Did Rezko's Pals Try To Have Karl Rove Fire Patrick Fitzgerald?

By Margaret Lyons in News on Apr 23, 2008 6:57PM

Initially, we thought this Tony Rezko stuff was pretty boring, but sweet muscular Jesus, it's getting good. Prosecutors said today that they want to call Ali Ata set to testify that he had conversations with another Rezko lackey about getting Karl Rove to remove U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to squash the Rezko investigation. Judge Amy St. Eve hasn't ruled yet if Ata can testify, but oh boy.

Ata, a former Blagojevich-appointed official and who's already pleaded guilty to corruption charges, would, according to prosecutors, testify that Republican National Committeeman Robert Kjellander (a Stuart Levine pal) was working with Rove to fire Fitzgerald. Rove's lawyer denies that Rove did anything of the sort, and so far Kjellander hasn't commented. [Trib, ABC News, Trib]