Posted on 09/25/2008 7:14:52 AM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia
A $100,000 state grant for a botanic garden in Englewood that then-state Sen. Barack Obama awarded in 2001 to a group headed by a onetime campaign volunteer is now under investigation by the Illinois attorney general amid new questions, prompted by Chicago Sun-Times reports, about whether the money might have been misspent.
The garden was never built. And now state records obtained by the Sun-Times show $65,000 of the grant money went to the wife of Kenny B. Smith, the Obama 2000 congressional campaign volunteer who heads the Chicago Better Housing Association, which was in charge of the project for the blighted South Side neighborhood.
(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...
Not a good time for Obama to have this to come out.
Not to be flippant, but that’s one or two mortgages in trouble that could be dug out - give the grant money back to the government.
looks like the start of another bad day for Obamarama
I wonder how he will do in the debate without time to ‘cram’ for it? maybe he will have to ‘pull an all-nighter’ like in college...
About time something of Obama gets investigated by other than FReepers.
He’s been craming for the Debate down in Florida all this week. That’s why he doesn’t want to postpone it.
Does Obama have any friends, mentors, associates or colleagues who are NOT corrupt, racist, anti-American, Marxist or terrorists?
Garden to nowhere ........
Oh big deal, the SuckUp Press will not spend more than 20 seconds on this
I just sent it to Drudge.
The Garden to nowhere.
The Garden to nowhere.
100K for a garden!
How about 350K or more for ping pong tournaments Obam_ahhh got for another friendly donor!
gardengate!!!
Chicago politics at it’s finest.
In other news, this one-time Obama volunteer is the proud new owner of a brand new Audi R8!!!
sorry > double post
There is plenty of dirt on Obama in Chicago, but the mainline papers won’t go dig it. Ayer’s is just an example, but the crew he ran with are all currupt and going down. The curruption even ties in Michelle,since Rezko and his crew went to jail because of shaking down a hospital and state licenses for hospital construction. There is a lot there. Notice this is not the CHicago Tribune..they cover for him whenever they can.
Actually, this is a pretty big deal that the Sun-Times reported it. They are big time in the tank for the messiah. Every day they lead on the front page with an article like “John McCain kills kittens,” or “Sarah Palin part of dangerous Satanic cult,” etc. So to have say something potentially damaging to The One is a big step for them.
You know what would be really shocking? Finding out that this is the only grant with an outcome of this sort.
The Dem AG will never sully obama in any way. There’s one paragraph in the story that is golden:
“Obama vowed to “work tirelessly” to raise $1.1 million to help Smith’s organization turn the City of Chicago-owned lot into an oasis of trees and paths. But Obama lost the congressional race, no more money was raised, and today the garden site is a mess of weeds, chunks of concrete and garbage. The only noticeable improvement is a gazebo.”
Goes to show that obama’s word isn’t worth a whole lot unless he can benefit politically.
Chicago Sun-Times has had a lot of negative stories come out on Obama. This is his backyard. Does Murdoch still own this newspaper?
“Obama’s actions in awarding the money are not a focus of the investigation...”
That is the ONLY reason why this is being discussed in the pages of SunTimesforObama.
BTTT, Send this to Drudge, Instapundit, Etc...
I found it on Drudge.
BO is having trouble “shouting down” the Sun Times.
(A $100,000 state grant for a botanic garden in Englewood that then-state Sen. Barack Obama awarded in 2001 to a group headed by a onetime campaign volunteer is now under investigation by the Illinois attorney general amid new questions, prompted by Chicago Sun-Times reports, about whether the money might have been misspent.
The garden was never built)
Proof that you can’t fix stupid.. Or Partisanship....
The money was granted for a garden.
The garden was never built.
The Chicago Sun Times wondered if the money had been misspent.
NO CST The money WAS STOLEN. If it was issued for a garden and the garden was not built, then it was STOLEN..
btt
OBAMA’S GARDEN TO NO WHERE.
Right. I’d like to see some digging into Michelle’s excellent hospital adventure — Obama tucks a nice fat earmark in for Michelle’s hospital, suddenly she gets a gigantic raise. Smells like cattle futures...
im an illinois citizen
can i have my money back please obama?
“Attorney General Lisa Madigan is investigating.”
Wikipedia says:
“She is a Democrat.”
and
“She is considered a potential candidate for Governor of Illinois or the United States Senate in the near future. If Senator Barack Obama is elected President in 2008, she is considered a possible candidate to be appointed to Obama’s seat.”
Well, isn’t that convenient...I expect she’ll do a hard-hitting investigation
/sarcasm
I give the Chicago Sun-Times credit for running this.
We will never see it on CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, The NYT or Wash Post.
However I did read a headline from the AP this morning that an African minister prayed for Sarah Palin a few years ago.
Another friend will soon be tossed undeer the bus..
(no link)
Obama ‘s $100,000 garden grant wasted - He vowed to ‘work tirelessly’ to build an oasis for Englewood. It never happened.
Chicago Sun-Times (IL) - July 11, 2008
Author: Chris Fusco and Dave Mckinney, The Chicago Sun-Times; Contributing: Tim Novak
EXCERPT
Kenny B. Smith , whose nonprofit group got the money, said it was spent legitimately, mostly on underground site preparation. But he admitted Thursday that the garden is a lost cause because other government money never came through.
“We gave up,” said Smith, who heads the Chicago Better Housing Association. “It was a losing battle.”
Smith — an early Obama supporter who gave $550 to his state and congressional campaigns — said he gave his paperwork documenting the work to a state agency and no longer has it. A Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity spokeswoman said officials would look into the matter.
Smith blamed the site’s current poor condition on construction material dumped there during the state’s recent reconstruction of the Dan Ryan Expy.
But a reporter walked the site last week with a landscape architect from the Illinois Green Industry Association who found no evidence of the work Smith cited. The only major changes since 2000: A gazebo was added, and some trees were cut down.
well, the initial reaction is for Obama to throw the Smiths intot he growing pile under the bus. But what does Smith know and what CYA material might exist??? Will Obama beg for Smith to STFU and wait for the pardon?
bump
From related stories:
“Instead, what was supposed to be a six-block stretch of trees and paths is now a field of unfulfilled dreams...”
So this “garden” was on 6 blocks? And no one noticed that
nothing was being done?
Evidently this all came to light in July, when Smith went back to the well looking to use this “garden spot” to build 30 low income homes.
“In a previous interview, Smith said the state grant money was legitimately spent, mostly on underground site preparation.”
Yet the contractor said all work done was: ‘above ground’ and less than $3000.00 was spent. Folks..it does not cost $100,000 to grade a lot and build a gazebo...much else, 1.1 million for additional trees and paths on a city lot!
This paragraph is so key to every corruption deal surrounding Obama....IT IS ALL UNDERGROUND!! (eye roll)
“IT IS ALL UNDERGROUND...”
Kinda gives a new meaning to the expression, “It’s not the crime, it’s the coverup”
LOL, watch Onama on Fox news at CGI- his teleprompter is messing up:) he just stops talking and waits for it to work.
bump!
Before this campaign is over Obama will need a few more buses.
I just emailed the link to Michael Graham at WTKK 96.9FM.
I’m sure Katie will grill him on this/sarc
LOL!
“….. a reporter walked the site last week with a landscape architect from the Illinois Green Industry Association who found no evidence of the work Smith cited. The only major changes since 2000: A gazebo was added, and some trees were cut down”
As I figured....Nothing was put ‘underground’ on this project except ‘accountability’,’leadership’ and graft.
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