U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Quizzed on NPR

Published 12:00 am Monday, December 26, 2005

CHICAGO – The U.S. attorney who prosecuted former vice presidential aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby faced a cross-examination of his own at the taping of a radio show.

Patrick Fitzgerald received a gag prize _ a child’s scooter _ during his appearance on National Public Radio’s comedic game show, “Wait Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me!” The show was taped Thursday night at Chicago’s Millennium Park.

Fitzgerald competed in a segment called “Not My Job,” in which host Peter Sagal grills the guest on a topic not related to his or her line of work. Fitzgerald submitted to a quiz on scooters _ such as the Segway.

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After the quiz, Sagal gave Fitzgerald a child’s scooter engraved with the words: “To Patrick Fitzgerald, USA, This one will stay where you put it.”

Fitzgerald led the prosecution of Libby, who was convicted of obstructing justice in a federal investigation of the leak of former CIA agent Valerie Plame’s identity. President Bush commuted Libby’s 2 1/2-year prison term before he served any time.

NPR spokeswoman Anna Christopher said “Wait Wait” producers had been meaning to get Fitzgerald on the show because of the notoriety he received from prosecuting Libby.

“He’s also, I understand, a fan of the show,” Christopher said.

Fitzgerald joined a long list of well-known guests who have been grilled on the show, including Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, newsman Ted Koppel and Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards. The show is set to air on NPR affiliates this weekend.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)