BLAGO PR FIRM BEHIND ANTI-FITZGERALD RELEASE

RELEASE ALERTS MEDIA TO CONGRESSIONAL HEARING TODAY

ON NORTHERN ILLINOIS US ATTY

But Matter Apparently Not on Committee Agenda

Work of PR Firm Linked to Blagojevich,

Former Governor and Target of Fitzgerald Prosecution

Special to the Readers of Milwaukeeworld

By Michael Horne

And The Milwaukee World Hound Dog Team

A press release freighted with inflammatory language accusing a United States Attorney of "forcing witnesses to lie to gain conviction" landed in the e-mail box not long ago, notifying recipients that a congressional committee would hold hearings today, Thursday, December 10th, 2009, on the matter.

Here's the headline:

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's Office Under Investigation by Congressional Committee for Manufacturing Evidence, Forcing Witnesses to Lie to Gain Conviction
Congressional Subcommittee to call witnesses today. Investigation includes the conviction of a former Chicago real estate developer and attorney who submitted evidence to the committee showing he was framed by Fitzgerald's office when he refused to lie for prosecutors in their case against Gov. George Ryan.

*   *   *

Whew! Somebody's got a gripe! Don't you wonder who? The release recounts many objections against Fitzgerald by those he has offended, but does not identify who is behind the release itself. Is it merely the convicted Chicago attorney and real estate developer?

Milwaukeeworld took a look at  thepublicityagency.com, the PR firm behind the release and noted its clients include former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is being prosecuted by Fitzgerald's office. [It's Rod's 53rd birthday today!] Milwaukeeworld called The Publicity Agency to ask if Blago was behind this stupid move, and to inform the agency that today's calendar of the House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy shows no such investigation on the agenda.

Rather, the subcommittee will be holding a "Hearing on Examining the State of Judicial Recusals after Caperton v. A.T. Massey." 

According to Glenn Selig of The Publicity Agency, in response to a Milwaukeeworld request:  

Peter [Pavilos, convicted after a prosecution by Fitzgerald in 2003] and his wife Vicky will be in the front row.  His case will be referenced as another example of misconduct where judges should have recused themselves. This is the fourth step in a process. The other times ended with conclusions that the us justice dept should investigate... You have copies of those letters. [I do not --Ed.] This investigation began 4 years ago and is just now becoming public. Peter and congressman johnson are avail after for interviews.

I do not think this qualifies as a matter of a "U. S. Attorney ... under investigation by Congressional Committee." Nor does having somebody sit in the front row of a hearing hold the same weight as being a witness in a hearing. (The name of Mr. Pavilos does not appear among those listed.)
Also notice Selig didn't answer the question if Blagojevich was behind this stunt.

"congressman johnson" (as Selig styles him) is apparently Hank Johnson, Democrat of Georgia who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy. Wisconsin's F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. is a Republican member, where he represents the Princely House of Liechtenstein.
The Publicity Agency also represents former Bolingbrooke, Illinois Police Sergeant Drew Peterson among its classy stable of clients. However, Peter and Vicky Pavilos are not accounted among the firm's clients.

Randall Samborn, a spokesperson for U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald says he "knows of no congressional investigation" of his boss, and thanked the Hound Dog for bringing the spurious charges of this press release to the public's attention.
If this is a sideshow of what is going to happen in USA v. Blagojevich et al 1:08-cr-00888, then that trial will prove to be a real circus. I bet you Hon. James B. Zagel won't stand for this sort of nonsense!