At times it's a little painful watching Republican Senate hopeful Steve Sauerberg try to insert himself into our state's political discourse. One day he's bashing "liberal" Dick Durbin in ads on prominent liberal websites, the next he's angling for an Obama endorsement. But Sauerberg is at his most perplexing when he decides to conjure issues out of thin air. That's what happened today when he posted this item at Illinois Review under the headline "Sauerberg Challenges Durbin To Commit To Fitzgerald Retention":
The people of Illinois owe a tremendous thank you to United States Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and his team of prosecutors for their work on [the Tony Rezko] case. As the next Senator from Illinois, I will recommend, to the next President, that Patrick Fitzgerald by re-appointed, and I would urge Senator Durbin to join me in making this commitment.
Why Sauerberg felt the need to "challenge" Durbin on this issue is anyone's guess. After all, Durbin has consistently supported Fitzgerald as U.S. Attorney since long before his GOP opponent entered Illinois politics.
This is from a press release put out by Durbin and Obama in 2005 -- the last time Fitzergald's term was set to expire:
Illinois Democratic Senators Dick Durbin and Barack Obama have been on record since January -- before the White House and City Hall probes heated up -- as wanting Patrick Fitzgerald to stay. [...]
Durbin spokesman Joe Shoemaker said Thursday Durbin "thinks there is no finer attorney than Patrick Fitzgerald. He is honest and thorough.''
Two years later, Durbin brought to light a plan by Justice Department official Kyle Sampson to fire Fitzgerald. Indeed, it was Durbin who thought to ask specifically about the matter during Sampson's appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee. That same year, he grilled then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez on his treatment of Fitzgerald and the DOJ's political firings of U.S. Attorneys. You can watch Durbin stand up for Fitzgerald's office and tear Gonzalez a new one in this delightful video.
Which brings us to Keeping Patrick Fitzgerald. It's a Tribune editorial out today which quotes Obama saying what has said since day one: that he wants Fitzgerald to stay in Illinois. Of course, Durbin and Obama are longtime friends and allies, and Durbin was the first senator to endorse Obama's presidential campaign. It's hard to imagine the senior senator breaking with the junior on the issue of Fitzgerald.
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