FACT CHECK: Obama, His Contributor Rezko, the Slum Landlord Business

[boston bean]

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/01/25/fact-check-obama-his-contributor-rezko-the-slum-landlord-business/

If you want a good idea of the whole unraveling story, please read this.

During his 12 years in politics, Sen. Barack Obama has received nearly three times more campaign cash from indicted businessman Tony Rezko and his associates than he has publicly acknowledged, the Chicago Sun-Times has found.

Obama has collected at least $168,308 from Rezko and his circle. Obama also has taken in an unknown amount of money from people who attended fund-raising events hosted by Rezko since the mid-1990s….

Sources close to both Rezko and Obama, however, said Rezko raised money often for Obama….

The cocktail party Rezko hosted in 2003 came at a critical time for Obama. He and Rezko timed it to help Obama show he had enough money to compete in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate against millionaire Blair Hull and state Comptroller Dan Hynes.

“This was discussed a lot. They wanted to have a good showing,” said a source familiar with the fund-raiser, speaking on condition of anonymity.

[sunonmars]

1. Oh look at that photo, seems very cozy, really 5hrs work, lol

[boston bean]

3. WATCH THIS GMA REPORT:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SrtyFY6qTA&eurl=http://guerillawomentn.blogspot.com/2008/01/everybody-but-obama-knew-about-rezko.html

[sunonmars]

4. That photo is a real, "hey buddy how are you" feel to it.

[durrrty libby]

27. That video is quite damning to Obama. He changes his story

so many times, and Rezko's wife buying the property next door?

What a pathetic joke.

Thanks for posting it. Did you put it in the video library?

It will get the most exposure there

[LiberalHeart]

30. See? That's why I'm voting for Edwards.

[shaniqua6392]

2. I also saw a story here on DU yesterday

that came from ABC News website about how he did not return all of the donations given to him. This is only on the website though and they have not talked about it on the television at all. I wish we knew the whole truth. But the MSM seems to be putting it under wraps for now. I like Obama, but I have a strange feeling he is being protected by the media for some reason. They never have anything bad to say. He seems to be a media darling and I don't care for that with any of the candidates. I want to know the truth.

[Little Star]

5. Watch the video posted above. The MSM reported it there. nt

[kevsand]

6. That's an absolutely dreadful source.

It contains way too many mischaracterizations to ever be considered a valid "Fact Check." It also contains at least one outright lie: that Obama did legal work for Rezko after 1997. Obama didn't do legal work for anyone after being elected to the State Senate, as far as I know. This source is not only sloppy, but clearly spouting Hillary talking points.

We should not rely on partisan hacks masquerading as amateur journalists for half-baked exposes, nor should we put up with anyone pretending that this hasn't already been vetted. The Rezko thing has been thoroughly investigated for the past year and a half by pros: the Sun-Times, the Trib, and Fitzgerald. I have no doubt whatsoever that Hillary's people have been looking at it for almost as long, and they haven't come up with anything, either. There's just nothing there, no matter how many times the question is asked.

I have no doubt that there are folks on DU who haven't seen all of the factual background on this matter, and who have legitimate concerns when presented with incomplete "Fact Checks" or the vague innuendos incorporated into mis-leading questions. Once they see the whole story, however, it is only willful ignorance that would allow this smear to continue. Eventually, the people who persist in beating this dead horse stand revealed as tiresome, petulant advocates for a campaign that has no moral compass or ethic other than winning at all costs.

[sunonmars]

7. and the photo?

[kevsand]

12. The photo, at least in this context, has no provenance.

We don't know where it was taken, or when, or by whom, so we can't possibly know for certain what, if anything, it actually signifies or portrays. If I had to guess, I'd say that it was probably taken at the one fundraiser that everyone has already acknowledged years ago. Having been to hundreds of such events myself, I'd have to say that it is exactly what one would expect to see on that type of occasion. What's your point?

[sunonmars]

13. haha a 17 yr relationship and you say that has no context, lol

[Little Star]

16. If you look closely, they are actually embracing. nt

[sunonmars]

18. exactly and i'd say by the look that picture was not too long ago certainly within 5 yrs

[Little Star]

23. Rezko has gray hair in this picture, in the other one, his hair was not.

[kevsand]

25. Which agrees completely with my suggestion

that the photo may have been taken at the 2003 event.

[burythehatchet]

36. If you look REALLY close, Obama is geting a hand job

[kevsand]

24. That's not at all what I said. You've obviously misquoted me.

I never said it had no context. I said it had no provenance. Those are two completely different things.

