Special Attn. Patrick Fitzgerald and Judge St. Eves to try Antoin Rezko.

[awaysidetraveler]

Anyone remember these guys?

James Comey appointed Patrick Fitzgerald to the position of Dept. of Justice Special Counsel after John Ashcroft,citing a conflict of interest, avoided the Libby trial. During his investigation into the Libby scandal, Special Attn. Patrick Fitzgerald had Judith Miller, who was a reporter for the New York Times, imprisoned for ninety days for refusing to out her source. Judith Miller remains to date the first American ever to be sent to jail based on facts she never saw and a federal appellate opinion she was not permitted to read. According to Bob Woodward and four other prominent journalists, her imprisonment was unnecessary–Patrick Fitzgerald already knew her source to be Richard Armitage.

George W. Bush appointed U.S. District Court Judge St. Eves after her work as the Associate Attorney Prosecutor for the Whitewater fraud case. During that case, St. Eves herself took the stand in an attempt to discredit Susan McDougal’s accusation that Whitewater investigators had pressured her to tell lies about Bill and Hillary Clinton. On June 8th of 2006, Judge St. Eves was condemned by the National Lawyer’s Guild for allowing a coerced confession–by way of torture–into U.S. courts.

According to the Rezko indictment, General Electric Capital Corporation–the financial arm of General Electric–claims that Antoin Rezko defrauded them of 10.5 million dollars worth of assets. So GE–owner of NBC, three billion in Iraq war contracts and many more billions in oil and gas contracts–is the victim, and Antoin Resko is the alleged criminal. General Electric, which has large financial ties to the Emir of Qatar and which has donated over eight million to George W. Bush and the G.O.P., is the victim.

Antoin Rezko's defense lawyer says that the whole case is based on information from one key witness, Stewart Larson, who is eager to reduce his twenty-year sentence for fraud. He also claims that the February 25th trial date is too soon, given that GM heaped 1.5 million documents on his defense team.

So now we have General Electric and this star GOP legal team lined up against Rezko. Now let’s take a look at the press. The original articles about the Rezko-Obama connection came from the Chicago Sun-Times on November 5th. They’re no longer available in the website archives of the Chicago Sun-Times, but all other Rezko articles lead back to these ones posted in November. During that time Conrad Black, who was the media mogul and owner of the Sun-Times, was in the process of being convicted of fraud by none other than–you guessed it–Patrick Fitzgerald and Judge St. Eves. The first television station to air the Rezko story? None other than NBC, which is–you guessed it–owned by General Electric.

Does anyone else find this unusual?

If these original articles by the Chicago Sun-Times are inaccurate, which I think it’s a safe bet they are, Obama’s time line on the story suddenly makes a lot more sense. Obama may have done exactly what he said he did: buy a house at over market value, and offer the corner lot to someone he knew that was buying land.

Is Barak Obama’s political career just collateral damage in this fraud case against Rezko? While it’s impossible to say for certain, it sure is easy to follow the tracks of this elephant. General Electric has billions to lose if Barak Obama wins the White House, leads America out of Iraq and pushes Americans to make the switch to 25% renewable energy by 2025.

So what do you think we should do about it?

[BeatleBoot]

1. Wait until Antoin "Tony" Rezko's Court Date on February 24th and in the meantime

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3177684.ece

I hope everyone understands that Antoin "Tony" Rezko, the Syrian-born property developer in Chicago, is one of Obama's biggest campaign contributors.

Patrick Fitzgerald put Scooter Libbey away, now he's after Obama's top fundraiser?

Politically devastating.

[awaysidetraveler]

2. In the meantime what? We wait for this kangaroo court to destroy our primary?

In fact, the article you just sent gives yet another number 38,000$ that newspapers claim Obama received from Rezko. Some newspapers and video clips show other numbers. I think the vagueness all comes from this orignal source, the Chicago Sun-Times, which can't be regarded as credible. One way or the other, Obama gave all the donations to charity once he found out that Rezko was under investigation.

[BeatleBoot]

12. Yeah, so its all cool then.

:rofl:


Politically, he's toast.

[sjdnb]

3. For Obama supporter's sake I hope what I've read is not

true/as bad as it seems at face value ... cuz, what I read sounds like old-Chicago back room politicking and quid pro quo.

[awaysidetraveler]

6. Actually, what you've read so far is giving you nothing but doubt--which is exactly what GM wants

That way, we'll keep supporting candidates who keep us at war in Iraq and addicted to oil. That way, they'll continue to heap hundreds of billions of dollars more in their coffers, while we run around in circles looking at old Chicago back room movies.

