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Fitzgerald: I'm not running for office

U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald

Outgoing U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald says he will not run for elective office.

That comes after the highly respected federal prosecutor announced yesterday that he'll step down at the end of June. In a 35-minute news conference today the media-averse Fitzgerald talked to reporters about why he's stepping down.

"Am I rushing out in the eleventh year of my four-year term?" he asked. "That sort of tells you something: I've been squatting for seven years."

Fitzgerald says term limits serve a purpose, and it will be good for the office to have a new leader. He said he just knows it's a good time to move on, even if he can't fully articulate why.

As for a career in politics?

"I'm not wired to campaign for anything or run for elective office," he said. "Period." Fitzgerald said it's important to have honest elected officials, and we have many ... but that's not the job for him.

He says he loves public service and would carefully consider any government jobs that might be offered.