Feds: Blagojevich administration tried to have U.S. attorney ousted

The Daily Herald reports:

As federal investigators closed in, Gov. Rod Blagojevich insiders were angling with Bush administration architect Karl Rove to get U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald kicked out of office, according to disclosures made in federal court.

The far-reaching accusations came from the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago as part of the corruption trial against Blagojevich fundraiser and confidant Antoin "Tony" Rezko.

Federal prosecutors said in court that co-schemer Steven Loren was ready to testify he was told Illinois Republican insider Bob Kjellander was working to get Fitzgerald removed.

Powerbroker Bill Cellini "said it was Bob Kjellander's job to take care of the U.S. Attorney," Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Hamilton said in court late Tuesday, in reading Loren's earlier grand jury testimony.

The statement was not further explained Tuesday, but in court this morning Hamilton told U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve that she expected Rezko business partner Ali Ata, who is cooperating with authorities, to testify Rezko told him the same thing in 2004.

"Mr. Kjellander is working with Mr. Rove to have Mr. Fitzgerald removed so someone else can come in" and end the investigation of state corruption, Hamilton said in summarizing Ata's expected testimony about what Rezko said.

Patrick Fitzgerald sure is unpopular with Illinois politicians.