Not a Merry Fitzmas in July for Ill. Gov Rod Blagojevich

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's main professional focus is not the PlameGate investigation, but his duties of going after criminals in Illinois.

And he has his hands filled keeping track of the misdeeds of that "reform" Governor, Rod Blagojevich, a Chicago Democrat.

Blago is up for re-election in November, and the Ghosts of Fitzmas Past and Present will likely be on the minds of Prairie State voters on Election Day. Blagojevich's challenger is salty-tounged state treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, the state's sole statewide Republican officeholder.

Blaming Topinka for the state's financial mess, and tying her to the legacy of disgraced former Governor George Ryan are already among Blago's campaign tactics. Curiously, running on his record doesn't seem to be in the Blagojevich playbook.

And here is the Fitzmas in July bombshell for the governor, courtesy of CBS 2 Chicago:

Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration is the focus of a year-long federal investigation into "very serious" allegations of hiring fraud, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a letter released Friday.

The memo talks of two FBI investigations now merged into one, it implicates the involvement of multiple state agencies and departments and the rigging of state employment practices to enable political hiring. Fitzgerald writes about 'having developed a number of credible witnesses' during the investigation.

His comments appear in a letter to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan that Madigan's office released. The letter asks Madigan to halt her investigations into the Blagojevich administration because they might interfere with the federal probe. In dropping the investigation, Madigan said "my priority is that these matters are thoroughly and professionally investigated."

The Democratic governor, who was elected on a promise to clean up government, has not been charged with any wrongdoing. Blagojevich says his administration's hiring practices are ethical and lawful.

Blagojevich broke precedent as Illinois' CEO by not moving into the Governor's Mansion in Springfield, instead choosing to reside in his Northwest Side Chicago home.

His hesitancy in not pulling up stakes could be traced to a hidden belief inside Blagojevich's mind--that he'd be a one-term governor.

Technorati tags: corruption Blagojevich politics Fitzmas fitzgerald Patrick Fitzgerald graft governor Democrats