I also offered a possible explanation of the photo, one which fits all of the available facts.

[Little Star]

9. Larry Johnson/no quarter is a dreadful place for information?

[kevsand]

15. I wasn't referrinng to the entire web site.

That should be obvious from the context of my post. I was referring only to the article in question, which does not appear to have been written by Larry Johnson.

[sunonmars]

11. don't worry guys we forgot, anything challenging Obama is a lie

Don't post anything remotely challenging Obama's godlike words. Thou shall be struck down by the wrath of his supporters.

[kevsand]

17. That sort of comment does nothing to advance the discussion.

Blanket slanders of entire classes of people are both unethical and undemocratic. They have no place in civil discourse.

[sunonmars]

20. but its exactly whats been happening on this forum

Clinton supporters have had enough of being attacked on everything.

[kevsand]

26. And I'm sure Obama supporters feel the same.

The way to fight broad brush smears is with accurate facts and details. Returning slanders and insults with more slanders and insults serves neither side well.

You can't rise above your counterparts by sinking to the level of their worst representatives. You can only prevail by being right, and proving it. If you can't prove it, say so, or don't say it at all.

We Democrats are supposed to be the good guys.

[flpoljunkie]

8. How does Rezkos fundraising bucks for Obama stack up against Hillraiser Norman Hsu's for Hillary?

As long as campaigns are not financed by us, the public, we will have wealthy folks who want to rub elbows with politicians, raising the big bucks for them. Our system demands it, and it is not good for us on any level.

However, it will never change, if we, the voters, do not demand it.

[Little Star]

10. The house deal, him giving political kick backs to Rezko is the real story

face up to it, the story is that Obama is dirty like most other politicians, the sheen is beginning to become cloudy.

[flpoljunkie]

28. Got any proof for your baseless accusation there, Little Star--political kickbacks. Really!

[Little Star]

33. It's all there for you to read. But if you want to stick your head in the sand, go ahead. nt

[kentuck]

14. The Repubs are salivating..

They will get a new "scandal" to run with. They won't have to do the Hillary re-runs.

[Vinca]

21. How many Republican operatives are currently investigating

the history surrounding the photo of Bill, Hill and Rezko? There's a reason all the color drained from Hillary's face when she was shown the photo. The Repubs are salivating . . . a brand new Clinton scandal in the making. Add to that Bill's Cayman Island tax dodge and McCain is the next president.

[jbnow]

19. Nothing is breaking, nothing is new

Obama's connection has been investigated a long time and no wrong doing. Many people are connected to him because as the Chicago Tribune reports

It's easy to forget today, but in the years before 2005, Rezko enjoyed a reputation in Illinois as an up-and-coming, even enlightened entrepreneur with a strong interest in the risky low-income and affordable housing markets that relied on tax credits and other government assistance.

Obama's civil rights firm did work for public housing as part of their practice from before he started working there.

It's old stuff. From the same article

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.
Law firm partner Judson Miner said that, over several years, Obama did a total of five to seven hours of billable work on Rezmar-linked projects. He mainly filed incorporation papers for the non-profit groups under the supervision of more senior attorneys, Miner said.

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.

I put emphasis on this because "unusually frank" is often noted and not just in his ethic reports.

The reason it is news again is not due to lack of being "vetted" on this but because

Clinton eager to make link

Still, the Clinton campaign, fearing an Obama triumph in the South Carolina primary this weekend, is ratcheting up its rhetoric against the Illinois senator, in the process hoping to bring new attention to his relationship with Rezko.

There are tabloids putting it poorly (even they say no evidence of wrong doing) and gee surprised it's been pushed on the media as though it is new.

This is the cleanest dirty politician you're going to find...especially Clinton should just never want to go there as she is rarely described as unusually frank.

[Little Star]

22. That is Obama spin. You are entitled to it, but I do not agree. This article

puts it all together in one neat tidy little package. Which is what is was intended to do.

[kevsand]

29. The Chicago Tribune is Obama spin?

I just want to be clear what you're saying here, because I'm sure that will come as something of a surprise to the folks at the Trib.

[Little Star]

31. No, you are the spin. Even trying to spin what I said. Live in reality, is my advice to you. nt

[kevsand]

35. I'm not spinning anything. I'm just asking a question.

The post you were responding to consisted entirely of an article from the Chicago Tribune. Your only response was to call it "Obama spin." I'm asking if you really meant to say that, or perhaps misunderstood exactly what it was that you were responding to. The search for clarity is part of living in reality, and snarkiness does nothing to enhance clarity. In fact, it usually obscures it.

