Be Thankful for Small Miracles

T'was a merry Fitzmas indeed.

While Patrick Fitzgerald was prosecuting the CIA leak case, his name appeared on
a Justice Department chart that was the first step in an effort to identify U.S.
attorneys who should be removed, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

The Justice Department ranking of Fitzgerald, which was sent to the
White House in March 2005, listed him among prosecutors who had "not
distinguished themselves" and put him below "strong U.S. attorneys . . . who
exhibited loyalty" to the administration, but above "weak U.S. attorneys who ...
chafed against administration initiatives, etc.," the Post said, citing Justice
documents.

I think we all got very lucky that they did not fire Fitzgerald. I certainly would not put it past the Bush administration to toss aside anyone who got in their way - just look at Carol Lam. The idea that Fitzgerald had not distinguished himself, after prosecuting corruption and organized crime in Chicago up to the highest levels, is flat-out wrong. Then again this is the same Justice Department that issued the following statement.

In a statement accompanying the release of documents to Congress, Scolinos said,
"The department did not remove the U.S. attorneys for improper reasons, such as
to prevent or retaliate for a particular prosecution in a public corruption matter."

Sure, whatever you say.