Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Anita Dunn’s Husband Becomes White House Counsel (Front Page mag)
Front Page Magazine ^ | 11-20-09 | John Perrazzo

Posted on 11/24/2009 10:36:15 PM PST by STARWISE

By now, millions of Americans are familiar with Anita Dunn, who recently resigned her post as Barack Obama’s White House Communications Director after it was learned that she had previously cited Mao Zedong, the late Communist dictator and mass murderer, as one of her “favorite political philosophers.”

By contrast, few people know anything substantive about Dunn’s husband, Robert Bauer, who has replaced Gregory Craig as President Obama’s White House Counsel. Craig resigned abruptly on November 13, after having repeatedly denied, for weeks, that he had any plans of stepping down.

A 1976 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Robert Bauer bleeds Democrat blue. He has served as counsel to the Democratic Senatorial and Congressional Campaign Committees for many years.

In 1999 he was counsel to Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, the South Dakota Democrat who led his party’s defense of Bill Clinton in the latter’s impeachment trial.

Each day during the trial proceedings, Bauer and Democratic leaders strategized on how they could best help Clinton beat the charges against him — perjury, abuse of power, and obstruction of justice.

In 1999-2000, Bauer was general counsel to the Bill Bradley for President Committee. Also in 2000, he filed a racketeering lawsuit against then-House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, accusing the Texas Republican of extortion and money laundering.

In 2004 Bauer served as general counsel to the Democratic National Committee during the presidential campaign of Senator John Kerry.

Today Bauer heads the political law group at Perkins Coie, the powerful, Democrat-aligned Seattle law firm that represents, among others, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, Richard Gephardt, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Bauer forged a close affiliation with Barack Obama after the latter was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004. He became Obama’s private attorney and then, when the Senator declared his candidacy for President in February 2007, Bauer was appointed as general counsel for Obama’s presidential campaign — a project dubbed “Obama For America” (OFA).

In January 2009, when OFA merged with the Democratic National Committee and became known as Organizing for America, Bauer retained his position as the entity’s general counsel.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama, who has never made his original birth certificate available for public scrutiny, hired Perkins Coie to defend him in court cases challenging his status as a “natural born” U.S. citizen — a status upon which Obama’s eligibility to hold the office of President is contingent.

According to Federal Election Commission records, OFA has already paid Perkins Coie $1,352,378.95 for its legal services in these cases.

Also in 2008, Bauer was intimately involved in Obama’s controversial decision to break the pledge he had made to accept public funding for the presidential campaign. Bauer and Obama based that decision on their calculation that the candidate was a fundraising powerhouse who would be able to collect far more money via his own efforts than he could ever get from the public financing system.

While Obama campaigned against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, and then against Republican opponent John McCain, Bauer quietly wrote letters to television-station managers and to Assistant Attorney General John Keeney, contending that Federal Election Commission (FEC) rules forbade the airing of any anti-Obama television ads that made even the barest mention of the Senator’s well-documented association with former Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers.

Bauer filed FEC complaints against groups that were seeking to run such ads, and he intervened on Obama’s behalf to prevent the American Leadership Project — a pro-Hillary organization — from running TV spots exposing the strong support Obama had received from the thuggish Service Employees International Union.

The SEIU is led by former New Leftist Andrew Stern, who was taught the tactics of radical activism at the Midwest Academy, the training ground established by former Students for a Democratic Society radicals Paul and Heather Booth.

Stern also has close ties to the billionaire financier of far-left causes, George Soros, and sits on the Executive Committee of the Soros-funded America Coming Together — a massive get-out-the vote project for Democrat candidates. Bauer himself has lent his legal expertise to ACT.

In 2009 Obama hired Bauer as legal counsel to represent him in a criminal probe investigating whether former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich may have sought – with Obama’s (or Rahm Emanuel’s) knowledge — to sell to the highest bidder the U.S. Senate seat Obama had vacated when he assumed the presidency.

Bauer also has worked on issues related to Obama’s ties to Tony Rezko, a Chicago-based restaurateur and real-estate developer who was one of the first major financial contributors to Obama’s political campaigns in the 1990s.

Over a span of several years, Rezko raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Obama. A few months after Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004, he and Rezko’s wife purchased (in a deal that may have been handled, in part, by Robert Bauer) adjacent pieces of property in Chicago’s Kenwood neighborhood.

Obama’s portion of the deal involved a mansion for which he paid $1.65 million — $300,000 below the seller’s asking price. Meanwhile, Rezko’s wife (who had little income and owned few assets) paid the full asking price — $625,000 — for a vacant lot adjacent to Obama’s mansion.

