Posted on 04/24/2007 5:03:25 PM PDT by stan_sipple
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama said Monday he accepted campaign contributions from Antoin "Tony'' Rezko without knowing that Rezko was a slumlord with problem buildings in the state Senate district Obama represented at the time.
"Should I have known these buildings were in a state of disrepair? My answer would be that it wasn't brought to my attention,'' Obama, who's seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, said at a South Side campaign stop.
His comments came in response to a Chicago Sun-Times report that he had done previously undisclosed legal work between 1995 and 1998 on a series of troubled low-income-housing deals involving Rezmar Corp., owned by the indicted businessman.
Obama worked for a small Chicago law firm -- Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland -- between 1993 and 2004. The firm worked on deals that got $43 million in government funds for 15 apartment buildings Rezmar rehabilitated with not-for-profit community groups. Four of the buildings ended up being foreclosed on.
In all, Rezmar rehabbed 30 buildings. A third of those were in the Illinois Senate district Obama represented between 1997 and 2004. Many of the buildings fell into disrepair and financial straits while Obama was state senator, prompting the city to repeatedly sue over problems including no heat.
Obama, a friend of Rezko for 17 years, said he often got complaints as a state senator about housing problems. But, he said, "As far as I can tell, we were never contacted by Rezko tenants."
Obama got more than $50,000 in campaign contributions from Rezko, Rezko's family, his businesses and business associates between 1995 and 2004, records show.
"Mr. Rezko gave me campaign contributions,'' Obama said. "While I was a state senator, he had buildings in my district that apparently were not managed properly. I had no knowledge of that at the time.''
Obama said he did just five hours of legal work on Rezmar projects.
I see NUTTING’ I hear NUTTING’ I know NUTTING’ (that a slice of Apple Strudel wouldn’t fix ........ Hogan ...... )
Note how carefully that is worded:
"As far as I can tell, we were never contacted by Rezko tenants."
That's a lot of money. I don't expect that politicians will know all about everyone who writes them a check, but that's a LOT of money.
Obama had better contact the Clintonistas for some tips on how to better do this stuff.
Very very likely caused by the tenants themselves. Someone buys and rents to crackheads, prostitutes, morons, and suction 8ers who trash properties and of course they get labeled as "slumlords."
Thats just the visible money! Forty three Million in Fed Funds to renovate buildings, alot of that didn’t go into the buildings for sure.
why would obama need that money since he represented a pretty safe district for him
Dont worry Obama the media will never let this come out. Hillary on the other hand will make sure of it.
Somebody tell Joe Biden!
If this was a nation of literate and informed voters with an I.Q. above a Waring blender, Obama wouldn’t even get elected dog catcher in Jerkwater U.S.A.
four of the properties were foreclosed. and a whole four hours of legal work? someone check his law firms revenue to make sure none of its fees were disguised campaign contributions
This is a Clinton leak, they know more about Obama than he knows about himself.
I can’t remember, my brain’s in a blender, it’s jello!
I wouldn’t bet against you on that. Hitlery has her goons digging up dirt on all her enemies.
Hussien Obama is a typical Chicago pol with empty pockets to be filled by bribes.
Just another lying sack of sh** democrap.
I believe him. When I vote against him, it won’t be because of this.
Quick! Check Obamas feezer!!!
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