Obama: "It was a mistake"

Looks like Hillary wasted no time. The smear machine is working overtime and will be until the conventions:

The Rezko Connection: Obama's Achilles Heel?
Obama's Connection With an Accused Political Fixer Raises Questions ABC News

In sharp contrast to his tough talk about ethics reform in government, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., approached a well-known Illinois political fixer under active federal investigation, Antoin "Tony" Rezko, for "advice" as he sought to find a way to buy a house shortly after being elected to the United States Senate.

The parcel included an adjacent lot which Obama told the Chicago Tribune he could not afford because "it was already a stretch to buy the house."

On the same day Obama closed on his house, Rezko's wife bought the adjacent empty lot, meeting the condition of the seller who wanted to sell both properties at the same time.

Rezko had been widely reported to be under investigation by the U.S. attorney and the FBI at the time Obama contacted him and has since been indicted on corruption charges by a federal grand jury in a case that prosecutors say involves bribes, kickbacks and "efforts to illegally obtain millions of dollars."

This week, a federal judge in Chicago ordered the Rezko trial to begin Feb. 25. Obama maintains his relationship with Rezko was "above board and legal" but has admitted bad judgment, calling his decision to involve Rezko "a bone-headed mistake."

Rezko's behind-the-scenes connection in the Obama house deal became public as Rezko revealed personal financial details as he sought to post bail.

While Rezko's wife paid the full asking price for the land, Obama paid $300,000 under the asking price for the house. The house sold for $1,650,000 and the price Rezko's wife paid for the land was $625,000.

Obama denies there was anything unusual about the price disparity. He says the price on the house was dropped because it had been on the market for some time but that the price for the adjacent land remained high because there was another offer.

Obama then expanded his property by buying a strip of the Rezko land for $104,5000, which the senator maintains was a fair market price.

Obama later told the Chicago Sun-Times, "It was a mistake to have been engaged with him at all in this or any other personal business dealing that would allow him, or anyone else, to believe he had done me a favor."

Obama had known Rezko long before the house deal, calling him a "friend."

Comments

[songdongnigh]

Not that the Rezko issue isn’t valid, but how long till Hill's attack dogs jump on Obama’s Muslim origins and stumping for Muslim Kenyan dictator Mwai Kibaki ?

Never mind, they’re legitimate questions and might insult “someone“.

[Thomas Carney]

Having grown up in the nanny/Communist/Democratic/Redneck state of Illinois, I can say there's nothing more dirty than an Illinois politician.

Hillary grew up in Illinois too.

Senator Obama's wife, Michelle, has enriched herself since her husband became senator. She works of University of Chicago Hospital system, a supposedly "non-profit" organization and Mrs. Obama's salary went from under $120,000 to over $300,000 a year when her husband became senator. She's on the board of directors of several food companies and has raked it in.

Expecting a moral Illinois politician is like expecting Bill or Hillary Clinton to be chaste when loose in a room full of beautiful women.

[dm60462]

In all fairness, this is not a mere smear by Hillary, This Rezko thing has been bubbling like Macbeth’s cauldron for at least a year. Even the sitting governor is going to trial next month on a fraud charge involving a relationship with Rezko.

The judge in that trial is St. Eve, the judge who heard the recent Salah trial charging that money he funneled to Hamas was used to find terrorism. She allowed secret testimony in closed court from Shin Bet agents (first time in US court) regarding the testimony Salah gave to them while in detention in Israel for a 1996 terrorist attack that killed David Boim.

The point is, the Rezko debacle is very real, and very dirty. The judge is very good. Will Obama be Teflon coated? Maybe, but with Rezko convictions there will be a nasty smell to his criminally under priced purchase of prime real estate clinging to him.

Don’t just blame Hillary for this one. Dig a little deeper. It is a big deal.

[Thomas Carney]

dm60462: I'm not blaming Hill for this one. I have seen incredibly dirty politics in Illinois and connected people in the Democratic Party get away with a LOT there.

It's to the point now where if a Republican gets the least amount of dirty laundry on him, rest assured an Illinois State's Attorney will be after him or her like stink on poop. But I can cite countless examples of Democrats getting away with all kinds of stuff short of murder.

If Obama was a Republican and did these things, he would never have lasted in Illinois as a politician.

Let me cite a fine example of "selective law enforcement" in Illinois: two years ago, the head of the Springfield IL chapter of the Million Mom March was caught with an unregistered handgun (a felony in Illinois) and possession of a firearm without having a Firearm Operators' Identification Card (FOID Card)(another felony). She was never prosecuted. The charges were not dropped, merely the State's Attorney cited "workload" in his decision not to prosecute.

Illinois is an extremely liberal state. Illinois just doesn't register handguns, they register FIREARM OWNERS! In Illinois, a person can call a 1-800 number, report another person as a child abuser, and State Services steps in, takes the children, the accused is told they cannot retain an attorney in this case, and is at the mercy of a case worked from Depeartment of Children and Family Services!!! No appeal, no counsel, not even due process in facing the accuser!!!

This is Illinois!!! I am not proud that I was born there. People right and left are so dependent on the state it's ridiculous!!

[Polycat]

WOW!!! Guess I didn't dream all the stuff I was told I had.. I, too, am formerly from IL and know the Chicago politic machine.. People in FL can't seem to fathom what I say when I speak about the Dem machine from N. IL. and it's effect on Obama's politics.. Thanks for confirming what I have been saying about our lovely windy city machine.. Rezko in particular.. ;)