The owners of the house and the lot had stipulated that neither property could be sold unless a deal for the other also closed on the same day. Both deals indeed closed on the same day in June 2005.

At that time, Mr. Rezko, who owed more than $10 million on defaulted loans and failed business ventures, was being hotly pursued by creditors; at least 12 lawsuits had been filed against him and his businesses. Moreover, he was under federal investigation on charges that he had solicited kickbacks from companies seeking state pension business under his friend, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, for whom Rezko reportedly had raised as much as $500,000.

For more than two years before the property purchases, news articles also had raised questions about Mr. Rezko’s influence over state appointments and contracts. Moreover, reports swirled that the FBI was investigating accusations of a shakedown scheme in which Rezko had suggested particular candidates for appointment to a state hospital board.

What does all this have to do with Robert Bauer’s current, and sudden, ascendancy to the position of White House Counsel?

According to The American Spectator, one former Obama transition team adviser puts it this way:

“[Bauer] knows where all the bodies are buried, and this indicates that there is something amiss with this White House, or at least someone is nervous about what is going on. You don’t just make these kinds of changes [Bauer’s appointment as Gregory Craig’s replacement] for the sake of rearranging the deck chairs, and not at this time with at least three legislative and policy decisions looming that the Counsel’s office would have been deeply involved in.”

A highly placed Washington attorney (who has served as counsel in the Senate and in previous presidential administrations) characterizes Bauer’s sudden appointment as “pretty damn weird.”

“I’m surprised not only that the press seems to be ignoring the fact that two presidential lawyers have left at about the same time,” adds the attorney, “but that no one seems to care that for the first time, I think ever, we have a President’s personal attorney also serving as White House counsel.

I don’t care if Bob [Bauer] recuses himself from future personal legal business, this should be troubling to anyone who cares about the Executive Office of the President.”

Ultimately, Anita Dunn’s affinity for Chairman Mao may prove to be far less significant than her husband’s unrivaled familiarity with the skeletons in President Obama’s closet.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: anitadunn; billbradley; birthcertificate; blagojevich; broadwaybank; bully; daschle; dnc; fec; giannoulias; kerry; obama; pelosi; robertbauer; tomdelay
I’ll remind you again of Bauer’s handiwork during the 2008 campaign:

*It was Bauer who lobbied the Justice Department unsuccessfully last fall to pursue a criminal probe of American Issues Project (AIP), an independent group that sought to run an ad spotlighting Obama’s ties to Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers.

*It was Bauer who attempted to sic the DOJ on GOP donor Harold Simmons and sought his prosecution for funding the ad.

*It was Bauer who tried to bully television stations across the country to compel them to pull the spot. All on Barack Obama’s behalf.

Bauer’s specialty is stifling dissent. He’s married to the woman Obama entrusted to lead the campaign to de-legitimize critics in the media.

Girding loins? You betcha.

~~~~~~

IL-Sen: Alexi the unelectable?

Illinois state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is "deeply flawed" as a candidate against Rep. Mark Kirk (R) in next year's Senate race and "his nomination would put Barack Obama's former Senate seat in extreme jeopardy for the Democrats," according to a pollster for a rival Democrat.

Geoff Garin, who is conducting the polling for former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman, detailed Giannoulias' alleged flaws in a polling memo obtained Tuesday by the Fix.

At the center of Giannoulias' weakness, according to the memo, is his family's bank and its ties to disgraced developer Tony Rezko.

When the poll sample was read a paragraph of information about Broadway Bank and Rezko -- a paragraph that said the bank had "close financial ties" to the developer, had given him $11 million in loans and and had granted him "preferential treatment" by allowing him to bounce nine checks worth $500,000 -- roughly three-quarters expressed either very serious (62 percent) or fairly serious (13 percent) concerns about the issue.

~~~~~

Two weeks ago the Chicago Tribune, the paper that broke the still-unexplained real estate deal between convicted felon Tony Rezko and Obama, did not even mention Obama's jailbird buddy as it endorsed The One for president.

The bank Miller mentioned is Broadway Bank, owned by the family of Illinois State Treausurer Alexi Giannoulias, whom Obama endorsed over the party slated candidate two years ago. Let me make this clear--there is no way "The Boy Banker" would've won the primary had it not been for Obama's endorsement. No way. Obama also appeared in a television commercial touting Alexi. After Alexi's win, it was revealed that he approved two multi-million dollar loans to mobster Michael "Jaws" Giorango.

Over $10 million was loaned by Broadway Bank to reputed "new mafiya" businessmen Lev and Boris Stratievsky.

And what about Broadway Bank? Are the other mob loans we don't know about?

Blagojevich, Giannoulias

Giannoulias, O


1 posted on 11/24/2009 10:36:17 PM PST by STARWISE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: penelopesire; seekthetruth; television is just wrong; jcsjcm; BP2; Pablo Mac; April Lexington; ...

~~Ping!


2 posted on 11/24/2009 10:39:43 PM PST by STARWISE (They (LIBS-STILL) think of this WOT as Bush's war, not America's war- Richard Miniter)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All; Admin Moderator

NOTE:

Something was wrong with the link I posted for the thread. Here’s the correct link:

http://frontpagemag.com/2009/11/20/anita-dunn%E2%80%99s-husband-becomes-white-house-counsel-by-john-perazzo/


3 posted on 11/24/2009 10:42:31 PM PST by STARWISE (They (LIBS-STILL) think of this WOT as Bush's war, not America's war- Richard Miniter)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: STARWISE

the Zero White House is like the Hotel California - you can check out any time you like, but you never really leave....


4 posted on 11/24/2009 10:48:39 PM PST by blueplum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: STARWISE
By logical extension, then, that would make Mr. Bauer's favorite philosopher and source of strength whom he turns to as: Madame Jiang Qing (?).


5 posted on 11/24/2009 11:54:55 PM PST by AmericanInTokyo (A hearty Happy Thanksgiving Week to all on FR, even to the lib lurkers in the White House basement!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: TigersEye

ping


6 posted on 11/24/2009 11:55:45 PM PST by pandoraou812 (time to dump tar & feathers on DC)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: STARWISE
This was from: Controversy! Eligibility, NY 23, Global Warming, Oh My!

fact that two presidential lawyers have left at about the same time,” adds the attorney, “but that no one seems to care that for the first time, I think ever, we have a President’s personal attorney also serving as White House counsel. I don’t care if Bob [Bauer] recuses himself from future personal legal business, this should be troubling to anyone who cares about the Executive Office of the President.”

Bauer’s sudden appointment as “pretty damn weird

7 posted on 11/25/2009 3:47:54 AM PST by opentalk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: STARWISE

Does his tongue fly out of his mouth like a lizard as hers does?


8 posted on 11/25/2009 4:19:50 AM PST by raybbr (It's going to get a lot worse now that the anchor babies are voting!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: STARWISE
In 2004 Bauer served as general counsel to the Democratic National Committee during the presidential campaign of Senator John Kerry.

It was at the Kerry convention that BHO gave keynote speech and sudddenly rose to National prominence. Bauer is in on this conspiracy up to his eyeballs.

9 posted on 11/25/2009 4:57:28 AM PST by circumbendibus (Where's the Birth Certificate?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: STARWISE

sounds like an old George Wallace wife trick!


10 posted on 11/25/2009 5:49:07 AM PST by gunnyg (Just An Old Gunny ~ And *Still* Not A F'en Commie Basterd!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: STARWISE
"Bauer was appointed as general counsel for Obama’s presidential campaign — a project dubbed “Obama For America” (OFA)."

Should be:

“Obama Foe America” (OFA).

Pronounced Ofay...

11 posted on 11/25/2009 7:15:41 AM PST by null and void (We are now in day 308 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: null and void

I must say this Anita Dunn and that husband of hers, Mr. Bauer are two appallingly ugly human beings. Their faces must be the mirror to their souls.


12 posted on 11/25/2009 7:46:44 AM PST by nj patriot (Gore is beyond help.... Snakes in the head.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: nj patriot

True that.

You’ve seen the “Their wimin Vs Our women” comparison haven’t you?


13 posted on 11/25/2009 7:52:20 AM PST by null and void (We are now in day 308 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: STARWISE

Related thread:

Obama Goes to the Mattresses
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2393243/posts


14 posted on 11/25/2009 9:53:50 AM PST by thouworm
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: STARWISE
...when the Senator declared his candidacy for President in February 2007, Bauer was appointed as general counsel for Obama’s presidential campaign — a project dubbed “Obama For America” (OFA). In January 2009, when OFA merged with the Democratic National Committee and became known as Organizing for America, Bauer retained his position as the entity’s general counsel. ~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have always wondered about this maneuver. Has that ever been done before?

15 posted on 11/25/2009 10:00:06 AM PST by thouworm
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: STARWISE

Obama is circling his wagons!

He knows a hoard of birthers are on the march, and will have him soon!


16 posted on 11/25/2009 2:45:28 PM PST by Candor7 ((The effective weapons Against Fascism are ridicule, derision, and truth (.Member NRA))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson