_Fitzgerald organized Grand Jury against anti war, international solidarity activists _

Chicago, IL – “Fitzgerald doesn’t belong on the Board of Trustees. He’s against the right to dissent, and he’s responsible for some of the worst persecutions of Palestinians in the US,” stated Joe Iosbaker of the Committee Against Political Repression in a statement to gathered news media, on Jan 24.

That’s what former US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald heard as he left his first meeting of the University of Illinois Board. A small crowd was on the sidewalk when he exited the doors to the Student Center West on the campus of the University of Illinois Chicago. The press conference was held to oppose Governor Quinn’s appointment of Fitzgerald to the Board of Trustees.

Fitzgerald apparently was the only member of the Board who requested two plain clothes police officers to accompany him to his car. The other members of the Board left through the same door and walked past the press conference unescorted.

Iosbaker, one of the 23 anti-war activists raided by FBI agents and subpoenaed to a grand jury in 2010 at Fitzgerald’s direction, is also a long time employee of UIC. The protest included officials from the Service Employees International Union Local 73, which represents 3000 workers at UIC. Iosbaker is an officer in the local. Others present represented student groups and Latino employees at the campus.

#ChicagoIL #JoeIosbaker #CommitteeAgainstPoliticalRepression #USAttorneyPatrickFitzgerald #AntiWar23 #FBIRepression #PoliticalRepression