Obama Reveals More Rezko Cash
15 March 2008 1:00 pm by Taylor Marsh
Obama has finally opened up to Chicago reporters. Big of him, really. Why he didn’t do it earlier is a lesson in political damage control 101, if you ask me. (Here’s the pdf; the audio is at Rezko Watch.)
Jeralyn has more.
Admitting that all the previous numbers he gave on Rezko contributions were simply a tease.
Barack unloads a new figure.
For the first time, Sen. Barack Obama put a figure Friday to the
amount of campaign contributions that indicted political fund-raiser Tony
Rezko raised for the senator’s campaigns, and the number — about $250,000
— was far more than he previously acknowledged.
Are Obama’s Rezko troubles finally over? “We believe we have identified all money that is traceable. … It’s
hard for me to know precisely. I don’t have the capacity to go back and figure
out who did he raise money from. There might be additional dollars,” Obama
told the Chicago Sun-Times in an 80-minute interview that focused on his 17-year
relationship with Rezko, who has become a lingering issue as Obama seeks the
Democratic nomination for president.This is the breakdown Obama provided for Rezko’s fund-raising:
• About $160,000 for Obama’s 2004 U.S. Senate election. Obama has given
that money to charity.• From $50,000 to $60,000 for Obama’s failed attempt to unseat U.S.
Rep. Bobby Rush in 2000.• Between $10,000 and $15,000 for Obama’s first election, in 1996,
to the Illinois Senate.• “Somewhat less than that” for Obama’s re-elections to the Illinois
Senate in 1998 and 2002.Obama’s estimate exceeded his campaign staff’s previous estimates of Rezko’s
fund-raising during Obama’s 12 years in politics. In November 2006, Obama’s
staff estimated Rezko raised $50,000 to $60,000 over the senator’s career.
In the last year, Obama’s campaign fund has given charities more than $157,600
in donations it linked to Rezko, his family, friends and business associates.
… ..
Until Obama releases all of his Rezko documents, including emails and other communications on the real estate deal, I’ll reserve judgment.
Some want to compare Normal Hsu with Tony Rezko, drawing an equivalence with
Clinton and Obama. It’s laughable. But it reminds you, as Eriposte writes today, of Clinton rules and Obama rules in the primary campaign. Hsu was a contributor and bundler with
no personal relationship with Clinton; certainly not one the spanned 17
years. Hsu also didn’t do a walk through of any Clinton home. As I’ve also said,
Hsu wasn’t Hillary’s political godfather either.
Is this the end of the drip, drip, drip on Rezko? With Obama, you never quite
know. Susan over at NoQuarter has a “muckrakers
alert” edition. It seems he’s only willing to disclose enough to get
him over the next hill where more information awaits to be disclosed. The Chicago media, which has been all over the story, seems schizophrenic on the final judgment. Hey, but
this is politics, and as we’re finding out, Barack Obama is simply another politician. That’s a big problem for him. But frankly, I never thought otherwise.
