Baldo

Jun 5 2008, 01:01 AM

Tidbits

Jun 5 2008, 12:22 AM

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/06/04/obama-saddened-by-rezko-verdict/

Quote:

 

Obama: “I’m saddened by today’s verdict. This isn’t the Tony Rezko I knew, but now he has been convicted by a jury on multiple charges that once again shine a spotlight on the need for reform. I encourage the General Assembly to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent these kinds of abuses in the future.”

This isn’t the Tony Rezko I knew

This isn’t the Rev Wright I knew

This isn’t the Father Pfeger I knew

This isn’t the Trinity Church I knew

Rezko's conviction is an interesting development. I wonder what US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has in mind? The one thing you can say he goes after Republicans and Democrats.

Rezko had 30 taxpayer-supported buildings in Chicago which fell into disrepair

Obama worked for Davis, Miner & Barnhill law firm and they handled Rezko account. Rezko lives next door to Obama and sold him the land.

As a state senator, Barack Obama wrote letters to city and state officials supporting his political patron Tony Rezko's successful bid to get more than $14 million from taxpayers to build apartments for senior citizens.

The deal included $855,000 in development fees for Rezko and his partner, Allison S. Davis, Obama's former boss, according to records from the project, which was four blocks outside Obama's state Senate district.

The deal included $855,000 in development fees for Rezko and his partner, Allison S. Davis, Obama's former boss, according to records from the project, which was four blocks outside Obama's state Senate district.

Obama's letters, written nearly nine years ago, for the first time show the Democratic presidential hopeful did a political favor for Rezko -- a longtime friend, campaign fund-raiser and client of the law firm where Obama worked -- who was indicted last fall on federal charges that accuse him of demanding kickbacks from companies seeking state business under Gov. Blagojevich.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/425305,CST-NWS-obama13.article

Quote:

 

The Justice Department's prosecution of Antoin "Tony" Rezko was always about prelude, never about climax. The jury's conviction of Rezko Wednesday on 16 criminal counts is one more point on a long investigative arc—an arc now pointed directly at Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other of his associates.

That arc reaches beyond the horizon to points none of us can see. But prosecutor Christopher Niewoehner unequivocally—and forcefully—told the Rezko jurors during closing arguments where federal authorities now are concentrating: "This is a crime that involves the highest levels of power in Illinois."

All of us have seen before how the office of U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald follows these investigative arcs in pursuit of official corruption (among others, see Ryan, George, and Sorich, Robert, both in extended engagements with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons). The feds now can exploit Rezko's conviction to learn whatever he or other political players will divulge about the Illinois culture of political sleaze.

As Rezko abruptly transitions from newly christened convict to object of speculation—Will he seek to cut his prison time by cooperating with the FBI?—there is much for the 12 million people of Illinois to ponder:

Quote:

 

Obama struggled during the Democratic presidential primaries to explain his long relationship with Rezko, including a real estate deal involving Obama's South Side house that the two entered into after Obama's 2004 election to the Senate. The jury's decision all but ensures that the Rezko issue will remain politically toxic for Obama heading into the general election battle with Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain.

Just 20 minutes after the verdict was announced, the Republican National Committee churned out an e-mail news release referring to Rezko as Obama's "money man" and declaring that "Obama has maintained a friendship with a now convicted felon."

Like Blagojevich, Obama said he was "saddened" by the verdict. "This isn't the Tony Rezko I knew," Obama said.

Quote:

 

Will Sen. Barack Obama declare that, if elected president, he would not pardon his fundraiser and personal real estate fairy, Tony Rezko, who was convicted Wednesday of multiple corruption charges in a Chicago federal court?

Obama is Mr. Reform, isn't he? And that's a legitimate question, isn't it?

Quote:

 

As most adults know but pretend otherwise, Obama is backed by the Daleys of Chicago, yet he's run a personality-cult campaign tied to the idea that he's the archangel of political reform. The national story line has been all about Camelot and Obama as the boy king, knighted by Ted Kennedy, a story too full of mist to be believed except by children. Yet finally, with the Rezko verdict, the focus is on the real Chicago, not the fairy tale.

But even as the Republican National Committee uses Rezko to thwack Obama, the RNC has a Rezko problem of its own. And they forgot to mention it on Wednesday.

It's a big Rezko problem. A big fat one known as Big Bob Kjellander and Big Bill Cellini.

That's at least 500 pounds of angry Republican boss hog, being pestered by the idea that Rezko could cut a deal and talk not only of Democrats but Republicans, too. Republicans like them, I mean.

Obama's opponent in the general election, Republican Sen. John McCain, can at least say that Kjellander and Cellini were supporters of Mitt Romney. While campaigning in Illinois, Romney made it clear that he'd get rid of U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald, who authorized the prosecution of Rezko.

