll tell you why. So that every shriek of every child at seeing your hideousness will be yours to cherish. Every babe that weeps at your approach, every woman who cries out, "Dear God! What is that thing," will echo in your perfect ears. That is what to the pain means. It means I leave you in anguish, wallowing in freakish misery forever."

A girl can dream ...

[puebloknot]

44. Now that the Bush era is ending (we can only hope)...

... we'll have the "German High Command" coming forward and spilling their guts. Scott McClellan has just done his bit (maybe because he's not totally dumb, and wants to save his ass, or maybe from more elevated motives). Now it would be supremely sweet for Fitz to lay it all out in public.

I hope that John Conyers will find his old courage and act on this matter.

We the People have long endured this pernicious assult on our rights and freedoms for lo, these anxious eight years. We are in dire need of heroes, of people who have not forgotten what America has always claimed to stand for. That we have not lived up to our own standards is not a reason to forget how important it is to keep trying!

[mac2]

54. I believe Scott tried to clean up the Bush image and got

a book deal of his lies and new "confession". He covered for Bush and going to war, etc. Few got that message.

[puebloknot]

68. Yes, I agree. And Scott doesn't exactly look straight into the camera...

...or at the interviewer, when he's been interviewed on television.

War is peace, etc.

[pleah]

57. K&R But, I'm not going to hold my breath!

I have been waiting so long for SOMETHING to happen to SOMEBODY! I keep thinking surely someone will be held accountable someday. One can only hope, I guess.

[orleans]

61. so...is this why fitz started pussyfooting around ("he threw sand in my eyes.

i can't go on")

because he knew they were trying to fire him?

[Missy Vixen]

67. Getting fired most likely doesn't scare him

He'd go to work for a private firm and make several times what he makes now a year.

He was hamstrung because he could not proceed without Libby's cooperation.

IMHO, YMMV.
Julie

[Catherine Vincent]

72. And I'm ready to listen!

:kick: