tony rezko

Tony Rezko

Chicago "fixer" Antoin "Tony" Rezko, former bagman for Barack Obama. Convicted in June 2008 on fraud, money laundering, and other felony counts.

Last modified Dec 9, 2008
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Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich arrested by FBI on federal corruption charges; accused of trying to sell Obama's senate seat - 12/09/08

Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich - aka "Blago" - and his chief of staff have been arrested for trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat. And, Barack Obama - or at least his advisor Valerie Jarrett - probably knew what he was doing; see the "SEIU Official" paragraph below. And, Obama may have lied about his recent conversations with Blago; see the first update. Uh-oh: Obama might be more worried about this than it would at first appear; see the second update. From a U.S. Department of Justice press release (usdoj.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2008/pr1209_01.pdf, text version here): Illinois Gov...

Luis Gutierrez made $420,000 on real estate deals with political contributors (FBI involved) - 12/08/08

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez made $420,000 on a series of speculative real estate deals, some involving political contributor and Chicago real estate developer Krzysztof Karbowski. And, the FBI is at least looking into some of Gutierrez' past activities: Gutierrez sent a letter to Mayor Richard Daley seeking support for a controversial project built by one of the congressman's political donors who also had lent him money. The newspaper reported that federal authorities investigating zoning matters have shown interest in the Gutierrez letter... The FBI has obtained the letter Gutierrez wrote in...

Washington Post admits coverage tilted to Obama, doesn't admit their incredibly biased coverage for him and their lies for him - 11/08/08

Washington Post ombudsman Deborah Howell offers "An Obama Tilt in Campaign Coverage" (link). Unfortunately, about the only "tilt" she admits to is in the amount of coverage. She almost completely ignores the fact that the Washington Post served as little more than an arm of the Obama campaign by lying and misleading on his behalf and by serving as the source for and amplifier of smears.

Ready for even more questionable Obama links? (Rezko's buddies) - 10/22/08

Well, then go here. Think of it this way: if Obama becomes president he's going to take the entire Democratic Party and most of our wonderful elites down with him.

Barack Obama took Rezko's money while Rezko's tenants froze in Chicago winter (-7F) - 10/14/08

Around Christmas, 2006 1996 the low temperature in Chicago was just three degrees Fahrenheit. Over the New Year there was a "heat wave", and it warmed up to a low of 26F. But, the next week it fell to a low of -2F. The next week it was even worse: a low of -7F. You don't need a Weatherman to tell you that with the wind chill in a city like Chicago it can feel much, much colder. Which brings us to this cheery holiday tale featuring Barack Obama from April 23, 2007: For more than five weeks during the brutal winter of 1997, tenants shivered without heat in a government-subsidized apartment...

"Iraqi Billionaire Threatens Reporters Investigating Rezko Affair" (Nadhmi Auchi) - 10/12/08

From this: Why aren't the American media investigating the role of British billionaire businessman Nadhmi Auchi in supplying loans to Barack Obama fundraiser Tony Rezko? Some point to media bias, but there is another factor. Working for Auchi, who was born in Iraq, attorneys from London law firm Carter-Ruck have for several months been flooding American and British newspapers and websites with letters demanding removal of material they deem "defamatory" to their client... ...The Obama campaign recently issued a non-denial denial in response to claims that Obama met with Auchi―contained in...

Does Andrew Sullivan support accountability for Barack Obama too? - 10/05/08

Sully links to this video of Margaret Thatcher being grilled by a regular citizen during the Falklands War as, of course, a way to criticize Sarah Palin: The horrifying sequestering of Sarah Palin from a press conference and anything like this kind of public interrogation is a scandal. Of course, what Sully fails to note is that Barack Obama has been "sequestered" since he started running for president around two years ago. That's the main scandal: the front-runner for president of the U.S. has only very rarely been asked slightly tough questions, has never to my knowledge been called to his...

FactCheck looks, can't find "Chicago Way" (McCain Obama ad) - 09/23/08

Viveca Novak and Justin Bank of Fact Check offer "Guilt and Associations/McCain once again tries to tar Obama with the controversies of others" about the John McCain ad "Chicago Machine" (factcheck.org/elections-2008/guilt_and_associations.html). The ad links Barack Obama to William Daley, Emil Jones, Tony Rezko, Rod Blagojevich. Per them, the first isn't dirty, the second is only a little dirty, and there's no evidence that BHO was involved in any funny business with the last two.

Barack Obama misleads, smears Middle America - 04/11/08

Speaking in San Francisco at a fundraiser for the wealthy (and in Marin County no less; pictures of his tour here), Barack Obama smeared Pennsylvanians and others by saying:

Memo on Barack Obama senior advisor's meeting with Canadian government on NAFTA (Austan Goolsbee) - 03/03/08

As previously discussed, Barack Obama senior economic policy advisor Austan Goolsbee discussed the candidate's position on NAFTA with Canadian government officials, supposedly letting them know that his anti-NAFTA statements were simply political posturing. Now, a Canadian government memo on the meeting has been released, despite previous denials of such a meeting having taken place. A roundup of the various Clintonian-style denials is here and here. For instance, on February 29, Goolsbee said "It is a totally inaccurate story... I did not call these people and I direct you to the press...

Dirt on Barack Obama: Exelon, Tony Rezko, William Ayers, Rashid Khalidi - 02/17/08

The Queen's minions have been busy digging up dirt on the Man of Hope. First up is Larry Johnson with this warning about Barack Obama's links to three questionable figures: Tony Rezko, William Ayers, and Rashid Khalidi. The first will go on trial later this month, the second is a self-admitted terrorist, the third an alleged "PLO activist". Earlier this month, the New York Times offered "Nuclear leaks, response tested Obama in Senate". Nuclear plants run by Exelon Corporation in Illinois leaked radioactive materials into the groundwater. Obama highlighted legislation he supported that...

Illinois gov. Rod Blagojevich now part of FBI's "pay-to-play" corruption investigation - 12/22/07

From this: Federal prosecutors for the first time brought their corruption investigation to the desk of Gov.