Indictment Of Obama Fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko (William Chirolas)

[Tace]

William Chirolas -- World News Trust

-- Jan. 11, 2008 -- While I do not see any legal, or even ethical problems for Barack Obama with the Antoin "Tony" Rezko affair, the question is whether or not there are political problems for Obama in the general election.

Rezko is not someone you want to have in any opponent's political ad. There is a mention of Rezko's "possible ties" to mob and Syrian bankers in a June New York Times article.

Rezko, a former adviser to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is accused of using his influence with state officials in 2004 to extort kickbacks from firms seeking to do business with the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board and the state Teachers' Retirement System Board.

Stuart Levine, a member of both state boards who pleaded guilty to taking part in the kickback scheme, is expected to be the key government witness against Rezko. Chicago authorities also alleged that Rezko set up a front minority company to win permission to open three Panda Express outlets at O'Hare International Airport. His nominal partner was Jabir Herbert Muhammad, son of the late Nation of Islam founder Elijah Muhammad. Rezko and Muhammad settled the matter, which became public in 2005, months before Obama's house purchase. Without admitting wrongdoing, they agreed to end their O'Hare operations and were disqualified from the city's minority business program. Rezko is also charged with scheming to obtain a fraudulent $2.6 million loan for the sale of 17 pizza restaurants he owned. Rezko is charged along with Ali Ata and Abdelhamid Chaib.

In addition to a Obama's Rezko land deal, the senator's ties to the indicted dealmaker include an internship the senator provided the son of a contributor at the request of Rezko, as confirmed by an Obama spokesman.

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http://www.worldnewstrust.com/commentary/indictment-of-obama-fundraiser-antoin-tony-rezko.html

[terisan]

1. Sun Times says Obama had 17 year relationship w/Rezko who was involved in Obama real estate deal '05

[Kittycat]

3. This proves nothing. HRC Is in bed with Penn - which do you think is worse?

Even Rachael Maddow referred to people needing PR advice, that were the scum of the earth, seek Penn out.

Hmm, Blackwater or Real Estate in a small area?

[terisan]

4. Rezko is a big time scandal. You should read up on it if you are interested in clean politics.

[Kittycat]

17. Illinoisans don't have a problem with BO in this regard, it doesn't even make our news.

So why should it bother anyone else?

[madrchsod]

20. why it`s about obama!

we had our fill of this when it actually was reported and "vetted"...it just takes the east coast to get the news...what about a year? actually this has been on the national news when the story was hot.

[terisan]

25. Obama's frend and client, Rezko the slumlord, is about to go to trial. It is current news.

[Kittycat]

29. You know - since when does what your friend do, implicate you?

If I was held accountable to all the crap my friends did/have done - even my Ex husband, holy crap - I'd hate to think of where I'd be right now.

I have friends that are lawyers, drs, business owners, executives, real estate agents/brokers (corporate & housing) and so on. I have a general idea what they do, but I don't know specifics. It's just not something we make a point of discussing. Yes I've asked my lawyer friends for Legal advice on my business, retirement and other matters - but I don't know who their clients are, or what type of cases they're working on. For all I know they could be protecting the Chicago mob, I wouldn't think so - but hey, it's none of my business.

The point is, I don't make their business my business. If I need help with something, and think they may be able to provide advice or assistant, I'll ask. But that doesn't make me guilty if they've done something wrong.

Nor should it Obama.

And while we're on Obama. Maybe you missed the resent disclosure release, showing that he discloses far more than ANY of the other candidates - democrat and republican alike. His rating on finances and busines (campaign & personal) was a 4 out of 7. The closest anyone else got was a 2 out of 7.

[terisan]

24. Made the Sun Times but are you saying Illinois is corrupt and that is ok with you?

[Kittycat]

32. Illinoisans realize the difference between someone being corrupt and guilt by association.

If we're going to talk about Guilt by Association, then the clinton's would have been locked up and the key thrown away years ago. So in the meantime, you're going to try and destroy the career of someone, based off of someone they know - not something they're guilty of? And how is that supposed to help the democratic party? Don't you understand, which hunts don't help us, nor do false accusations.