[jbnow]

39. That is Marshall Taylor Clinton so on spin

I did use one article as summary
I looked into it last year, I read many sources

This is created. Everyone there knew the guy.

The house deal wasn't big, was dumb, not illegal, he bought his own house.

Records were opened and searched.
The Tabloid Chicago sun times makes it sound nefarious more often

As do you

It's crap.

Other politicians connected have been dirty and are named or charged.

Obama is not.

[DemDogs]

37. Actually Edwards is cleaner by far

Never any lobbyist money. Never any cozy deals. Unlike Obama, it is not just talk with him.

[jbnow]

38. Shhh. Maybe with that

but him in google. I am not saying he is dirty, this is about being made to sound dirty

google this
john edwards doctors -clinton -obama

get a search page like this

Did 'Junk Science' Make John Edwards Rich? -- 01/20/2004
Edwards had alleged that a doctor and a hospital had been responsible for the cerebral .... "John Edwards' spin is always -- I am helping the little guy.

n Trial Work, Edwards Left a Trademark
John Edwards, who made a fortune in personal injury law, after a trial. ... Mr. Edwards filed at least 20 similar lawsuits against doctors and hospitals in ...
www.nytimes.com/2004/01/

Is there a doctor in the house ... who hasn’t been sued ...
14, 2007 re: "Is there a doctor in the house ... who hasn t been sued?" Examiner Reader said: Another Examiner hit piece on John Edwards! Hmmm..
www.examiner.com/a-934210~Is_ Cached - Similar pages

Declarations and Exclusions: Doctors Take John Edwards' Medical ...
Since first running for the US Senate in 1998, John Edwards has been the politician many doctors dislike most -- a trial lawyer who amassed an eight-figure ...
www.declarationsandexclusions.com/200

The Wall Street Journal Online - Taste Commentary
John Edwards built his career suing doctors and hospitals, claiming that maternity-ward missteps caused newborns to develop cerebral palsy. ...110005361 - 59k - Cached - Similar pages

That's without putting in trigger words like add millionaire

The Razor » Blog Archive » John Edwards: Edwards’ malpractice ...
John Edwards a millionaire many times over. ... During his 20 years of suing doctors and hospitals, he pioneered the art of blaming psychiatrists for ...
www.therazor.org/?p=841

NY Young Republican Club, Inc.: Edwards' malpractice suits leave ...
John Edwards a millionaire many times over. .... And doctors who have lost cases to Mr. Edwards have been bankrupted. Patients, meanwhile, are left with ...
www.nycyr.org/archives/200 -

YouTube - John Edwards - James Denton of Desperate Housewives
A multi-millionare who identifies with us, the "Little People". WHAT A LOAD OF BULLSHIT! .... John Edwards - America Rising - Iowa Tour Kickoff ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_and if you add in \
Court and Spark: Edwards' Legal Career - TIME
On the day in 1997 that John Edwards delivered the closing argument in the ... him as a millionaire ambulance chaser, the kind of man who forces doctors and ...

Add in Caesarean

I would like to ask John Edwards something
When asked about an increase in Caesarean deliveries nationwide, perhaps to avoid similar ..... John Edwards' wife likens husband to Jesse Helms, JakeFlake ...

Political Talk :: RE: The disappearing middle class - United ...
There is little or no evidence that if you did a section a short time earlier .... "John Edwards' spin is always -- I am helping the little guy. ...

THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS: AS LAWYER: Greedy Edwards Did More Harm Than Good
John Edwards a millionaire many times over. So John Edwards, for no other real reason than his pursuit of personal wealth, defamed good doctors, ...

Listserve For EmergencyMedical Practioners: Re: Edward
court cases that helped Edwards become a multi-millionaire and finance his ... There is little or no evidence that if you did a ...

The Case Against John Edwards - Labor Law Talk
fear of such lawsuits has spurred doctors to order millions of medically unwarranted Caesarean deliveries in recent decades. Edwards has said that he took ...

Those are all from first page of the searches.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

32. Clintons and Obama both cozy - GOP will be having festivities

both Clinton and Obama have been marked by this man. The Repugs are duly noting...

[wyldwolf]

34. I wonder if Rezko was connected to Obama's 'good luck' in the Sen. primary and GE

Remember, Obama was behind in the polls in Illinois until allegations 'surfaced' that his main primary opponent's ex-wife had alleged in divorce papers that he had physically and verbally abused her.

In the general election, Obama again was the beneficiary of the same kind of good 'luck' concerning Jack Ryan's sealed divorce records.