Clinton Co-Chair Took Checks From Rezko

[adabfree]

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD – 8 hours ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a national co-chair of Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, banked at least $7,500 in political donations linked to an indicted Chicago businessman whose past connections to Barack Obama have been used by Clinton to criticize her rival.

City records show Antoin Rezko, idenfitied as chairman of Rezmar Corp. of Chicago, contributed $1,000 to Villaraigosa's mayoral campaign in May 2001. Those records show Rezko also donated $500 to another Villaraigosa political committee in March 2003.

Records show Villaraigosa received at least another $6,000 from people or businesses with connections to Rezko.

Asked to confirm whether the mayor received donations from Rezko, spokesman Sean Clegg said "the contributions are currently under review."

Clegg said Villaraigosa doesn't know Rezko and was unaware whether Rezko or any of his companies were doing business with the city, or bidding on city contracts.

"The contributions from 2001 and 2003 were long before any issues related to Tony Rezko became public," Clegg said.

The donations could prove to be a political embarrassment for Clinton, who accused Obama in a South Carolina debate of representing Rezko "in his slum landlord business" when Obama was a young Chicago lawyer.

Rezko has been a patron of Illinois politicians for years and Obama's connections to Rezko go back more than 15 years. Rezko has contributed thousands of dollars to the campaigns of both Obama and Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Neither has been accused of any wrongdoing.

Obama's campaign has given to charity nearly $150,000 in contributions received by Obama's House, Senate and presidential campaigns that came from Rezko, his employees, his associates and his family.

Obama represented partners of Rezko's company in government-subsidized apartment rehabilitation projects, not Rezko himself. Obama says he did no more than five or six hours of work for the partners.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gpC0zgfaq3IWHyY4ssvz0Hv83AsAD8UH9IP01

[1corona4u]

1. Obama, on MTP;

MR. RUSSERT: Tony Rezko, who is he?

SEN. OBAMA: He is a developer in Illinois. He was a friend of mine for, for over 10 years. He was, he was a supporter of Democrats and Republicans back in Illinois. He was indicted recently for issues completely unrelated to me, but obviously it’s a source of concern because he’s not only a friend but also a supporter of my campaign.

MR. RUSSERT: It appears that he raised or contributed about $168,000 for you over the course of your career...

SEN. OBAMA: Over the course of my political career. Correct.

MR. RUSSERT: ...and that he was always there to be very helpful to you at certain times. And when you bought property adjacent to each other, you bought land from him to expand your backyard.

SEN. OBAMA: Correct.

MR. RUSSERT: This was all after he had been—it had been reported he was under federal investigation.

SEN. OBAMA: Yeah.

MR. RUSSERT: Why were you associating with such a person?

[Windy]

3. You may want to put the rest of the transcript in there... convenient cut off on your part... nt

[1corona4u]

11. It's available online....

and since I was adressing THAT lie, that's what I posted. Google it.

[Windy]

2. not good.... if this is wide. Not good. At minimum, her campaign seems hypocritical. n/t

[LeftCoast]

4. Putting aside the Clinton-Obama feud for a sec, has anyone wondered why the media

has been running story after story about shady Democratic fundraising and nothing about all the republican dirty deals? No matter who wins the nomination, I expect this to be a theme the media will continue through the general election.

[bernicewilliams]

5. What does this have to do with Clinton?

What a lame news article. Rezko gave money to the California mayor, who was not linked to Clinton's campaign in 2001 because this is 2008.

And in 2003 the mayor received (gasp) $500! big freaking deal. By the way, he wasn't Hillary's co-chair in 2003 either.
And we are supposed to care?

[LostinVA]

9. Nothing

[Renew Deal]

12. The entire story is lame

The Obama association, the Clinton picture, Villagrosa, all of it. The only person that did anything wrong was Rezco. It's not Obama's, Hillary's, or Antonio's fault that this guy donated to candidates.

[bridgit]

6. Where's the Chinese fraud guy that was on the run & caught in his underwear on the AmTrak?

[sunonmars]

7. Theres also a little matter of no 17 year relationship

He pays the money back as will all the people who got contributions, kerry, mosely braun, and that very long list of people.

Its not so easy for Obama. This has not been about small contributions, it has been about a Pres. Candidate having a 17 year relationship with Rezko and his deals and house and whatever else there is.

[Bitwit1234]

8. So....we complain about bush and the republicans wanting to

get copies of all our emails and electronic transactions, and listen to our telephone calls. But Hillary Clinton should go all over the country and investigate ANYBODY who worked or ever worked for her, their financial and personal life. Gee what a bunch of crap.

[sniffa]

10. You should make this an OP

I'd reccomend it. :thumbsup:

[REDFISHBLUEFISH]

13. Did he get a house like Obama did?

That would be a story!