An Illinois state official testified that, while under Governor Rod Blagojevich's administration, was seeking to enlist the help of White House official Karl Rove to remove Patrick Fitzgerald from his post as Northern Illinois United States District Attorney. In court on Tuesday, Steve Loren, who was appointed by Blagojevich to the state board administrating teacher's pensions, stated that he was working to remove Fitzgerald, as early as 2004, with the lobbying help of Bob Kjellander, a Republican with a close relationship to Rove.

This move may of been a response to Patrick Fitzgerald's deep investigation into the Illinois Administration's allegeded involvement with what the U.S. Attorney calls, "a pay-to-play scheme on steroids" headed by Tony Rezko, a Chicago fundraiser who raised money for political figures including Presidential hopeful, Barack Obama, during his State and Federal Senate Races. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Hamilton was reported to describe Governor Blagojevich's alleged overall goal as alleviating legal difficulties by attempting to "take care of the U.S. Attorney".