[Dialogue] Political fundraiser Rezko arrested

[Harry Wainwright]

  MSNBC.com

  _____  

Political fundraiser Rezko arrested 

Antoin 'Tony' Rezko poured thousands of dollars into Obama's campaign

The Associated Press

updated 3:09 p.m. ET, Mon., Jan. 28, 2008

CHICAGO - A federal judge on Monday revoked the bond of an indicted real
estate developer and political fundraiser whose contributions to Barack
Obama's political campaigns subjected the Democratic White House hopeful to
criticism from his chief rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton. 

The federal judge revoked the $2 million bail saying she feared Antoin
"Tony" Rezko, a developer and fast food magnate, could be a flight risk. The
judge said she became concerned after learning, among other things, that
Rezko had received $3.5 million from a company in Lebanon after claiming he
did not have any income. 

U.S. District Court Judge Amy J. St. Eve remanded Rezko into the custody of
the U.S. Marshall and scheduled another hearing for Tuesday. 

Some of the people who put up property in Rezko's name also are renting out
or trying to sell the property, according to prosecutors, raising concerns
there may not be enough collateral to secure Rezko's bond. 

Rezko, who was arrested at his suburban Chicago home Monday morning, has
pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud, attempted extortion and money
laundering. He is scheduled to stand trial Feb. 25. 

Earlier Monday, Rezko attorney Joseph Duffy said he needed to get more
information about the allegations before commenting. 

The Democratic presidential candidate and senator from Illinois has said he
had no indication of problems with Rezko when he accepted thousands of
dollars in campaign contributions. When prosecutors unsealed their charges
against Rezko in 2006, Obama gave $11,500 (euro7,820) in Rezko contributions
to charities. 

Obama has since sought to distance himself from Rezko, even as Clinton
invoked Rezko's name and his "slum lord business" during a recent debate.
His campaign declined to comment on Rezko's arrest. 

Earlier this month, Obama gave to charity more than $40,000 (euro27,109) in
past political contributions from seven individuals with ties to Rezko. The
decision to donate the money contributed to Obama's House and Senate
campaigns -- but not his current presidential bid -- came after a published
report that Obama is the unnamed "political candidate" in one paragraph of a
78-page prosecution document that outlines the case against Rezko. 

Obama also has had to answer questions about how Rezko became involved in
the purchase of the Obama family home as well as other ties to Rezko that go
back more than 15 years. 

Obama has been accused of no wrongdoing involving Rezko or anyone else. 

Rezko also has been one of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's leading
fundraisers. 

Rezko is charged in a 24-count indictment with pressuring businesses seeking
work before two state regulatory boards to make campaign contributions and
payoffs. 

Once the trial, which is expected to last two to three months, is over,
Rezko still will face federal charges alleging he swindled General Electric
Capital Corp. out of $10 million (euro6.78 million) in connection with the
sale of two pizza restaurant chains. 

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22881240/

C 2008 MSNBC.com 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://wedgeblade.net/pipermail/dialogue_wedgeblade.net/attachments/20080128/a7fee6f4/attachment.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/gif
Size: 487 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://wedgeblade.net/pipermail/dialogue_wedgeblade.net/attachments/20080128/a7fee6f4/attachment.gif