Posted on 12/14/2007 6:12:24 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Barack Obama is getting rid of an old $5,000 campaign donation that was given to him by an Illinois businessman who was indicted this week.
The money was donated to Obama's U.S. Senate campaign in 2003 by Abdelhamid "Al" Chaib of LaGrange Park, Ill. Chaib was indicted Thursday on federal charges of taking part in a scheme to fraudulently obtain a $3.4 million loan.
"In light of this week's news reports, we felt more comfortable donating those contributions to charity," Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said Friday.
The Democratic presidential candidate's campaign is dividing the money between two cancer charities, Little Heroes and the Lynn Sage Cancer Foundation.
Previously, Obama has given charities $34,500 that he received in donations from other people linked to the activities that produced the Chaib indictment.
Federal prosecutors allege that an Obama supporter named Antoin "Tony" Rezko has participated in several illegal activities, including a scheme with Chaib to get a loan through false pretenses and use the money to buy a pizza business.
Chaib was executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority at the time.
Rezko, in addition to being a political supporter, bought a piece of property next to Obama's Chicago home and then sold Obama a section, giving the senator a larger yard.
Obama has described the transaction as a "boneheaded" mistake because of the way it looked. But he says it was legal and that he paid a more-than-fair price for the land.
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$39,500 so far given to charities,, he can afford it, well, Oprah can anyway.
So true. I am still not voting for the guy for the same reasons; he is too young and inexperienced; he is Muslum which he chooses to ignore and he is half white which he chooses to ignore.
I also feel like it’s a very bad and poor joke to place him in this position by people like Oprah who should know better; but then again; what do they care really about America and it’s people?
Does anybody ever follow this money “given to charities”? Do we really know what happened to it?
Well—it looks like DFU does—LOL!
Boy oh Boy...McCain-Feingold sure took care of that campaign financing problem didn’t it?
Why is it that liberal dem candidates always get away with giving illegally obtained monies to charity. Where is the effort to return these monies to the rightful owners.
If you know the money was obtained illegally then you are no better than the original thief.
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