Rezko

[ProSense]

Buried in sensationalism: Obama, who has a spotless reputation after 11 years in public offices, has been accused of no wrongdoing involving Rezko or anyone else.

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[Debi]

2. "slum lord" "sex shop - children" "your plan won't cover 15 million Americans"

"you support repuglican party principles" "YOU WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY"


AAACCCCKKKK!!!

[aquart]

3. Yahoo is leaving out the good stuff.

But I especially like this: "The Obamas closed on the house June 15, 2006. The price: $1,650,000.

The same day, Rezko's wife, Rita, bought a lot next door from the same sellers for $625,000. Obama later told the Sun-Times that the sellers had required that both of the lots had to be sold simultaneously."

They HAD to be sold simultaneously? Then why split the estate into two parts? What's absolutely marvelous is what's missing.

Obama paid $300,000 LESS than the $1,950,000 asking price. Based on the valuation of the land made a year later, Mrs. Rezko, a construction magnate's wife, paid $382,000 MORE than the lot was worth. On the same day. What a coincidence. Obama pays $300,000 less at the exact same moment that Rezko's wife is wasting his money by paying over $300,000 more. Life's just full of little coincidences like that.

$300,000 to buy a US senator. Fair? You decide.

[Nailzberg]

6. It was a fair deal, and thoroughly examined by the Washington Post over a year ago.

Also, the valuation wasn't on the lot next door, it was on the 1/6th strip of land.

1/6th of a plot does not appraise for 1/6th the value of the total lot. It is worth less because 5/6ths of the lot still remains develop-able property, while the 1/6th is less valuable.

[jillan]

4. Than why was Obama doing favors for Rezko?

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/184952,CST-NWS-obama24.article


He needs to come clean on this, because IF he becomes the nominee, the repugs are going to have their fun with this.

[ProSense]

5. Here is a link to a more

up-to-date article.

[jillan]

9. You forgot to post this

Obama — a state senator when he got the contributions in 2004 — has moved to distance himself from Rezko since his longtime friend and supporter was indicted in October 2006. After news reports that Obama had engaged in a real estate transaction with Rezko’s wife at a time Tony Rezko was known to be under investigation, the senator called the episode “boneheaded” and “a mistake.”

and this -

For the first time, Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama has surfaced in the federal corrupton case against his longtime campaign fund-raiser, Tony Rezko, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

from your same link.

Posting what Obama's campaign has to say about this, doesn't make an impression on me.

[ProSense]

11. Fine, then here:

There is no mention of Obama in the Rezko indictment. Federal authorities say the investigation is focused on Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, identified in court filings as Public Figure A.

And from the OP:

Obama, who has a spotless reputation after 11 years in public offices, has been accused of no wrongdoing involving Rezko or anyone else.

[jillan]

12. Are you cherry-picking here or what?

It also says this

Obama is not named in the Dec. 21 court document. **But a source familiar with the case confirmed that Obama is the unnamed “political candidate” referred to in a section of the document that accuses Rezko of orchestrating a scheme in which a firm hired to handle state teacher pension investments first had to pay $250,000 in “sham” finder’s fees**. From that money, $10,000 was donated to Obama’s successful run for the Senate in the name of a Rezko business associate, according to the court filing and the source.


And then there is this

Rezko is set to go to trial Feb. 25. The revelation that Obama’s name could come up in court is a political headache he doesn’t need as he heads into a round of primaries that are likely to determine his party’s nomination for president.

---------------------------------------------

You can spin this all you want, but only time will tell how this will all play out.

[ProSense]

14. Then may I suggest you read the entire article

From the beginning:

For the first time, Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama has surfaced in the federal corrupton case against his longtime campaign fund-raiser, Tony Rezko, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

The Illinois senator isn’t accused of any wrongdoing. And there’s no evidence Obama knew contributions to his 2004 U.S. Senate campaign came from schemes Rezko is accused of orchestrating.

The allegations against Rezko that involve Obama are contained in one paragraph of a 78-page documentfiled last month in which prosecutors outline their corruption and fraud case against Rezko, who was also a key money man for Gov. Blagojevich and other politicians.

