Ron Litke Says ‘No’ to a Blagojevich Retrial

Ron Litke Says ‘No’ to a Blagojevich Retrial
(AP/file)
Ron Litke Says ‘No’ to a Blagojevich Retrial
(AP/file)

Ron Litke Says ‘No’ to a Blagojevich Retrial

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Writer Ron Litke comments on the showdown between Patrick Fitzgerald and the Blagojevich camp.

LITKE: It was a shoot-out…
[“High Noon” clip, gunshots]

LITKE: But, unfortunately, everybody’s still standing. The U.S. Attorney won, but apparently he thinks he lost. Patrick Fitzgerald wants another shot at Rod Blagojevich, perhaps to show that he is more like Gary Cooper in High Noon, the classic Western more than Blagojevich himself.
[“High Noon” on justice: “The judge has left town, Harvey’s quit, and I’m havin’ trouble gettin’ deputies.” “People gotta talk themselves into law and order before they do anything about it. Maybe because down deep they don’t care. They just don’t care.”]

LITKE: We know the U.S. Attorney cares, and one can certainly admire the initiative to do a job thoroughly. But they did win, and it’s enough to send Blagojevich to jail. Isn’t that the point? He’s guilty; and we now know there were other counts he barely avoided. Isn’t it enough? Does anyone want to go through it again? If so, then we all lose.

For twenty months we’ve had to endure the scary spectacle of Rod and Patti Blagojevich and their martyrdom tour across America. Whatever their expectations, Patrick Fitzgerald seems inclined to continue the vendetta with the Blagojeviches and freeze the other business of the court until the feds get the number of guilty counts they want.

The Blagojeviches probably want nothing more than to stay in front of eager cameras. But what about the rest of us, who need the U.S. Attorney to continue the important work he is doing, and put the considerable resources and intelligence of his office to continue to clean up our government? It would be merciful if Fitzgerald simply focused on the one guilty count so Rod Blagojevich can be sent to prison, and we can then continue with what’s important. Here’s some good advice from The People’s Court…
[clip from “The People’s Court”: “If you don’t like what the judge is doing, then you take it to the next forum. But you do not sit here and say ‘that’s your opinion’ like a baby, when a judge rules against – Don’t even utter another word.”]

LITKE: And don’t forget what the townspeople told Gary Cooper in “High Noon”…
[clip from “High Noon”: “I think you’d better go while there’s still time… It’s better for you, and it’s better for us.”]

LITKE: Enough said.