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Showing posts with label rezko. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rezko. Show all posts
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Grim proving ground for Obama's housing policy
CHICAGO - The squat brick buildings of Grove Parc Plaza, in a dense neighborhood that Barack Obama represented for eight years as a state senator, hold 504 apartments subsidized by the federal government for people who can't afford to live anywhere else.
But it's not safe to live here.
About 99 of the units are vacant, many rendered uninhabitable by unfixed problems, such as collapsed roofs and fire damage. Mice scamper through the halls. Battered mailboxes hang open. Sewage backs up into kitchen sinks. In 2006, federal inspectors graded the condition of the complex an 11 on a 100-point scale - a score so bad the buildings now face demolition.
Grove Parc has become a symbol for some in Chicago of the broader failures of giving public subsidies to private companies to build and manage affordable housing - an approach strongly backed by Obama as the best replacement for public housing.
As a state senator, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee coauthored an Illinois law creating a new pool of tax credits for developers. As a US senator, he pressed for increased federal subsidies. And as a presidential candidate, he has campaigned on a promise to create an Affordable Housing Trust Fund that could give developers an estimated $500 million a year.
Cont.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/06/27/grim_proving_ground_for_obamas_housing_policy/?page=full
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Monday, November 3, 2008
These are the Guys in My Neighborhood.....
ATTENTION: Bloggers for McCain-Palin, you are welcome to use this report in whole or in part. If you want to give us a link,it's http://sarah-palin-2008.blogspot.com/ But it is not required.
Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won't you be my neighbor?
By Janet Crain
Antoin "Tony" Rezko
"Tony" Rezko (born 1955 in Syria) is an American political fundraiser, restaurateur, and real estate developer in Chicago, Illinois, convicted on several counts of fraud and bribery in 2008.
In 1995, Obama began campaigning for a seat in the Illinois Senate. Among his earliest supporters: Rezko. Two Rezko companies donated a total of $2,000. Obama was elected in 1996 -- representing a district that included 11 of Rezko's 30 low-income housing projects.
Rezko's low-income housing empire began crumbling in 2001, when his company stopped making mortgage payments on the old nursing home that had been converted into apartments. The state foreclosed on the building -- which was in Obama's Illinois Senate district.
In 2003, Obama announced he was running for the U.S. Senate, and Rezko -- a member of his campaign finance committee -- held a lavish fund-raiser June 27, 2003, at his Wilmette mansion.
A few months after Obama became a U.S. senator, he and Rezko's wife, Rita, bought adjacent pieces of property from a doctor in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood -- a deal that has dogged Obama the last two years. The doctor sold the mansion to Obama for $1.65 million -- $300,000 below the asking price. Rezko's wife paid full price -- $625,000 -- for the adjacent vacant lot. The deals closed in June 2005. Six months later, Obama paid Rezko's wife $104,500 for a strip of her land, so he could have a bigger yard. At the time, it had been widely reported that Tony Rezko was under federal investigation.
Rezko has become an "Achilles heel" for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama after disclosures he and people associated with him had raised almost $200,000 for Obama and that Obama sought Rezko's "help and advice" in the purchase of a new home.
In a court hearing in Chicago, prosecutors detailed a $3.5 million wire transfer from a bank in Beirut, Lebanon that they said was moved through a series of accounts until it reached Rezko or some of his relatives who had posted property for his bond.
Rezko is now in jail and no one knows what the outcome will be. Perhaps a presidential pardon.
Louis Farrakhan
Born May 11, 1933 (1933-05-11) (age 75) The Bronx, New York
Reverend Jeremiah Wright
Rev.Wright of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago shocked televison viewers nationwide in March when tapes of his vitriolic hate fill paranoid speeches begain to be shown on prime time news shows. He waved his arms in the air and turned around like an erratic top as he yelled "No, no, no, God Damn America, it's in the Bible!" and "America's chickens are coming home to roost!". All the while demonstrating the incoming flight of a crazed chicken. It was scary and unbelievable people in their right minds would sit there and listen to him. But they did more than passively listen, they cheered and egged him on. He told them lies like AID's was a Government plot to kill black people. That the Government deliberately let our men at Pearl Harbor be killed, and a lot more. We learned his church was not atypical. But the difference was Barack Obama had by his own admission been sitting there for 20 years worth of sermons. "Yep. Every week. 11 o’clock service". What? He sat there with his two little kids listening to that hate filled garbage? Yes. And he considered Rev. Wright his mentor, was married by him and allowed him to baptize his children.
Should Barack Obama be elected President of the United States?
"No, No, No!!!!!!"
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Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won't you be my neighbor? By Janet Crain
Antoin "Tony" Rezko
"Tony" Rezko (born 1955 in Syria) is an American political fundraiser, restaurateur, and real estate developer in Chicago, Illinois, convicted on several counts of fraud and bribery in 2008.
In 1995, Obama began campaigning for a seat in the Illinois Senate. Among his earliest supporters: Rezko. Two Rezko companies donated a total of $2,000. Obama was elected in 1996 -- representing a district that included 11 of Rezko's 30 low-income housing projects.
Rezko's low-income housing empire began crumbling in 2001, when his company stopped making mortgage payments on the old nursing home that had been converted into apartments. The state foreclosed on the building -- which was in Obama's Illinois Senate district.
In 2003, Obama announced he was running for the U.S. Senate, and Rezko -- a member of his campaign finance committee -- held a lavish fund-raiser June 27, 2003, at his Wilmette mansion.
A few months after Obama became a U.S. senator, he and Rezko's wife, Rita, bought adjacent pieces of property from a doctor in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood -- a deal that has dogged Obama the last two years. The doctor sold the mansion to Obama for $1.65 million -- $300,000 below the asking price. Rezko's wife paid full price -- $625,000 -- for the adjacent vacant lot. The deals closed in June 2005. Six months later, Obama paid Rezko's wife $104,500 for a strip of her land, so he could have a bigger yard. At the time, it had been widely reported that Tony Rezko was under federal investigation.
Rezko has become an "Achilles heel" for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama after disclosures he and people associated with him had raised almost $200,000 for Obama and that Obama sought Rezko's "help and advice" in the purchase of a new home.
In a court hearing in Chicago, prosecutors detailed a $3.5 million wire transfer from a bank in Beirut, Lebanon that they said was moved through a series of accounts until it reached Rezko or some of his relatives who had posted property for his bond.
Rezko is now in jail and no one knows what the outcome will be. Perhaps a presidential pardon.
Louis FarrakhanBorn May 11, 1933 (1933-05-11) (age 75) The Bronx, New York
Occupation Head of the Nation of Islam Religious beliefs Nation of Islam Farrakhan currently resides in Kenwood, a neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, and part time at a Nation of Islam farm in New Buffalo, Michigan. He led the 1995 Million Man March on Washington and has declared Barack Obama the messiah.
William Ayers
Born
Occupation Professor
William Ayers was a member of the Vietman War protesters known as the Weathermen, a terrorist group in the 60's who caused a great deal of property damage and several deaths. Among other advice Ayers told young people ""Kill all the rich people. Break up their cars and apartments. Bring the revolution home, kill your parents—that's where it's really at." His wife, Bernardine Dohrn, was at one time one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted criminals. Although she was convicted of a felony, some legal mixup allowed them both to escape the worst of the charges. Ayers has boasted he is "Guilty as sin, free as a bird." Ayers and his wife co-authored a book, Prairie Fire dedicated in part to Sirhan Sirhan, who asassinated Robert Kennedy in 1969. Barack Obama's polital career was launched in their living room. Obama shared an office with him for at least three years and wrote a recommendation for one of Ayers' books.
Rashid Khalidi
Khalidi has been accused of having ties to the Palestinian Liberation Organization, based on his work for Wafa in the late 1980s, and later serving as an advisor to the Palestinian delegation during the Madrid Conference of 1991. As an example, the New York Times referred to him in 1978 as "an American-educated Palestinian who teaches political science at the American University of Beirut and also works for the P.L.O."
Obama made one of the presentations in praise of Khalidi at a 2003 farewell dinner on the occasion of Khalidi leaving the Chicago Area.The dinner was a celebration of the Chicago area Palestinian community. Obama's remarks alluded to the numerous dinners that he had at the home of the Khalidis. Obama and Bill Ayers dispersed monies to Islamic groups controlled by the Khalidis acting as board members of the Woods Fund of Chicago and Annenberg Foundation.
