Patrick Fitzgerald held a press conference (viewable online) in Chicago today after charging Chicago City Clerk James Laski with receiving $500 a month in bribes to give city business to a company in the Hired Truck scandal.

Best moment:

QUESTION: Given the risk to Mr. Laski’s career and his reputation, his sense of honesty here, it doesn’t seem like a whole heck of a lot of money.

FITZGERALD: I’m not going to disagree with you. If what we allege is true, it’s wrong for people to take bribes — it may also be stupid, but we’re in the business of what’s prosecuting what’s wrong.

Fitzgerald was evidently spotted in Chicago on Wednesday and Thursday, making it less likely (though certainly not impossible — that is after all what planes are for) that The Hill was right and he was with the grand jury on Wednesday of this week.

He looked awfully chipper and at ease. According to the NYT, Camp Rove does not yet know what Fitzgerald plans to do. Evidently Turd Blossom does not match the Special Counsel for high spirits these days.