Kjellander, the former treasurer of the RNC, is currently helping plan the 2008 Republican anti-Barack convention in Minnesota. He was mentioned prominently in the Rezko corruption trial.

In trial documents, Rezko friend Kjellander is called, somewhat poetically, "Individual K." He made millions in finder's fees on state bond deals with Democratic Gov. Rod "The Unreformer" Blagojevich.

Now Kjellander is putting the chocolate mints on John McCain's pillow at the Republican Convention.

Kjellander's political boss is Illinois Republican power broker, asphalt king and casino magnate William Cellini, another featured player in the court papers and in the trial.

Though neither Kjellander nor Cellini was charged in this case, both have been implicated. Cellini was named "Co-schemer A" by prosecutors and called "The Pope" by insiders manipulating billions of dollars in state pension fund investments.

It's like a Bridge to Nowhere without the ironworkers.

Quote:

 

There is one potential running mate who has virtually no down side. Those conservatives who've heard of her were delighted to learn that McCain advance man Arthur Culvahouse was in Alaska recently, because they surmised he could only be there to discuss the vice presidential nomination with Gov. Sarah Palin.

At 44, Sarah Louise Heath Palin is both the youngest and the first female governor in Alaska's relatively brief history as a state. She's also the most popular governor in America, with an approval rating that has bounced around 90 percent.

This is due partly to her personal qualities. When she was leading her underdog Wasilla high school basketball team to the state championship in 1982, her teammates called her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her fierce competitiveness.

Two years later, when she won the "Miss Wasilla" beauty pageant, she was also voted "Miss Congeniality" by the other contestants.

Sarah Barracuda. Miss Congeniality. Fire and nice. A happily married mother of five who is still drop dead gorgeous. And smart to boot.

But it's mostly because she's been a crackerjack governor, a strong fiscal conservative and a ferocious fighter of corruption, especially in her own party.

Tidbits

Jun 5 2008, 01:46 AM

This is off topic, but Obama said something about his girls' school. It sounded like the "lab" school. Maybe a U. of Chicago school? Does anyone know? I am wondering if his children attend public schools, elitist schools, or...?

I can't imagine that the Obamas would send there children to a private school, thus my question. Hopefully they attend their assigned public school and my concern will be replaced with faith I can believe in.

MsMissouri

Jun 5 2008, 12:18 PM

Tidbits

Jun 5 2008, 01:46 AM

This is off topic, but Obama said something about his girls' school. It sounded like the "lab" school. Maybe a U. of Chicago school? Does anyone know? I am wondering if his children attend public schools, elitist schools, or...?

I can't imagine that the Obamas would send there children to a private school, thus my question. Hopefully they attend their assigned public school and my concern will be replaced with faith I can believe in.

The University of Chicago's Lab School is one of the most expensive and most exclusive schools in the city. It enjoys a topnotch reputation.

Tidbits

Jun 5 2008, 12:44 PM

MsMissouri

Jun 5 2008, 12:18 PM

Tidbits

Jun 5 2008, 01:46 AM

This is off topic, but Obama said something about his girls' school. It sounded like the "lab" school. Maybe a U. of Chicago school? Does anyone know? I am wondering if his children attend public schools, elitist schools, or...?

I can't imagine that the Obamas would send there children to a private school, thus my question. Hopefully they attend their assigned public school and my concern will be replaced with faith I can believe in.

The University of Chicago's Lab School is one of the most expensive and most exclusive schools in the city. It enjoys a topnotch reputation.

My image of Obama, man of the people, is crumbling.

Tidbits

Jun 5 2008, 10:59 AM

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0605edit1jun05,0,6942189.story

Quote:

 

The Justice Department's prosecution of Antoin "Tony" Rezko was always about prelude, never about climax. The jury's conviction of Rezko Wednesday on 16 criminal counts is one more point on a long investigative arc—an arc now pointed directly at Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other of his associates.

That arc reaches beyond the horizon to points none of us can see. But prosecutor Christopher Niewoehner unequivocally—and forcefully—told the Rezko jurors during closing arguments where federal authorities now are concentrating: "This is a crime that involves the highest levels of power in Illinois."

All of us have seen before how the office of U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald follows these investigative arcs in pursuit of official corruption (among others, see Ryan, George, and Sorich, Robert, both in extended engagements with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons). The feds now can exploit Rezko's conviction to learn whatever he or other political players will divulge about the Illinois culture of political sleaze.

As Rezko abruptly transitions from newly christened convict to object of speculation—Will he seek to cut his prison time by cooperating with the FBI?—there is much for the 12 million people of Illinois to ponder: