ABC News: Obama Camp Still Has $100,000 In Rezko Cash

[KennedyGuy]

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2008/01/abc_news_obama_camp_still_has_100000_in_rezko_cash.php

"Barack Obama's campaign has worked hard to purge itself of any taint from Chicago political patron Tony Rezko giving away $85,000 in contributions that they've identified as being connected to the currently-indicted Illinois Democratic fundraiser.

However, ABC News reports that their review shows yet another $100,000 in contributions that the Obama camp didn't spot. Some of it would seem to be really obvious, too, like checks from Rezko's wife and others from employees of his businesses.

The timing is pretty bad for Obama campaign, in that it highlights the fact that the ties between himself and Rezko are much stronger than anything allegedly revealed this morning, when a photo surfaced of Rezko smiling with Hillary and Bill at some point in the 90s".

Oops..Looks like Obama made a bit of a boo boo having the media focus on Rezco..

[fenriswolf]

1. both him and hillary

are playing with tainted money :P

[aquart]

8. The campaigns are running TWO YEARS!

Of course it's tainted money. There isn't that much clean money on the planet.

[Endangered Specie]

16. good enough reason to vote for Edwards, I'd say

[Triana]

38. Solution: Vote Edwards (n/t)

[aquart]

2. "Employees of his businesses."

LOL!

[TwilightZone]

9. That's not quite as disconcerting as...

"checks from Rezko's wife".

How could they miss those?

[aquart]

24. Maiden name?

No, the employees bother me more. Either he handed them his money to donate, same as his wife, or he pressured them to donate no matter which candidate they personally favored. I hate that.

[TwilightZone]

27. Possibly, or she has a different last name.

She still shouldn't have been terribly hard to find.

Your point on employees is a valid one.

[rodeodance]

28. lots of info. in the pdf file

[ursi]

3. I'm anxiously awaiting the same type of stuff to come out about the Clintons!

You know they played the game but more and better!

[goldcanyonaz]

5. Been there, done that. Was fun, huh?

[kikiek]

13. My thought exactly! Hah! No one has been scrutinized like Hillary!

[aquart]

11. Norman Hsu. But he was also helpful to Obama.

However, you are welcome to find and reveal whatever you can. And feel better.

See, Hillary was never billed as a saint, or a messiah, or CHANGE.

Obama is not CHANGE if he's the SAME. Is he?

[oasis]

19. I don't remember Hillary basing her campaign on "a new kind of politics". Obama is sunk. (eom)

[mrreowwr_kittty]

4. All he has to do is give it back

And Clinton really doesn't want there to be a focus on shady fundraising. She's got enough of her own problems in that arena.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

20. Hillary Isn't Running On Her Sainthood

~

[mrreowwr_kittty]

22. That's the understatement of the year. nt

[Kittycat]

6. How much does HRC have earmarked for her supporters?

Just curious? I think she's the "pac" leader :)

And how much dirty money is she playing with, from the criminals her husband entertains?

[oasis]

29. Don't forget Hillary's sordid relationship with "Walmart". That's worse than 10 Rezkos.

:rofl:

[TwilightZone]

7. Their handling of this just doesn't make any sense.

If they knew that this was going to be an issue, why didn't they make identifying all donations a top priority?

I could understand missing some unknown donations, but a check from the guy's wife? How do you miss that?

[Proud2BAmurkin]

14. It makes sense if they're hiding something

[CyberPieHole]

10. But...but...I thought Obama's campaign was all about "change"....

this is just samo samo sleazy politician crap. Obama is a lying sack of dirt...I am glad that this stuff is being covered by the news now and not later when it could hurt his campaign.:evilgrin:

[Proud2BAmurkin]

12. That is a big chunk o change when you think about it

[MADem]

21. That was a "spit take" comment, that....!!!!

:spray: :rofl:

[emilyg]

39. HeeHee - good

[kurth]

23. Obama is a corrupt opportunist

But he will be a very rich man, no matter what. Change, my ass.

[gulliver]

15. Geez, this Rezko guy sure does like Barack Obama! n/t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

17. It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Bg9CO20Qg

[MADem]

18. There's actually even MORE MONEY than that.

http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=4192358

"We have returned any money that we know was associated to Mr. Rezko," Obama told Diane Sawyer on Wednesday morning during an appearance on "Good Morning America." "That is something that if there's additional information we don't know about, we'd be happy to return the money."

The Obama campaign says it has given away more than $85,000 in Rezko-linked contributions since Rezko was indicted on federal fraud and extortion charges in the fall of 2006.


An ABCNews.com review, however, has identified an additional $100,000 in contributions made to Obama from Rezko's associates that have not been returned, including $19,500 in contributions from Rezko's wife and employees of Rezko's business enterprises. The ABCNews.com review includes individuals who have been linked to Rezko in news reports, court documents and public records.

Other news organizations have reviewed Obama's campaign finance records and have also found Rezko-linked contributions that are more than double what the campaign has publicly acknowledged. The Chicago Sun-Times, which published its review last June, found that "Obama has collected at least $168,308 from Rezko and his circle," and earlier this week the Los Angeles Times reported that it had found that Rezko and his associates had given "Obama more than $200,000 in donations since 1995."

When asked to respond to the findings, campaign spokesman Bill Burton replied, "We think they are casting a wide net and overestimating."

But the campaign does acknowledge that it does not have an exact record of money raised by Rezko. Its best estimate of what Rezko has raised is $60,000, including contributions from a fundraiser Rezko held for Obama in 2003. "We don't have an exact record of the money raised at the event, but we have given to charity all contributions that seemed appropriate to return," said Burton. "We review our donations and where there are questions, we make decisions about donating to charity those which, in the circumstances, do not seem appropriate to retain."

[DemocratSinceBirth]

25. All Pols Get Mixed Up With "Dirty Money"

Obama's not the first...

Regardless, he's going to be knocked off his message in the crucial days leading up to Super Tuesday...

His supporters should blame his ertswhie sychophants in the press for turning on him at the most crucial moment...

[TwilightZone]

34. And blame the idiot in charge of finding the donations in the first place.

There's no excuse for missing checks from the guy's wife and employees.

[KennedyGuy]

26. notice how all the usual suspects are hiding..

Facts have the same eccect on them that sunlight has on vampires...too funny!

[TwilightZone]

31. I'm not sure how they could defend it.

As I said in one of my other responses, how could they miss checks from the guy's WIFE, for heaven's sake?

Obama needs to very publicly fire the guy who is handling the Rezco situation for the campaign and hope that donating $100k+ to a nice kids' charity will make it go away. (Unlikely, I know....)

I keep thinking about, "Five hours of legal work".

[CubsWaitNoYankees]

32. HSSSUUU

And the military grunt recoils in agony.

[DUyellow]

36. who is hiding?

[Occam Bandage]

37. Who's hiding? We've been over this a dozen times.

If you're slow on the uptake, that ain't our fault.

[DUyellow]

30. "if there's additional information we don't know about, we'd be happy to return the money."

"We have returned any money that we know was associated to Mr. Rezko," Obama told Diane Sawyer on Wednesday morning during an appearance on "Good Morning America." "That is something that if there's additional information we don't know about, we'd be happy to return the money."

[TwilightZone]

33. How could they miss checks from the guy's WIFE?

Obama needs to fire whoever is in charge of the Rezco situation within the campaign. Obviously, he or she is incompetent.

[DUyellow]

35. It is a good question and he should be asked that...

[lisainmilo]

40. This is only the beginning.....there will be many more skeletons revealed about Obama!

This is the wrong man!