Chicago Tribune, Factcheck.Org, Washington Post: Obama Never Represented Tony Rezko

[ProSense]

Chicago Tribune, Factcheck.Org, Washington Post: Obama Never Represented Tony Rezko

January 23, 2008

FactCheck.org On Clinton's Claim Obama Represented Rezko: "That's Untrue." Factcheck.org reported, "Obama was associated with a law firm that represented the community groups working with Rezko on several deals. There's no evidence that Obama spent much time on them, and he never represented Rezko directly. So it was wrong for Clinton to say he was 'representing ... Rezko.' That's untrue." (FactCheck.org, 1/21/08)

Chicago Tribune Review Of "Land And Court Document And Law Firm Files As Well As Correspondence And Other Records...Supports (Obama's) Contention That He Did Not Directly Represent Rezko's Development Firm." The Chicago Tribune reported, "Obama angrily rejected Clinton's accusation at Monday's Democratic debate. And a Tribune review of land and court documents and law firm files as well as correspondence and other records related to Obama's eight years as an Illinois state lawmaker supports his contention that he did not directly represent Rezko's development firm. Instead, the records show, he represented non-profit community groups that partnered with Rezko's firm." (Chicago Tribune, 1/23/08)

Tribune Examined Miner Barnhill's "260 Civil And Criminal Cases," IHDA And DOH Files, Clients From Obama's "Unusually Frank Ethics Disclosure Reports" And Found Obama Represented The Non-Profit Partner. The Chicago Tribune reported, "At the Tribune's request, Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Timothy Evans produced a list of all 260 civil and criminal cases in which the firm filed appearances, and the Tribune separately examined 1990s lawsuits that Rezmar Corp. listed in applications for government grants. The paper also examined files from the Illinois Housing Development Authority and the city housing department, as well as the hundreds of clients Obama listed in the unusually frank ethics disclosure reports he filed as a state senator from December 1995 through April 2004. Those and other records disclosed five instances in which Obama did legal work for ventures that included Rezmar Corp. The case of City of Chicago vs. Central Woodlawn Limited Partnership is one example. In 1992, that community group partnered with Rezmar Corp. to rehab the former slum apartment building at 6107-6115 S. Ellis Ave. As work was ongoing, city officials sued the developers, alleging 16 serious code violations at the property, including a dangerously dilapidated porch. Obama and a co-counsel filed appearances in February 1994, but the court records show they appeared on behalf of Central Woodlawn, Rezko's non-profit partner, not Rezko or his company." (Chicago Tribune, 1/23/08)

Washington Post Fact Check: "Investigations By Chicago Newspapers Have Not Produced Evidence That (Obama) Represented Rezko In A Slum Landlord Business." The Washington Post reported, "William Miceli, Obama's supervisor at the law firm, said the firm represented the Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corp., a nonprofit group that redeveloped a run-down property on Chicago's South Side with Rezko. He called Clinton's assertion that Obama represented Rezko in a slum landlord business 'categorically untrue. He was a very junior lawyer at the time, who was given responsibility for basic due diligence, document review,' said Miceli, adding that Obama did what he was told by the firm. According to Miceli, that was the only time Obama worked on a Rezko-related project while at the law firm…But investigations by Chicago newspapers have not produced evidence that he represented Rezko in a slum landlord business. What has been demonstrated so far is that he did some due diligence legal work for a joint venture between Rezko and a Chicago nonprofit. Two Pinocchios for Clinton." (Washington Post, 1/22/08)

MINER: OBAMA DID MINOR WORK REPRESENTING THE NON-PROFIT

Miner: Obama Filed Incorporation Papers For The Non-Profits. The AP reported, "Attorneys there say Obama never represented Rezko directly. The future senator did represent community organizations that were Rezko partners in rehabilitating buildings to provide apartments for the poor…Judson Miner, a partner in the firm, said that Obama's role was small. He said Obama did perhaps six or seven hours of work on such projects, mainly filing incorporation papers for the nonprofit groups." (AP, 1/22/08)

