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Reports: White collar defense lawyer to be new US Attorney

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Illinois

* Hopefully, this appointment will get around the Senate’s notorious gridlock since it was a bipartisan pick…

Fox 32 News has learned tonight that the White House has decided to nominate former federal prosecutor Zachary Fardon to serve as the next U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois. Fardon was one of four finalists originally under consideration by the White House to replace Patrick Fitzgerald.

There’s been no public announcement yet from the White House.

Fardon is one of two finalists who the White House has been considering for several weeks. The other is Chicago attorney Lori Lightfoot.

The candidates’ names were submitted by Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk to the White House.

Among other things, Fardon helped prosecute George Ryan.

* From his law firm bio…

Zach Fardon chairs Latham’s Litigation Department in Chicago. Mr. Fardon’s practice focuses on internal investigations, government investigations, white collar defense and complex business litigation. He is a trial lawyer who has tried numerous cases, both as a federal prosecutor and a defense lawyer, including cases involving charges of financial fraud, tax crimes, money laundering, corruption, racketeering and conspiracy. He has also briefed and argued appeals before the federal circuit courts.

Mr. Fardon routinely handles high-profile and sensitive matters for his clients. He has extensive experience helping clients navigate legal investigations and litigation that also require crisis management and media expertise. Mr. Fardon has conducted numerous internal investigations for private and public companies and has defended companies and individuals in connection with Justice Department and regulatory investigations.

* Predictable…

Federal Election Commission records showed Fardon, an Evanston resident, donated $2,000 to the Democratic primary Senate campaign of attorney David Hoffman, who lost his 2010 primary bid to Alexi Giannoulias.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 10:53 am

Comments

I’m pleased it wasn’t Lori Lightfoot, based on her history as a prosecutor.

Comment by Fire Anita Alvarez Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 11:02 am
ASpeak of, look whose mug just made the front page of the Center for Public Integrity under the headline, “Conflicts of Interest Run Rampant in State Legislatures”
http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/03/18/12313/conflicts-interest-run-rampant-state-legislatures

Way to represent, Speaker Madigan!

May Mr. Fardon have as much success as Mr. Fitzgerald did, if not more.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 11:07 am
I’m so wishing I had placed a bet on this one!

amalia - Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 2:52 pm:
Zach Fardon appears to come from another state, as in he practiced in another state before coming to Chicago so might mean his ties here are not as close. I’m for someone not from here. worked with Fitzgerald, why not do it again.

• - amalia - Tuesday, Oct 30, 12 @ 10:56 am:  so, let’s go with what we’ve got. and based on nothing more than reading their law firm/judicial profiles, my money before this cut was on Zachary Fardon, and he’s made the cut. why did I pick him? he’s a total outsider. don’t know where he is from, but he went to Vanderbilt undergrad and law practiced in Nashville at the USA office before he came to Chicago. bonus, Ryan trial. That total outsider profile is what is needed. no connections, did not work for a government here. No issues. a different kind of justice than what we are used to from here. do the right thing, Sen. Durbin.

now if I could just get my real life in order….

Comment by Amalia Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 11:13 am
Hey amalia, wanna share a Lotto ticket?

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 11:26 am
Amalia, have you done your bracket yet? Who’s your Final Four?

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 11:37 am
Not very familiar with Fardon but if he donated to Hoffman’s campaign I view that as a big plus. Hoffman is the real deal and supporting his past campaign gives me real hope for Fardon’s independence.

Comment by Capo Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 12:51 pm
It was disappointing that Hoffman didn’t make the short list. He’s clearly the most independent guy here. I suspect that since Durbin apparently wanted to do this with Kirk, and since Hoffman would have run against Kirk had he beat Alexi, Kirk didn’t want to promote a potential rival. Too bad.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 3:15 pm
===Hoffman didn’t make the short list===

Don’t think he was even on the long list.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 3:18 pm
Would Robert Blagojevich appreciate that the new guy has Nashville roots? Probably not.

Comment by Boone Logan Square Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 3:50 pm
@Arthur Anderson and Wordslinger , this prediction thing NEVER works to my benefit, so I would hate to offer bad advice. I’m always working for someone else…… also my bracket is somewhere in the pile of the taxes I have not done yet.

but I will say that I believe the White Sox will do better than the Cubs this year!!!!

Comment by Amalia Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 5:01 pm
Hoffman is well off the radar now…

Comment by Just The Way It Is One Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 5:15 pm
Very happy it was not Lightfoot as she is partially responsible for covering up crimes committed by the CPD.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 18, 13 @ 7:59 pm
This Anonymous knows nothing about Lightfoot and the CPD; believes that based on what I’ve read so far, Fardon is a good choice; and is also surprised that Hoffman didn’t make the list (he was interesting).

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 19, 13 @ 3:13 am