Lemons into Lemonade

Despite their thorough coverage, the Capital Fax and Archpundit have overlooked one noteworthy aspect of the notorious Fitzgerald letter (pdf):

We are also sensitive to ensuring the maximum recovery of possible State of Illinois losses from the alleged criminal conduct we are investigating. I assure you that we will vigorously seek to protect the State’s interest in this regard, as we would for any victim of an alleged crime. In particular, should there be a federal indictment resulting from our investigation, under the federal Mandatory Victim Restitution Act (MVRA) any defendants convicted in any such case must ordered to pay full restitution to any victim.

Furthermore, should the United States seek the forfeiture of assets, we would likely agree to equitably remit any forfeited assets to any victim of the crimes charged to the extendt necessary to make the crime victim whole. And we can assure you that if, through our investigation and any subsequent trial, we are able to demonstate that the State of Illinois was such a victim, we would pursue whatever remedies are available through restitution or forfeiture to return any losses sustained by Illinois to the state’s coffers.

They say that the Chinese have a single word for "crisis" and "opportunity" -- People of Illinois, this is our "cris-itunity"!

The governors' office should be soliciting parties who wish to bid for the right to future revenues due Illinois in the form of forfeitures and restitution. Much like the Skyway lease, a bidder would pay an up-front sum in exchange for any money that comes into the state's coffers as the result of this federal prosecution. And if bidders expect the degree of fraud that the feds will uncover in Illinois government to be high, they will bid accordingly.

The value of fraud in governmental hiring in Illinois likely exceeds the value of the lottery and Thompson Center combined.

Finally, government corruption that pays off for the citizens of Illinois!