Obama to return Rezko-linked donations $40,000 more will be donated to charities

[boston bean]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-rezko_both_20jan20,0,7876083.story?coll=chi_tab01_layout


Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama said Saturday that his campaign would give charities $40,350 in donations linked to his former friend and fundraiser Tony Rezko, a Chicago businessman who has pleaded not guilty to federal influence-peddling and bank fraud charges.

Obama already has divested more than $44,000 in Rezko-affiliated donations during the last year. But Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said the campaign made a comprehensive review of donations affiliated with Rezko and "found some we'd feel more comfortable not having."

Burton pointed out that other presidential campaigns have disposed of questionable funds, and added, "Our consistent practice in these circumstances is to give the funds to charity out of an abundance of caution."

[boston bean]

1. .....

According to Saturday's Chicago Sun-Times, which cites an unnamed source, Obama was the unnamed "political candidate" referred to in a Dec. 21 court 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 Glenview entrepreneur Joseph Aramanda, the story said.

Aramanda's attorney, Terence Gillespie, could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Business records show Aramanda once served as chief operating officer of a Rezko company, and Aramanda has been publicly identified as "Individual D" in the pension fraud case against Rezko. Aramanda has not been charged with any crime.

The Tribune had reported that Obama hired Aramanda's son as a 2005 summer intern in Obama's Capitol Hill office after Rezko recommended him.

[Horse with no Name]

2. Why did he wait until the story came out yesterday to return it?

I guess it was probably just an oversight. :eyes:

[boston bean]

3. The last sentence from the above is pretty damning. nt

[Little Star]

25. good question

[DaLittle Kitty]

26. Yes WHY Did Obama Wait Until He Got Caught W/ The Dirty $ Before Making A Move...

"Its like saying I didn't really try to rob the bank... Really I didn't..." DIRTY MONEY! :eyes:

[DaLittle Kitty]

27. Now Obama At Ebenezer Baptist "Preach'n 'Bout A Moral Deficit in America! Look in the Mirror

Barack... Look in the Mirror... What a Phony! Do'n the Southern accent again...

[Little Star]

29. yep. Pretty sad huh?

[Andy823]

30. Seems like he should have

Addressed this a long time ago, instead of saying he "hardly" knew Rezko! When the "facts" come out it's going to bite him in the butt big time. Of course I am sure the loyal followers of Obama will never believe it in a million years! :eyes:

[ccpup]

4. from the article:

...

(edited because the excerpts I originally offered had already been included)

Obama has denied using his government clout to do favors for Rezko.

As with Aramanda, no charges have been filed against the additional donors whose funds are being divested. None could be reached for comment Saturday evening. Among the donations are:

*$10,500 from Michel Malek, a neurologist and former investor in Rezko Enterprises.

*$2,000 from Fortunee Massuda, a founder of a chain of foot and ankle clinics and a former investor in Rezko Enterprises.

*$3,000 from Imad Almanaseer, a real estate and fast-food impresario and former member of LARC Realty, a Rezko business.

======================================================================================================

this smells to high heaven. once the talking heads on MTP finish trying to bury Hillary, perhaps they can start doing their jobs and look at something that might actually be a REAL story about their Golden Boy Obama?

[boston bean]

6. I wonder if they will do any questioning about any of this

never mind other things, he has not been vetted.

I distrust our media so much that I feel they want us to be a fatally flawed candidate so the repubs can win again.

I don't think my tinfoil is too tight, do you?

[ccpup]

7. not at all

I think tinfoil looks good on you. Brings out your eyes and no one even notices that missing front tooth!

:evilgrin:

[boston bean]

9. ha, thanks cc! does it help with the large mole between my eyes as well? nt

[ccpup]

12. let's just say it does and speak no more about it

:toast:

[AndyA]

5. And it won't do a bit of good if Barack is dirty.

Rezko is about as dirty as they come. Obama has had a lot of ties to him for a good many years from what I've read.

I think this is Obama's "Dean scream" moment. America has had enough corruption from its President. I don't believe most are willing to chance another corrupt President.

[ccpup]

11. the true danger for Obama

lies not so much in the association with Rezko, but more in the shattering of the image he's so carefully constructed about himself. People, upon learning about this Rezko affair (and there's more "there" in this story than in many of Obama's speeches, that's for sure), may feel mislead, lied to, played, taken advantage of and, quick as lightning, turn on Obama with fury.

