What Fitzgerald won’t be doing after leaving office
By NATASHA KORECKI Federal Courts Reporter nkorecki@suntimes.com June 29, 2012 4:12PM
Updated: August 1, 2012 6:14AM
Other than taking the summer off and spending time with his family, Patrick Fitzgerald says he hasn’t made a decision yet on what the future holds for him after leaving his post as U.S. attorney Friday. Here’s what, as former U.S. attorney, he can’t do, under federal law:
◆ Can’t represent the other side: We won’t see Fitzgerald representing “Public Official A” anytime soon. There’s a one-year ban on his participating in any matter with the U.S. attorney’s office. And he can’t communicate with the U.S. Department of Justice while representing a client, even if it’s a case that opened up after he left office.
◆ Can’t tap inside information: There’s a lifetime ban on any federal prosecutor being involved in any matter in which the prosecutor participated personally and substantially while in office.
◆ Can’t practice what he has preached: There’s a two-year bar from participating in any matter that was pending under Fitzgerald’s supervision. That means that, even if he didn’t know about the case, if a matter was opened in the office during his time as supervisor, he can’t be involved for two years.
Natasha Korecki