[sjdnb]

9. Not me, I'm voting for Edwards

Don't have to worry about Obama scandals or Hillary mis-steps/DLC ties. I'm voting for John Edwards, the candidate most likely to make my life and my children's lives better/less stressful instead of some candidate all too willing to suckle at the donor/lobbyist tit while voting against anything fair/good for average Americans, just to satisfy some corporate/wealthy asshole's greedy ambitions.

[awaysidetraveler]

10. While I respect your vote for Edwards, if he were the top runner he'd be facing the same treatment

That is, one of his contributors would turn out to be a bad guy, working for none other than G.E. or some other company with billions to gain by a lawsuit. In fact, there probably is some such legal scandal waiting for him, and it isn't news yet because he isn't regarded as politically dangerous enough to take the primary. None of the candidates are immune from legal prosecution based on who their donors were.

On a personal note, I would be happy to vote for Edwards as well, despite the fact that he's not as charismatic as Obama. For that matter, I'd vote for Kucinich. That's not my point. My point is that it's important for us to discredit all of the lies about all of the candidates.

[durrrty libby]

4. There is a lot to this that people don't know about

[awaysidetraveler]

5. Do tell Dirty Libby, what do you know? What can we do?

[papau]

7. some data on items GOP might use from this summer's trial of Rezko

Media has set the GOP up with some nice dirt on Obama's real estate association w/ "mobster"

While I do not see any legal, or even ethical problems for Obama with the Rezko affair, its not the facts its the insinuation that gains traction. there is also the ABC Brain Ross thing about Obama changing stories - implying its becoming a particular trait. there is also the mideast connection and Rezko's transfering money to the mid-east (Leb) - the Rezko trial starts this summer

the links are not working - the working links are in the original posts in DU's Justice forum.



The Chicago papers have run with this as "Indictment of Obama fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko-Obama "discount" real estate deal with "mobster" - below is a copy of info posted in DU's Justice forum.

first - There is a mention of Mr. Antoin "Tony" Rezko's "possible ties" to mob and Syrian bankers in this June New York Times article http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/us/politics/14rezko.h ...

Rezko is also a former adviser to Gov Blagojevich, and is accused of using his influence with state officials in 2004 to extort kickbacks from firms seeking to do business with the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board and the state Teachers' Retirement System Board. Stuart Levine, a member of both state boards who pleaded guilty to taking part in the kickback scheme, is expected to be the key government witness against Rezko. Chicago authorities also alleged that Rezko set up a front minority company to win permission to open three Panda Express outlets at O'Hare International Airport. His nominal partner was Jabir Herbert Muhammad, son of the late Nation of Islam founder Elijah Muhammad. Rezko and Muhammad settled the matter, which became public in 2005, months before Obama's house purchase. Without admitting wrongdoing, they agreed to end their O'Hare operations and were disqualified from the city's minority business program. Rezko is also charged with scheming to obtain a fraudulent $2.6 million loan for the sale of 17 pizza restaurants he owned. Rezko is charged along with Ali Ata and Abdelhamid Chaib.

In addition to a Obama's Rezko land deal, Sen. Barack Obama's ties to the indicted dealmaker Antoin "Tony" Rezko include an internship the senator provided the son of a contributor at the request of Rezko, as confirmed by an Obama spokesman.

Obama and Rezko have been friends since 1990, with Rezko raising $60,000 in campaign contributions for Obama's state and federal campaigns, of which at least $19,500 was directly from Rezko and his companies (but after Rezko's indictment, Obama donated $11,500 to charity -- the amount Rezko personally contributed to the senator's federal campaign fund).

In the real estate deal, a home was found (via Rezko advice?) where the seller was willing to drop the price $300,000 from its listing price - the house had been listed for 3 months but the sellers were in no hury to close and wanted to wait until both the side lot and the house lot were under contract. Indeed, the sellers did not want to close until the coming June 15, 2005 and said the sale would go through only if someone bought the adjacent lot from them on the same date. Rita Rezko paid $625,000 for the lot on June 15, 2005. Seven months later in 2006, wanting a bigger yard for his $1.65 million house, Obama bought a one-sixths slice of the Rezko property for $104,500 - one sixth of the prior years value. In late 2006 Rita Rezko sold the remainder of the lot to a law firm owned by her husband's business attorney for an appreciated value profit of $54,500 on the post Obama original cost of $520,500.

Obama has said he took special care to ensure any financial arrangements with Rezko were ethical, because Rezko was widely reported to be under investigation by a federal grand jury.