William AyersBorn
Occupation Professor
William Ayers was a member of the Vietman War protesters known as the Weathermen, a terrorist group in the 60's who caused a great deal of property damage and several deaths. Among other advice Ayers told young people ""Kill all the rich people. Break up their cars and apartments. Bring the revolution home, kill your parents—that's where it's really at." His wife, Bernardine Dohrn, was at one time one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted criminals. Although she was convicted of a felony, some legal mixup allowed them both to escape the worst of the charges. Ayers has boasted he is "Guilty as sin, free as a bird." Ayers and his wife co-authored a book, Prairie Fire dedicated in part to Sirhan Sirhan, who asassinated Robert Kennedy in 1969. Barack Obama's polital career was launched in their living room. Obama shared an office with him for at least three years and wrote a recommendation for one of Ayers' books.
Rashid Khalidi Khalidi has been accused of having ties to the Palestinian Liberation Organization, based on his work for Wafa in the late 1980s, and later serving as an advisor to the Palestinian delegation during the Madrid Conference of 1991. As an example, the New York Times referred to him in 1978 as "an American-educated Palestinian who teaches political science at the American University of Beirut and also works for the P.L.O."
Obama made one of the presentations in praise of Khalidi at a 2003 farewell dinner on the occasion of Khalidi leaving the Chicago Area.The dinner was a celebration of the Chicago area Palestinian community. Obama's remarks alluded to the numerous dinners that he had at the home of the Khalidis. Obama and Bill Ayers dispersed monies to Islamic groups controlled by the Khalidis acting as board members of the Woods Fund of Chicago and Annenberg Foundation.
Reverend Jeremiah WrightRev.Wright of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago shocked televison viewers nationwide in March when tapes of his vitriolic hate fill paranoid speeches begain to be shown on prime time news shows. He waved his arms in the air and turned around like an erratic top as he yelled "No, no, no, God Damn America, it's in the Bible!" and "America's chickens are coming home to roost!". All the while demonstrating the incoming flight of a crazed chicken. It was scary and unbelievable people in their right minds would sit there and listen to him. But they did more than passively listen, they cheered and egged him on. He told them lies like AID's was a Government plot to kill black people. That the Government deliberately let our men at Pearl Harbor be killed, and a lot more. We learned his church was not atypical. But the difference was Barack Obama had by his own admission been sitting there for 20 years worth of sermons. "Yep. Every week. 11 o’clock service". What? He sat there with his two little kids listening to that hate filled garbage? Yes. And he considered Rev. Wright his mentor, was married by him and allowed him to baptize his children.
Should Barack Obama be elected President of the United States?
"No, No, No!!!!!!"
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Friday, October 17, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Prosecutors move to delay Rezko sentencing
ali ata,By MIKE ROBINSON
Associated PressOctober 7, 2008
CHICAGO (AP) - Federal prosecutors moved Monday to delay indefinitely the sentencing of convicted fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko, sending their strongest hint yet that he is ready to spill his political secrets.
The filing asks for a postponement while prosecutors and defense attorneys "engage in discussions that could affect their sentencing postures."
Speculation has simmered for weeks that the key fundraiser for Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Sen. Barack Obama was whispering what he knows about corruption in Illinois government to federal prosecutors in hopes of getting a lighter sentence.
Rezko raised more than $1 million for Blagojevich's campaign fund and was one of the governor's key advisers. He was frequently by the governor's side in the early days of his administration and could be in a position to shed considerable light on federal investigations into patronage hiring and a host of other issues involving Blagojevich.
The governor has not been charged with wrongdoing. A spokesman did not immediately respond to an e-mail message after business hours seeking comment.
U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve had set Sept. 3 as a firm date for sentencing Rezko on his conviction for launching a $7 million scheme to use his clout with the Blagojevich administration to squeeze kickbacks out of a contractor and seven money management firms wanting to do business with the state. Then she postponed the sentencing date to Oct. 28.
Federal prosecutors filed a three-paragraph brief late Monday asking for that date to be stricken and the sentencing postponed indefinitely. The wording left little doubt that Rezko offered enough to make the government consider some sort of sentencing break.
