It would be nice to see Obama and Clinton make the same promise as McCain, but I am not going to hold my breath.
A McCain & Fitzgerald Cleanup Co.?
By John Kass
November 14, 2007
Who says Illinois politicians don't deserve a treat for the way they treat us?
U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Tuesday that if elected president, he would reappoint U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald so that Fitzgerald can continue targeting political corruption in Chicago and the state.
"I'd keep him. I'd keep him," McCain said, unequivocally, responding to my question at a session with the Tribune's editorial board.
"Because I think he has a record of pursuing criminals, and he has done so, with efficiency and skill and with dedication," McCain said. "I think he has done a good job, and I think the American people are crying out for having this corruption cleaned up."
Predictably, Fitzgerald had no comment. But who knows how the Illinois Combine might feel about another four years? Publicly, they might clap their hands, smiling terribly bright smiles, waiting until they're alone to sink to the carpet, curl up into the fetal position and issue silent screams.
Compare McCain's statement on Fitzgerald with the mealy-mouthed answer to a similar question by Republican front-runner Mitt Romney on the Don Wade and Roma radio program on WLS-AM a few weeks ago.
"Oh, I can't possibly make that, heh-heh, assessment now," said Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts. "It's a little ahead of my time, a little presumptuous of me to be picking U.S. attorneys." He blathered on, but never directly answered Don Wade's question.
Romney also neglected to mention that he's been embraced by key Illinois Combine players, including Republican bosses Big Bill Cellini and Big Bob Kjellander (pronounced $hell-ander).
Cellini and Kjellander are also known, respectively, as the unindicted Individual A and Individual K in the massive state pension fund fraud investigation called Operation Board Games.
Cellini donated $2,300 to Romney's political fund this year, according to federal election records. His little buddy, Kjellander, donated $2,100 to Romney. These are not great sums. Nothing to compare to the millions Kjellander received in questionable "finders fees" on bond deals with Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich. And they're nothing compared with the tens of millions Cellini has made in other questionable state deals, from gaming to hotels to development.
"I appreciate the value" of Kjellander's support, Romney told the Daily Herald newspaper in June. "He is one of my supporters, and I appreciate and value his support."
Republicans making fortunes with Democrats isn't a crime. And surely, a candidate with the support of Individual A and Individual K won't brag about it on talk radio, while tap dancing around whether to reappoint a corruption buster. But it is an indicator, a brown spot on Romney's bright shiny apple.
Does this mean McCain is the guy the confused Republican Party needs? I can't say, yet. They're terribly confused, aren't they?
McCain (self-inflicted wounds by immigration and campaign-finance reform) Rudolph Giuliani (the indicted Bernie Kerik's diamond-encrusted badge now hanging heavily from his political neck); Fred Thompson (reportedly a pro-choice lobbyist, now the Right-To-Life candidate); Romney (enough said). But McCain has identified something roiling in the Republican base: Political corruption is the real bridge to nowhere.
Illinois Republicans know what happened to their party, and it wasn't only George Ryan. They know what happened to U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (no relation to Patrick) when he dared bring a politically independent prosecutor to this corrupt state. The Republican side of the Combine ran Peter Fitzgerald out of politics for this sin.
McCain discussed hearings by one of his committees on the corrupt and convicted Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
"And now there are former members of Congress in federal prison. And I am told Mr. Abramoff has not been sentenced because he is still, quote, cooperating. I have no inside knowledge whatsoever, but I keep hearing the rumors there are more indictments coming down on various members of Congress," McCain said.
"That's not right, that's not the right way to treat the American people. They deserve a hell of a lot better than what they are getting now. And it's the system that is corrupt as well as the individuals that are corrupt. ... I want to get the best anti-corruption people that I can find in America to restore the trust and confidence the American people have clearly lost and have had reason to, in the Congress and in Washington," McCain said.
And in Illinois, he didn't have to add. But I reminded him of what the Illinois Republican establishment -- including some Romney supporters -- did to former Sen. Fitzgerald.
"Well, you know I have done a number of things that have cost me politically," he said. "And I have to do what's right, as you know. And I think that it is right from [Patrick Fitzgerald's] record," McCain said.
Think of it as an early Christmas present, from McCain to the Illinois political class, who'd much rather find a piece of coal in their stocking.
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jskass@tribune.com
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