Congress Denies to Hear Claim Fitzgerald Forced Testimony

Washington - A U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee declined to hear witness testimony Thursday in hearing related to a claim U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald manufactured evidence and forced witnesses to lie to obtain a 2003 conviction.

The claim stems from the 2003 conviction of a then prominent Chicago real estate developer and attorney.

After his trial and conviction, Peter Palivos, 51, presented the committee with evidence he said showed that prosecutors forced witnesses to lie against him or face charges themselves.

Palivos was present at the hearing, but did not speak.

In a statement released through a public relations firm, Palivos said his testimony was not heard because it was not germane to the topic of the hearing. The topic of the hearing was the state of judicial recusals.

A spokesperson for Fitzgerald said he was not aware of any hearing.

Fitzgerald's spokesperson said he was familiar with the case, specifically that it was being championed by a public relations firm run by Glenn Selig.

Selig also handles public relations for former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, whom Fitzgerald indicted in December, 2008 for allegedly attempting to sell the senate seat formerly held by President Barack Obama.