Durbin and Obama ask feds to probe one of their own

[Catherine Vincent]

By John Kass

Published April 20, 2006

U.S. Senators Richard Durbin and Barack Obama have asked the Bush Justice Department to investigate federal prosecutor Ed McNally, until recently the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, for circumstances surrounding his testimony on behalf of convicted former Republican Gov. George Ryan.

Durbin's letter to the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility, and Obama's statement--both released to me on Wednesday--demanded to know the following:

- Whether McNally violated procedure by failing to disclose a serious apparent financial conflict of interest with Winston & Strawn, the law firm that gave Ryan an estimated $20 million in free legal defense work.

- And whether McNally, as suggested by prosecutors in the Ryan trial, illegally taped a crucial interview between Ryan and federal investigators, when McNally was Ryan's lawyer.

The letter from Durbin, who is on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is just the thing to chill McNally's morning coffee and the lattes sipped at Winston & Strawn, which is run by Ryan's buddy, former Republican Gov. Big Jim Thompson.

more......
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-0604200205apr20,1,3668784.column?coll=chi-news-col

[0007]

1. Christ, I was hoping it was Ben Nelson they were talking about

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Is this the same Ed McNally

who used to be Anchorage's district attorney in the '80s?

[Catherine Vincent]

3. I don't know.

This attorney is Fitzgerald's southern neighbor in Illinois.

[Blue_In_AK]

5. I think it is the same guy...

I Googled him. He used to be known as "the fun guy" here. :rofl: I wonder how much fun he's having now.

[justice1]

4. Good for them

People on DU have mentioned that it isn't right to criticize other Dems. I feel just the opposite, someone with ethics problems is not someone I want to represent me. One look at the Republican party which doesn't tolerate dissent among the ranks, has led to blatant corruption.