No one likes to "believe" only to learn they've been played for gullible saps by a snake oil salesman.

[Peregrine Took]

16. Looks like St. Barack's halo is getting tarnished. n/t

[Patsy Stone]

8. Didn't we do this over a year ago?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2935032
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2905865
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2709147

[boston bean]

10. umm, he just returned this bulk money late last night or today. nt

[ccpup]

13. so THAT'S why he hightailed it outta Vegas

and headed home last night before the results came in. Great way to thank the Union and all your Supporters, Barack.

[Patsy Stone]

15. Right

But it's a continuation of a process, not the beginning. They had already divested of an equal amount over the past year, plus the initial $10K to the Senate campaign. I'm not sure what the new news is.

[ccpup]

17. why didn't he return it all at once?

I must admit I'm not familiar with the story and where it stood a year ago, but, if what you're saying is true, why did he feel the need to hold onto this relatively small amount for another year before divesting himself of it?

[durrrty libby]

14. K & R for truth

[IndianaJones]

18. this seems to be a manufactured scandal that will get no traction. nt.

[boston bean]

19. I'm not so sure about that. It seems to be a pretty big local story that

can go national. imo

[IndianaJones]

21. I live 30 miles from Chicago and my local channels are Chicago. Doesn't seem that big here. nt.

[boston bean]

22. Well it appears you may not be getting exposure to it, but the Trib takes it pretty seriously. nt

[IndianaJones]

23. I essentially live in a Chicago suburb and it is not a huge story here.

Maybe that will change.

[Little Star]

28. So does the NY Times. Read my post #24

[balantz]

33. Who owns the local media?

[MagsDem]

20. Only after the media called him on it....

... not like he didn't know Rezko was a crook before. Obama is phony as a 3 dollar bill. I sure as hell hope he doesn't get the nomination, and thankfully it's looking less likely every day.

[Little Star]

24. NY Times article from June 2007

An Obama Patron and Friend Until an Indictment
By CHRISTOPHER DREW and MIKE McINTIRE
Published: June 14, 2007

snip>
Mr. Obama has portrayed Mr. Rezko as a one-time fund-raiser whom he had occasionally seen socially. But interviews with more than a dozen political and business associates suggest that the two men were closer than the senator has indicated.

Mr. Obama turned to Mr. Rezko for help at several important junctures. Records show that when Mr. Obama needed cash in the waning days of his losing 2000 Congressional campaign, Mr. Rezko rounded up thousands of dollars from business contacts. In 2003, Mr. Rezko helped Mr. Obama expand his fund-raising for the Senate primary by being host of a dinner at his Mediterranean-style home for 150 people, including some whose names have since come up in the influence scandal.

And when Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, bought a house in 2005, Mr. Rezko stepped in again. Even though his finances were deteriorating, Mr. Rezko arranged for his wife to buy an adjacent lot, and she later sold the Obamas a 10-foot-wide strip of land that expanded their yard.

The land sale occurred after it had been reported that Mr. Rezko was under federal investigation. That awkward fact prompted Mr. Obama, who has cast himself as largely free from the normal influences of politics, to express regret over what he called his own bad judgment.snip<

This needs to be vetted long before he gets the nomination of the Dem party. We don't need the R's bringing this to the table when it will be to late for our party. Read the whole 2 page article. It is pretty damning, can anyone spell RICO?

[Andy823]

32. Yep

You "know" the republicans have "all" the dirt, and they are just waiting to jump on it if he is the nominee. Get it out now, not later.

[balantz]

31. Scary thing is

anything happens that looks bad on Obama and his mass of supporters just might consider it some kind of martyrdom or something. They may find it hard to drop their mythological hero they have so much emotion invested in and just support him all the harder, perhaps assuming it is all attacks from the "bad guys".

[Andy823]

34. Yes that is scary

But I think that sooner or later even the hardcore supporters are going to have to open their eyes and ee the truth. May take some time for some of them, but not all of them.

[Little Star]

35. Will they find thirty virgins after their martyrdom?

I feel like I'm back at an Elvis or Beattles concert.