Rezko also owned some apartment buildings in Obama's district when he was in the state legislature. Rezko was considered a "slumlord." Obama's law firm also represented Rezko. can a lawyer working for a mobster on slumlord buildings will be ignored -

ABC Good Morning America Brian Ross says Obama changed stories ABC GMA ran a lengthy story on this today, showing several statements by Obama where he apparently changed his explanations about knowledge of Rezko and the land deal. Per ABC, Obama at first claimed to have not discussed the land deal with Rezko and not knowing much about Rezko's questionable rep. Then Obama reportedly stated that he probably did discuss the deal with Rezko. In summary, ABC program implied that Obama should have shown better judgment and not been involved in any deal involving Rezko considering his bad headline causing past reputation, and Obama should have been more straightforward in acknowledging the particulars when questioned about the deal.

below are excepts and links to Chicago Sun times discussion of the Obama group connection to Rezko

Obama first worked at corporate law firm Sidley Austin LLP - client Rezko is accused of helping to get businessman Stuart Levine reappointed to the board of the state's Teachers' Retirement System and scheming with Levine to get kickbacks from companies seeking business with the state board. Levine is cooperating with the government, and Niewoehner said there are recordings of Rezko discussing his activities.

John Aramanda served as an intern for Obama for about a month in 2005, said Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs. His father is Joseph Aramanda, a Rezko business associate who was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a federal corruption case against Rezko. Aramanda has contributed $11,500 to Obama since 2000, Former Top State Official Indicted In Rezko Case Ex-Illinois Finance Authority Chief Allegedly Aided Rezko In $10M Fraud Scheme - AP
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_151190806.html


the Chicago Sun-Times writes that “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.”http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/425305,CST-NWS-ob ... (MY NOTE Obama has said Rezko paid the full price because Rezko was matching another offer made to the seller and Obama paid a discounted price because there was no such other offer at the full asking price for the property Obama purchased.)

Ordinarily when a campaign gets caught with letter evidence contradicting previous statements the smart move is to get the full story out and not mock people’s intelligence. Not so with this Obama campaign.

“The letters appear to contradict a statement last December from Obama, who told the Chicago Tribune that, in all the years he’s known Rezko, “I’ve never done any favors for him.”

Obama’s former boss “Davis soon went into business with Rezko, creating a company called New Kenwood LLC to build the seven-story apartment building for senior citizens on a vacant stretch of land once occupied by a gas station at 48th and Cottage Grove. The city of Chicago owned the land — nearly two acres tainted by lead, benzene and other toxic chemicals. Davis is a member of the Chicago Plan Commission. He was originally appointed to the commission in 1991 by his friend, Mayor Daley. Davis, like Rezko, has been a prolific campaign fund-raiser for politicians including Daley and Obama.”

This is Chicago after all. Michelle Obama works for the Landmarks Commission, Obama’s boss is on the Planning Commission, Obama does legal work for Rezko real estate, Michelle works for a hospital, the Obama house was sold by a doctor, there are doctors investing in real estate with Rezko including in the Pizza parlors now in such deep legal troubles. We are sure this is all coincidence. We won’t even mention Todd Stroger and the corruption swirling around him and his dad and how Obama endorsed Todd and why Todd’s father had to leave public life. while Obama was writing letters to benefit by millions of dollars his indicted slumlord friend Antoin “Tony” Rezko, Obama’s African-American constituents were freezing in their tenements. Obama was busy writing letters. ”Obama, who has worked as a lawyer and a legislator to improve living conditions for the poor, took campaign donations from Rezko even as Rezko’s low-income housing empire was collapsing, leaving many African-American families in buildings riddled with problems — including squalid living conditions, vacant apartments, lack of heat, squatters and drug dealers. The building in Englewood was one of 30 Rezmar rehabbed in a series of troubled deals largely financed by taxpayers. Every project ran into financial difficulty. More than half went into foreclosure, a Chicago Sun-Times investigation has found. “Their buildings were falling apart,” said a former city official. “They just didn’t pay attention to the condition of these buildings.” Eleven of Rezko’s buildings were in Obama’s state Senate district.“http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/353829,CST-NWS-rez23 ...

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



Rezko has significant ties to the Middle East, and his wife and daughter met him in Damascus recently. He has transferred money around the world, Niewoehner said, including $400,000 to Beirut in 2004.

[awaysidetraveler]

8. Note that the most damning articles are from the Chicago Sun-Times

I confronted ABC online about the Conrad Black problem making the case against Obama a little weak. I don't know if it was in response to what I wrote, but ABC did then pull their article off of the web. Conrad Black also lost a libel suit during this time against one George Galloway. The timeline is what makes it seem like Obama changed his explainations about Rezko and the land deal: some of what the Chicago Sun-Times wrote isn't true.

I'm overseas now, or I would be glad to check up on their sources. As it stands, the major media sources keep running stories based on this questionable source. What's worse, they do no stories on this madman Patrick Fitzgerald, this fascist Judge St. Eves and nobody seems to know that General Electric is the supposed victim in the Rezko case.

Thanks for all this feedback, Papau! I'll use it for more research.

[Catherine Vincent]

11. Bookmarking this thread for future reference.

Thanks.