[terisan]

6. Wnen you say "in bed with" are you suggesting an adulterous relationship?

[Kittycat]

15. Oh for the love of FSM - no. Don't be so literal, the phrase has alternate meanings.

[William769]

8. Which one is going to trial?

[sniffa]

9. is Hsu in jail yet?

i haven't been following closely.

[William769]

11. When is his trial?

[BootinUp]

13. Is Penn a wealthy corrupted power broker?

really the comparison is ludricous.

As to Rezko and Obama I have no opinion yet on the matter.

[Kittycat]

16. Certainly not to be assocaited with, and only ties her more to * and blackwater, et al.

[BootinUp]

19. I don't buy it

Penn is being paid to work for her campaign. There is no corruption or ethics/legal questions in hiring him for his expertise in polling and campaigning.

[Kittycat]

21. And Rezko did fundraising - he's not even being paid. So how does this impact BO?

And Penn is a trusted member of her team. Trusted. Hmmm. He's on the inside.

[William769]

22. Can anyone here say land deals?

[terisan]

26. Obama is returning his client's contributions but still has $300000 discount on the house to deal

[madrchsod]

23. do a bit of googling about penn and the clintons

he`s been bill and now hillary`s guru of polling...yes there is no corruption but she lost a 60,000 member union endorsement because of penn`s firm union busting. i think penn is out and replaced by some one from texas. look for a new hillary in the next few weeks...

[Bluebear]

28. Will that be the trial's defense, "Hillary did it too?" Good luck with that!

[Kittycat]

30. Obama isn't on Trial

Do you see? Just as you claim HRC isn't guilty for working with, hiring, and advicing with an obviously corrupt (even if only morally) person. Obama isn't either.

[Bluebear]

31. Well I didn't 'claim' any such thing about HRC but carry on

[ccpup]

2. unfortunately, in America,

those inching closer to voting for Obama could find themselves quickly backing away when they learn he has a long association with a man who has ties to Syrian bankers.

And the GOP, in their "fear all things foreign" zeal, will make mincemeat out of Obama over this.

Add to that the curious land deal? I don't know, but it doesn't look good in the General.

[stillcool]

14. cool....

sounds like a really good show!

[HeraldSquare212]

5. To the degree that this is a liability for Obama - and I don't think it really is -

it's more than offset by the people Bill Clinton has been hanging around with and getting donations from for the Global Initiative. Recall as just one example, that in return for a $1,000,000 donation he appeared at a press conferece touting the stock or product of a company that was run by a stock-scammer who is now under indictment. And the whole Ron Burkle relationship just keys right in to Clinton's woman-troubles background, even if there is nothing but smoke there (and I don't know anything to indicate that there is anything more, and I'm not alleging there is).

I'm not trying to raise a ruckus here or start a flame-war; I'm just trying to lay out that the Clinton campaign line that Hillary has been fully vetted, that we know all there is to know about her and Bill in excruciating detail, is not true. To the degree people take Rezko into account when deciding whom to support, I would recommend also taking these issues into account. The attacks may be unfair to both Obama and Clinton, but if you're anticipating a lot of mud-slinging, this is one source of mud-slinging you should think about.

[terisan]

10. According to Sun Times Obama has denied the long term Rezko tie then acknowledged

Rezko had been a long tern client of Obama's law firm.

[Kittycat]

33. How many clients does the firm have? How much business did he do with them that was of any grand

importance?

You can't hold him accountable to that, unless he was directly involved on a regular basis. For all we know, a clerk could have been handling his filings, and everything was rubber stamped. I'm sure the attorney we used on the close of our properties wouldn't remember us from Adam, unless we went in to some detail to refresh him (then I still wonder) - and he was referred to us by a close mutual friend/attorney.

[ursi]

7. So ...the Clinton borg already has one fund raiser going to federal prison ...

[terisan]

12. So if someone else does it , it is ok ? Is that your ethical standard or Obama's?

[madrchsod]

18. day two of the on going saga of obama`s non problem.....

dam i hate to think how many post there is going to be today about this issue that means nothing.

[Scriptor Ignotus]

27. Lawngate - eom