Obama Paid By Donor Who Got State Grant

Newsmax ^ | Wednesday, April 30, 2008 | Newsmax Staff

[Turret Gunner A20]

As an Illinois state Senator, Barack Obama received more than $100,000 from a company owned by an entrepreneur whom Obama helped to obtain a state grant. Robert Blackwell Jr., a contributor to Obama’s campaigns, began paying Obama an $8,000-a-month retainer in early 2001 to provide legal advice to his technology firm, Electronic Knowledge Interchange.

At the time, Obama had recently completed his unsuccessful campaign for Congress, and had numerous debts and a law practice he had neglected for a year while campaigning, the Los Angeles Times reported. Obama had been so strapped for cash that his credit card was initially rejected when he tried to rent a car at the 2000 Democratic convention, Obama disclosed in his book “The Audacity of Hope.”

The monthly payments from EKI supplemented Obama’s $58,000-a-year part-time state Senate salary, and eventually totaled $112,000.

“A few months after he received his final payment from EKI, Obama sent a request on state Senate letterhead urging Illinois officials to provide a $50,000 tourism promotion grant to another Blackwell company, Killerspin,” the Times story disclosed.

Snip

[GodGunsGuts]

As an aside, I think Obama’s “break” with “Rev” Wright is pure political theater. Wright has been warning Obama he would have to break with him for over two decades. It appears Obama is finally taking his advice. I have a feeling that Wright's National Press Club rant was either prearranged, or at least a clear signal to Obama that it was time for him to take the reverend’s advice:

“When Barack Obama met Rev. Jeremiah Wright in 1985, the pastor warned the young community organizer that he might want to distance himself from such a rabble-rouser. Obama didn’t listen. Until now.”

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/religion_theseeker/2007/03/hallelujah_bara.html

“Rev. WRIGHT: They’re going to associate your name with mine, and that could be detrimental, I told him back then. It holds just as true, even more so, now.”

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week1028/newsfeature.html

“If Barack gets past the primary, he might have to publicly distance himself from me,” Mr. Wright said with a shrug. “I said it to Barack personally, and he said yeah, that might have to happen.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/30/us/politics/30obama.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all&oref=login&oref=slogin

[GodGunsGuts]

See #2

[BubbaBobTX]

Nothing to see here move on.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[SJackson]

Sounds like it would have been cheaper for the company if the State of Illinois has simply bailed out Obama to the tune of $50,000.

[GodGunsGuts]

ps The decision to have Wright repeat his rants at the National Press Club to set the stage for the “final” and dramatic break could well blow up in their faces. Be that as it may, and seeing how B. Hussein Obama will almost certainly go to the convention ahead of Billary, I think their political calculation was to get this behind them before the general to prevent conservative 527-types (as opposed to “reluctant” RINOs like McCain) from ripping them to shreds in the general. However, if the press starts asking B. Hussein Obama questions about “Rev” Wright's advice (links in #2), it will only serve to make Obama appear even MORE suspicious (I know it's hard to imagine, but if people start thinking that there is a good possibility that the “break” with Wright was done in collusion, it will make Obama look even more sinister and subversive than he appears now).

[Blood of Tyrants]

Robert Blackwell Jr., a contributor to Obama’s campaigns, began paying Obama an $8,000-a-month retainer in early 2001 to provide legal advice to his technology firm, Electronic Knowledge Interchange.

The old retainer/consultant politician scam. I would bet that Obama gave Blackwell's company almost nothing except political favors in exchange for that "retainer".

[Question Liberal Authority]

At least he was able to pay his student loans by peddling political influence, rather than something sleazy like working for a corporation.

[sportutegrl]

At this point I am hoping that the Republicans put up a strong candidate to run against Obama when he is up for reelection in the Senate.

[ridesthemiles]

As an aside, I think Obama’s “break” with “Rev” Wright is pure political theater”

IMO, EVERYTHING about Obama is pure political theater.

[Turret Gunner A20]

IMO, EVERYTHING about Obama is pure political theater sickening.

Fixed!

[LADY J]

"At this point I am hoping that the Republicans put up a strong candidate to run against Obama when he is up for reelection in the Senate."

Would be nice if we had one to run againat him for President too!!

[FormerACLUmember]

Between Marxists and flaming corruption, Obama emits a stench which stinks like an overflowing septic tank.

The guy is seriously dirty and evil.