Obama Linked in Rezko Corruption Case

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.

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.

www.suntimes.com...

Obama’s relationship with Rezko grew closer in June 2005, when Obama and Rezko’s wife bought adjoining real estate parcels from a doctor in the South Side Kenwood neighborhood. Obama paid $1.65 million for the doctor’s mansion, while Rezko’s wife paid $625,000 for the vacant lot next door. Obama’s purchase price was $300,000 below the asking price; Rezko’s wife paid full price. Six months later, Obama paid Rita Rezko $104,500 for one-sixth of the vacant lot, which he bought to expand his yard. In November 2006, he expressed regret about the transaction.

[edit on 1/29/08 by kattraxx]

Suddenly divesting questionable campaign contributions after the facts have come to light, sounds like too little too late. I have a feeling this will not go away overnight. But, all in all, MSM seems pretty quiet on this subject. Go figure.









[edit on 1/29/08 by kattraxx]

This reminds me of the California Congressman Duke Cunningham's scandal. It has all the same signs. Property being bought and sold for less than market or asking price and a politician who ends up getting what we would call "miracle" real estate deals. There's some definite underhanded dealings going on here. We'll have to dig into this story some more.

It is going to be pretty ugly to watch as these candidates start to tear each other apart. Hell hath no fury like a Clinton scorned.

Obama is as corrupt as the rest of them. The only good thing about having every candidate being a terrible choice for the country, the smear campaigns will be fun to watch.

Here's another interesting note on this from an abc news article.

The parcel (land) 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.

abcnews.go.com...

So the property owner had a condition that the land and house be sold at the same time? Very interesting and how convenient. Rezko buys the land esentially freeing Obama up to seal the deal on the house without having to drop an extra $625,000 to get the place. Not only that, but Obama gets the house for $300,000 under the asking price.

That's a $925,000.00 kick-back, nearly $1,000,000.00. Can you say corruption and scandal? Of course there's nothing "illegal" about it but the whoe thing sounds like Rezko has a politician in his pocket. This is the torpedo that could sink the U.S.S. Obama.

[edit on 30-1-2008 by dbates]

Thanks for your comments, dbates (I still recall your time machine post; so funny) and KarlHungis.

I guess a lot of people still want to believe Obama is about "change", but right now he's looking like just another hypocritical politician to me. It is demoralizing, that every time the people believe there is someone they can get behind, something like this always comes out. I don't think this is over by a long shot either. I believe there will be more coming.

First thing I thought when I read the story was, where does a relatively young senator get that kind of money to buy a $1.65 million mansion in the first place? These politicians--- they enter politics with no money, and a few years later, they're millionaires. That should tell the people something.

And isn't mainstream media relatively quiet on this one? I can only imagine if this report was about, say Ron Paul, for example-- they would probably be interrupting scheduled broadcasting and playing it up like the moon landing.

Hmmm, I find it very interesting that when you Google this, you get lots of results saying that this source accusing Obama has had drug problems throughout, and has been ordered to submit to a drug test.

I would not trust this so much. It's possible, I'll admit that, but having a junkie source who could very well be a Hil-dog fan doesn't seem like the strongest piece of evidence.

Originally posted by bigbert81
Hmmm, I find it very interesting that when you Google this, you get lots of results saying that this source accusing Obama has had drug problems throughout, and has been ordered to submit to a drug test.

The land deals are a matter of public record. The campaign donations from Rezko are public record. Rezko's involvement in the teacher pension scam is a matter of public record. Rezko being Obama's "long-time campaign fund-raiser" is also a matter of public record.



[edit on 1/30/08 by kattraxx]

[edit on 1/30/08 by kattraxx]

This actually came out, via the Clintons, a few days ago. It sort of disappeared after a photo of the Clintons posing with Rezko surfaced. I'm sure there will much more of this as the Clinton Dynasty feels the heat.

There is a difference between posing for a photograph (if it's genuine) and taking campaign donations from Rezko.

I do agree with you that it's not over yet, though. Btw, I don't plan to vote for either Clinton or Obama. I just want to know the whole truth.

Rezko is Obama and Hillary's "Abramoff", yet the MSM continue to ignore the issue.