Federal spokesman Randall Samborn declined to comment on the latest development. Defense attorneys Joseph Duffy and William Ziegelmueller did not immediately respond to office voicemails left late Monday.
Two attorneys familiar with the investigation, speaking only on condition of anonymity because grand jury matters are secret, said last week that federal prosecutors were contacting the lawyers of a number of campaign contributors and others with information that only Rezko could have given them. One of the lawyers said it was plain the prosecutors were laying the groundwork for questioning Rezko further.
One of the matters that prosecutors have been interested in learning is who paid for the renovation of Blagojevich's Chicago home. Rezko's now defunct Chicago Construction Services was the contractor on the project. One person familiar with the renovation contacted Monday afternoon, speaking only on condition of anonymity because of grand jury secrecy, said he was subpoenaed by federal prosecutors and asked about the project.
"They were looking for basic business dealings, who paid, how much, that sort of thing," he said. He said the governor's wife, Patti, paid the bill.
At Rezko's trial in May, former state employee Ali Ata, who got his job as head of the Illinois Finance Authority from Blagojevich through Rezko, testified as the government's surprise witness that he had to provide $25,000 to Rezko to pay contractors who were threatening to put a lien on the house if the bill was not paid. Ata earlier pleaded guilty to tax fraud and lying to the FBI about how Rezko got him his job.
>> Continued -- Page 1 2
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Associated PressOctober 7, 2008
CHICAGO (AP) - Federal prosecutors moved Monday to delay indefinitely the sentencing of convicted fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko, sending their strongest hint yet that he is ready to spill his political secrets.
The filing asks for a postponement while prosecutors and defense attorneys "engage in discussions that could affect their sentencing postures."
Speculation has simmered for weeks that the key fundraiser for Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Sen. Barack Obama was whispering what he knows about corruption in Illinois government to federal prosecutors in hopes of getting a lighter sentence.
Rezko raised more than $1 million for Blagojevich's campaign fund and was one of the governor's key advisers. He was frequently by the governor's side in the early days of his administration and could be in a position to shed considerable light on federal investigations into patronage hiring and a host of other issues involving Blagojevich.
The governor has not been charged with wrongdoing. A spokesman did not immediately respond to an e-mail message after business hours seeking comment.
U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve had set Sept. 3 as a firm date for sentencing Rezko on his conviction for launching a $7 million scheme to use his clout with the Blagojevich administration to squeeze kickbacks out of a contractor and seven money management firms wanting to do business with the state. Then she postponed the sentencing date to Oct. 28.
Federal prosecutors filed a three-paragraph brief late Monday asking for that date to be stricken and the sentencing postponed indefinitely. The wording left little doubt that Rezko offered enough to make the government consider some sort of sentencing break.
Federal spokesman Randall Samborn declined to comment on the latest development. Defense attorneys Joseph Duffy and William Ziegelmueller did not immediately respond to office voicemails left late Monday.
Two attorneys familiar with the investigation, speaking only on condition of anonymity because grand jury matters are secret, said last week that federal prosecutors were contacting the lawyers of a number of campaign contributors and others with information that only Rezko could have given them. One of the lawyers said it was plain the prosecutors were laying the groundwork for questioning Rezko further.
One of the matters that prosecutors have been interested in learning is who paid for the renovation of Blagojevich's Chicago home. Rezko's now defunct Chicago Construction Services was the contractor on the project. One person familiar with the renovation contacted Monday afternoon, speaking only on condition of anonymity because of grand jury secrecy, said he was subpoenaed by federal prosecutors and asked about the project.
"They were looking for basic business dealings, who paid, how much, that sort of thing," he said. He said the governor's wife, Patti, paid the bill.
At Rezko's trial in May, former state employee Ali Ata, who got his job as head of the Illinois Finance Authority from Blagojevich through Rezko, testified as the government's surprise witness that he had to provide $25,000 to Rezko to pay contractors who were threatening to put a lien on the house if the bill was not paid. Ata earlier pleaded guilty to tax fraud and lying to the FBI about how Rezko got him his job.
>> Continued -- Page 1 2
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Tuesday, September 23, 2008
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