Obama attempts to distance himself from Rezko scandal

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Associated Press

Published Tuesday | June 12, 2007
Obama attempts to distance himself from Rezko scandal

CHICAGO (AP) - Sixteen years ago, Chicago businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko tried to hire Harvard law student Barack Obama to work in his real estate development company.

Obama said no, but it was the start of a political friendship.

Rezko contributed thousands of dollars and raised thousands more as Obama ran for the Illinois Legislature and the U.S. Senate. He was even involved in Obama's purchase of a family home.

But now Rezko faces federal charges as the central figure in an Illinois corruption scandal, and Obama - whose Democratic presidential campaign emphasizes a squeaky-clean image - is scrambling to distance himself from his old supporter.


Read more: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=2400456

[bunkerbuster1]

1. Democrats "Scramble," Goopers "Re-position"

Just so you know the journamalistic terminology.

[Journeyman]

2. Well, this sounds like an afternoon's worth of "scandal" . . .

it should fade from the press shortly after the evening news. It should. But that said, we'll probably be hearing about iit for months if not years after the 2008 election is over.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. Hm, no mention of the fact this Rezko guy gave money to Bush.

Or a few other Republicans as well.

http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=IL&last=Rezko&first=Antoin

So it's cool if he gives money to Bush and other Repubs, but it's automatically a scandal for Obama if he receives money from the guy?

[Tempest]

4. Welcome to DU, DI

Good catch.

:toast:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. actually, their connection is pretty damn close. too close.

both personally and professionally. not to mention they are (ahem) revised neighbors with new lot lines. and fences. and unique real estate agents. and costs of purchases. and more.

I am sure that the GOP snoops have it all down pat, and more. The ChiTrib and Chi Suntimes wrote quite a bit about this, scattered over several months. it makes for some weird reading. Add to that today's cover story about "obama's" image patrol, and you can see his star tarnish faster than a bad penny.

Obama sent all money he got from a rezko cohort to charities, but only AFTER the cohort was indicted. It was an open story here that the indictment was going to happen. Yet Obama waited until it was too late.


so either, he tried to escape without further action, or he wanted the money, or his campaign has no clue how bad this will hurt him when things get close to the end.

[Jim Sagle]

7. Jeff Gerth, is that you?

[RaRa]

5. Yawn. Local press covered it a while ago. They're back to supporting him. n/t

[Bucky]

8. The guy raised literally *thousands* of dollars for Obama over the years. Wow. I'm whelmed.

Note they don't say Rezko raised any money for Obama for president. Apparently "distanced himself" from Rezko means Obama doesn't take any of his money anymore--and hasn't since 2004.

Are we really going to hold candidates responsible for all the actions of all the people who have ever given money to them?

Utterly silly.