Surprise, Surprise...

Washington Post:

U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald was ranked among prosecutors who had "not distinguished themselves" on a Justice Department chart sent to the White House in March 2005, when he was in the midst of leading the CIA leak investigation that resulted in the perjury conviction of a vice presidential aide, administration officials said yesterday.

The ranking placed Fitzgerald below "strong U.S. Attorneys . . . who exhibited loyalty" to the administration but above "weak U.S. Attorneys who . . . chafed against Administration initiatives, etc.," according to Justice documents.

The chart was the first step in an effort to identify U.S. attorneys who should be removed. Two prosecutors who received the same ranking as Fitzgerald were later fired, documents show.

Patrick Fitzgerald is regarded as one of the best prosecutors in the nation. For all the bile spat at him by the right wing and their media sycophants, his prosecution of Scooter Libby was actually a pretty conservative conclusion to his investigation of the treasonous outing of Valerie Plame's covert identity. Many liberals wanted more prosecutions, as there were certainly other people involved. Fitzgerald only sought the indictments he believed could lead to convictions. To the chagrin of many, he also refused to discuss anything about anyone else he may have been investigating. He was meticulously professional.

When you are the best at what you do, this Administration calls you "not distinguished." When you are a disastrous failure, this Administration gives you a Medal of Freedom.