The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #109464   Message #2290009
Posted By: GUEST,Guest
16-Mar-08 - 04:54 PM
Thread Name: BS: Prez surrogates & the race/gender war
Subject: RE: BS: Prez surrogates & the race/gender war
Here is an article from msnbc on this week's revelations from Obama's campaign--which shows his tendency to "underdisclose" shall we say? the full extent of his relationship to Rezko:

Obama: Rezko raised up to $250,000 for him
Connection to indicted businessman nags at his campaign

CHICAGO - Presidential candidate Barack Obama said Friday that he got more political money from indicted Chicago businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko than he has previously acknowledged.

Rezko helped raise up to $250,000 for his various political races, Obama's campaign said. The campaign had previously put the figure at $150,000 but now says that amount was only for his 2004 Senate race.

And in interviews with two Chicago newspapers, the Democrat again said it was a mistake to involve Rezko in his purchase of a new home — not just because Rezko was under federal investigation but because he was a contributor and political activist.

Still, Obama said he did nothing unethical.

"He never once asked me for any favors, or ever did any favors for me," the Illinois senator said in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times. "He never gave me any gifts or gave me any indication he was setting me up to ask for any favors in the future."

Obama met Friday with the editorial boards of the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times in an effort to resolve nagging questions about his relationship with Rezko, a Chicago businessman and major fundraiser in Illinois politics.

Rezko is on trial on charges including mail fraud and attempted extortion. Federal prosecutors say he tried to use his connections to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to demand kickbacks from companies wanting to do business with state government.