Obama Said That Miner Barnhill "Was Representing The Non-For-Profit Partner, Where There's No Allegations That They Did Anything Wrong." Obama said, "My law firm was representing the non for profit partner, where there's no allegations that they did anything wrong. They were simply trying to develop non for profit housing in the district." (Fox News, 4/24/07)

Obama Said That Miner Barnhill Was "Brought In Through (The Non-Profits), Not Through Rezko." The Chicago Tribune reported, "Responding to a Chicago Sun-Times report that Obama's former law firm did legal work for Rezko's low-income housing development business, the Illinois senator said he performed five hours of work on behalf of non-profit housing groups that partnered with Rezko. 'We were brought in through them (the non-profits), not through Rezko,' Obama said." (Chicago Tribune, 4/24/07)

[Cha]

1. Gee, ProSense..I want to thank

you for doing all this heavy lifting around here for Obama..you and all the others who brings facts to the discussion board.

[Konza]

2. Are you suggesting Hillary is less than honest?

Well, I'm Shocked.
Shocked, I tell you!

[Whisp]

27. Shock Doctrined here as well. ;) nt

[niceypoo]

44. Obama stated in the last debate that he did work for him

Five hours worth, he said.

[tyne]

3. LOL

Obama should run an ad suggesting that Hillary was having an affair with Monica.

Well, maybe not.

[hayu_lol]

10. Michelle was close friends with the Rezkos...that implies(true or not)a close...

association between the two families. Obama got a pretty good deal on his house(300K below market)and on the addtional land sold to him by the Rezkos.

Lawyer talk for I didn't directly represent those people, what I did was represent people who were dealing with Rezko. A bit too lawyerly for me to separate out. Legally? Who knows. Morally--since Obama is clearly a morals candidate--tied with the Rezkos with chains.

[HeraldSquare212]

11. Bill was close friends with Jeffrey Epstein.

Got rides on his airplane, dinners in his honer at his house. Should we paint him with Jeffrey Epstein's crimes?

[hogwyld]

12. I guess it depends of what the definition of "is" is?? n/t

[juajen]

17. I just read bios on both Obama and Michelle.

Very interesting and I was very impressed. They are both so accomplished. I believe I remember that Obama was in intern at the law firm Michelle worked at as an associate. He was assigned to her. Is it possible that Michelle represented Rezko. I mean there had to be a reason for the land purchase, etc., between the Rezkos and the Obamas. It is an itch that needs scratching, or the pugs will do it for us. Better now than later.

BTW, I was disappointed in both bios. I wanted to know how these two people ended up going to college at Princeton and Harvard. They both came from nice families, but Michelle's parents were not well off, and scholarships were hard to come by then for minorities. Her brother also went to Princeton; as a matter of fact he played basketball for Princeton, if I remember correctly, and is now a basketball coach. Obviously they were all intellectually gifted. I just wanted to know the whole story, and I didn't get it from the bios I read online. Also, maybe some of you would know where I can read a bio of Obama's father, who also went to Harvard? Very interesting families, and I do want to know more.

Thanks so much.

[Laurab]

40. I don't know about a bio of Obama's father

but this book would answer many of your questions, and is quite a good read, as well:

http://www.amazon.com/Dreams-My-Father-Story-Inheritance/dp/0307383415/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201220054&sr=1-2


It does talk a little about his dad, but his dad wasn't a huge part of his life.

[ursi]

4. This is good but remember, the Clintons practice Rovian tacts and in this world of smears

people remember the smear because it leaves a first impression. The correction never gets to the people like the smear does. Example: the smearing of John McCain in 2000.

[Blarch]

5. strange how the

hillbots don't mind supporting a candidate that lies so much.

She is a fucking lying hack...the facts speak for themselves.

[thunder rising]

6. "unusually frank ethics disclosure reports" .. that's a part I really like

A little of that from the other candidates. An unsolicited positive remark about your ethic and integrity.

[bpeale]

7. too bad Obama already admitted in the course of the debate

can't take it back now. it's out there.

[MannyGoldstein]

13. Do You Want To Substantiate That?

I'm guessing this is another hit-and-run load o' crap, but maybe you'll surprise us.

[bpeale]

14. he said so in the last debate. i was watching it when he admitted it.

so take your hit & run load of crap and put it where the sun don't shine.

[MannyGoldstein]

15. This Is The Internet Age - Surely You Could Find It

Of course, it would actually have to exist; might that be the problem?

[IronLionZion]

29. It doesn't have to exist for someone to "find" it

I've seen DUers provide a link to another DU thread as "proof" of something. And there are other message boards and blogs out there to link to.

[awaysidetraveler]

35. Obama said he did legal work for a church group in the last debate.

And the liar here is Clinton, again.

[rodeodance]

43. Obama: "I did about five hours worth of work on this joint project".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/21/AR2008012102584_pf.html


BLITZER: I'm going to go to Suzanne...

CLINTON: Wait, Wolf, I have to answer this.

BLITZER: I'm going to go to Suzanne Malveaux in a second, but I just want to give you a chance, Senator Obama, if you want to respond. Senator Clinton made a serious allegation that you worked for a slumlord. And I wonder if you want to respond.

OBAMA: I'm happy to respond. Here's what happened: I was an associate at a law firm that represented a church group that had partnered with this individual to do a project and I did about five hours worth of work on this joint project. That's what she's referring to. Now, it's fine for her to throw that out, but the larger reason that I think this debate is important is because we do have to trust our leaders and what they say. That is important, because if we can't, then we're not going to be able to mobilize the American people behind bringing about changes in health care reform, bringing about changes in how we're going to put people back to work, changing our trade laws. And consistency matters. Truthfulness during campaigns makes a difference

[rodeodance]

42. yes, Obama said he worked 5 hours --

[ClericJohnPreston]

8. Obama never represented Rezko

.....DIRECTLY....

Big difference by parsing. But, nice try. I'm sure there is more to come, being somewhat acquainted with the Law and how it works. I suggest you hold the Party until after February 25,2008.

I'll be happy to commiserate with you, whatever happens.

[mopinko]

9. there you go again, trying to convince people with facts.

:crazy:





thanks.

[ArkySue]

16. Chicago Sun-Times

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/353829,CST-NWS-rez23.article

For more than five weeks during the brutal winter of 1997, tenants shivered without heat in a government-subsidized apartment building on Chicago's South Side.

It was just four years after the landlords -- Antoin "Tony'' Rezko and his partner Daniel Mahru -- had rehabbed the 31-unit building in Englewood with a loan from Chicago taxpayers.

Rezko and Mahru couldn't find money to get the heat back on.

But their company, Rezmar Corp., did come up with $1,000 to give to the political campaign fund of Barack Obama, the newly elected state senator whose district included the unheated building.

Obama has been friends with Rezko for 17 years. Rezko has been a political patron to Obama and many others, helping to raise millions of dollars for them through his own contributions and by hosting fund-raisers in his home.

Obama, who has worked as a lawyer and a legislator to improve living conditions for the poor, took campaign donations from Rezko even as Rezko's low-income housing empire was collapsing, leaving many African-American families in buildings riddled with problems -- including squalid living conditions, vacant apartments, lack of heat, squatters and drug dealers.

CON'T
edit-typo

[FrenchieCat]

20. Chicago Sun Times' story on this, if was judged on the barometer of truth--

would be found....

A fragment of truth, distorted

Bottom line, Clinton’s claim is Barely True. Obama, by his own admission, did some, albeit very little, legal work that helped Rezko’s company obtain properties that would later be neglected. But the allegations that Rezko was a slumlord did not arise, at least not publicly, until years after Obama performed that work.

Full story at the link
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/306/

[ProSense]

18. Kick! n/t

[Occam Bandage]

19. That's impossible. Clintons are biologically incapable of lying.

[madrchsod]

21. obama has been tried and found guility in the

[Azathoth]

22. Will Hillary cry now that the big mean boys at the Chicago Tribune have called her on her bullshit?

Expect a teary-eyed photo-op at any moment...

[BenDavid]

23. that my be factually true but he is linked to rezko and rezko goes

on trial in late feb. and even though obama is not named in this indictment obama is identified as a "political figure"...this will hurt obama as reported in the LA TIMES.......and other newspapers

[Alexander]

25. So you're saying facts don't matter, just guilt by association.

Funny, I could've sworn the Clintons were "associated" with Whitewater in the same bullshit manner.

Nice to see you defend lying.

[kelligesq]

24. But in the debate Obama said he did - and then the reporter gave a

rundown on all he had done for Rizko and all of Rizko's contributions to Obama.

So someone is not telling the truth.

Go check CNN for Joe Johns comments.

[FrenchieCat]

26. Must be you.

and him...


"That's why I supported the Iraq thing." Bill Clinton, June 23, 2004 (CNN)
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/06/19/clinton.iraq/index.html

"I opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning." Bill Clinton, 11/27/2007, (NYT)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/28/us/politics/28clinton.html?ex=1353906000&en=cf3f18a5f01db61b&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

I know who I don't Believe!

[ProSense]

28. Kick! n/t

[yodermon]

30. NO! NO! BUTTONS! BUTTONS! NUKES! AUUGH!

[suston96]

31. "Represented"? Uh, what about this....?

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/425305,CST-NWS-obama13.article

Obama's letters for Rezko
NOT A FAVOR? | As a state senator, he went to bat for now-indicted developer's deal

June 13, 2007
BY TIM NOVAK Staff Reporter/[e-mail]

As a state senator, Barack Obama wrote letters to city and state officials supporting his political patron Tony Rezko's successful bid to get more than $14 million from taxpayers to build apartments for senior citizens.

The deal included $855,000 in development fees for Rezko and his partner, Allison S. Davis, Obama's former boss, according to records from the project, which was four blocks outside Obama's state Senate district.

Obama's letters, written nearly nine years ago, for the first time show the Democratic presidential hopeful did a political favor for Rezko -- a longtime friend, campaign fund-raiser and client of the law firm where Obama worked -- who was indicted last fall on federal charges that accuse him of demanding kickbacks from companies seeking state business under Gov. Blagojevich.


Barack Obama backed the effort by Tony Rezko (inset) and Allison Davis - Rezko's partner and Obama's former boss - to win taxpayer funds to build the Cottage View Terrace apartments.
(AP/Sun-Times files)

Letters from Obama
The letters appear to contradict a statement last December from Obama, who told the Chicago Tribune that, in all the years he's known Rezko, "I've never done any favors for him.''

[AGirl]

33. good find!

[ProSense]

38. Update:

here.

[AGirl]

32. And Obama started it first with the Wal-Mart comment

Thanks.

[leftynyc]

34. I don't understand

I thought in the last debate Obama said he did 5 hours of work for Mr. Rezko.

[awaysidetraveler]

36. Obama said he did 5 hours of work for a church group associated with Rezko.

Ever gone to church with a bad guy?

Maybe you should reconsider Hillary, this is a lot of lies to accept in a president.

[awaysidetraveler]

37. Here's some more links and info on the Rezko thing.

After looking at this material, it looks to me like General Electric (which owns MSNBC, NBC, billions in contracts in Iraq, and hundreds of billions in oil contracts in Qatar) is trying to use Rezko to shape the democratic primaries.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/awaysidetraveler/16

The more one looks into the case against Rezko, the more it looks like a set up.

[Scurrilous]

39. K & R

:kick:

[ProSense]

41. Kick! n/t