Rezko is set to go to trial Feb. 25. The revelation that Obama’s name could come up in court is a political headache he doesn’t need as he heads into a round of primaries that are likely to determine his party’s nomination for president.

Obama is not named in the Dec. 21 court document. But a source familiar with the case confirmed that Obama is the unnamed “political candidate” referred to in a section of the document that accuses Rezko of orchestrating a scheme in which a firm hired to handle state teacher pension investments first had to pay $250,000 in “sham” finder’s fees. From that money, $10,000 was donated to Obama’s successful run for the Senate in the name of a Rezko business associate, according to the court filing and the source.

link

to the end.

[thoughtcrime1984]

7. If she is accusing Obama of criminal activity

She'd better damn well have proof. Between that and the stupid sex shop bill comment, I am going to really have to think about her in the GE, a write-in being the alternative. I hope it doesn't even come to that.

[suston96]

8. Just a little mistake, eh?

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/184540,122306obama.article

http://i.abcnews.com/Blotter/story?id=4111483&page=1

The Rezko Connection: Obama's Achilles Heel?
Obama's Connection With an Accused Political Fixer Raises Questions

By BRIAN ROSS and RHONDA SCHWARTZ
Jan. 10, 2008

In sharp contrast to his tough talk about ethics reform in government, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., approached a well-known Illinois political fixer under active federal investigation, Antoin "Tony" Rezko, for "advice" as he sought to find a way to buy a house shortly after being elected to the United States Senate.

The parcel included an adjacent lot which Obama told the Chicago Tribune he could not afford because "it was already a stretch to buy the house."

On the same day Obama closed on his house, Rezko's wife bought the adjacent empty lot, meeting the condition of the seller who wanted to sell both properties at the same time.

Rezko had been widely reported to be under investigation by the U.S. attorney and the FBI at the time Obama contacted him and has since been indicted on corruption charges by a federal grand jury in a case that prosecutors say involves bribes, kickbacks and "efforts to illegally obtain millions of dollars."

Yeah, just a mistake. I guess.

[ProSense]

10. Here

from your second link:

There is no mention of Obama in the Rezko indictment. Federal authorities say the investigation is focused on Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, identified in court filings as Public Figure A.

Obama comes clean, but Hillary's sleaze machine thrives.

[suston96]

13. No mention? Really? I would be afraid. Very afraid.

See what I mean?

http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/1/19/10433/7280

Obama is not named in the Dec. 21 court document. But a source familiar with the case confirmed that Obama is the unnamed "political candidate" referred to in a section of the document that accuses Rezko of orchestrating a scheme in which a firm hired to handle state teacher pension investments first had to pay $250,000 in "sham" finder's fees. From that money, $10,000 was donated to Obama's successful run for the Senate in the name of a Rezko business associate, according to the court filing and the source.

Rezko, who was part of Obama's senatorial finance committee, also is accused of directing "at least one other individual" to donate money to Obama and then reimbursing that individual -- in possible violation of federal election law.

Yeah, just a little mistake. All forgotten already.

[ProSense]

15. No, see what I mean:

For the first time, Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama has surfaced in the federal corrupton case against his longtime campaign fund-raiser, Tony Rezko, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

The Illinois senator isn’t accused of any wrongdoing. And there’s no evidence Obama knew contributions to his 2004 U.S. Senate campaign came from schemes Rezko is accused of orchestrating.

The allegations against Rezko that involve Obama are contained in one paragraph of a 78-page documentfiled last month in which prosecutors outline their corruption and fraud case against Rezko, who was also a key money man for Gov. Blagojevich and other politicians.

Rezko is set to go to trial Feb. 25. The revelation that Obama’s name could come up in court is a political headache he doesn’t need as he heads into a round of primaries that are likely to determine his party’s nomination for president.

Obama is not named in the Dec. 21 court document. But a source familiar with the case confirmed that Obama is the unnamed “political candidate” referred to in a section of the document] that accuses Rezko of orchestrating a scheme in which a firm hired to handle state teacher pension investments first had to pay $250,000 in “sham” finder’s fees. From that money, $10,000 was donated to Obama’s successful run for the Senate in the name of a Rezko business associate, according to the court filing and the source.

link

[ProSense]

16. Kick! n/t