Chicago's Mayor Daley apologizes for corruption

From AP, Hat tip to Third Wave Dave:

Mayor Richard Daley has apologized for the state of scandal-plagued City Hall, saying he should have done more to prevent corruption in his administration.

Speaking to about 300 people at a budget hearing Tuesday night at the South Shore Cultural Center, the mayor said he should have worked harder to ensure good government.

"It's become clear to me that I should have done more to maintain higher ethical standards and prevent corruption," he said. "I let you down by not putting the same energy into fixing those problems that I have into moving our city forward."

Federal authorities have spent more than 18 months investigating bribes given in return for jobs in a city trucking program. Earlier this year, that probe expanded to alleged fraud in the city's hiring practices.

Behind that prosecutorial drive against Chicago's City Hall is US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. He's also the force behind the indictment (see earlier post from today) that led to the guilty plea of political consultant--and husband of Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky--Robert Creamer.

His office is also presenting the case against former Illinois Governor George Ryan.

In short, Patrick Fitzgerald is cleaning up at least some of the sleaze that pervades Illinois politics.

His aggressiveness as a prosecutor has not made Fitzgerald popular with the power brokers--Republican and Democratic--in Illinois.

Fitzgerald's four year term is up in October. Many of those power brokers don't want him back.

Courtesy of Cal Skinner, there is a web site dedicated to the cause of keeping Patrick Fitzgerald as US Attorney for Northeastern Illinois. Here is that site, and spread the good word about Fitzgerald around, even if you don't live in Illinois.