U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald Named “Fed Of The Year” by ticklethewire.com

By Jon Perkins

ticklethewire.com

WASHINGTON –Patrick Fitzgerald, the crusading district attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, has been named “Fed of the Year” for 2008 by ticklethewire.com. The designation is given to the federal law enforcement official who has had the most impact on news events over the course of the year.

Fitzgerald’s role as a newsmaker and a “prosecutor’s prosecutor” , widely respected by his peers, makes the 47-year-old the natural choice for this honor .

Fitzgerald has aggressively pursued public corruption and gone after such notables as fundraiser-financier Antoin “Tony” Rezko, who had ties to President-elect Barack Obama and Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Rezko was convicted earlier this year.

Fitzgerald’s filing of criminal charges against Blagojevich in early December, charging the Democrat with trying to auction the Senate seat vacated by Obama, sealed the designation for us.
Fitzgerald gained national notoriety for successfully prosecuting Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby on charges related to the unmasking of CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson. LIbby was convicted in March 2007 of perjury and obstruction of justice. President Bush commuted his 30 month prison sentence.