Posted on 11/22/2011 9:31:17 AM PST by opentalk
While it's true that President Obama began his political career in the living room of former Weather Underground terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, his first political sponsor and major fundraiser was Antoin "Tony" Rezko.
The pair go back to the 1990s and Obama's state Senate years, but they are best known for the still-not-completely-explained 2005 real estate deal that allowed the Obamas to buy their Chicago South Side mansion, while Rezko's wife bought a narrow strip of the home's lot on the same day. At that time, Rezko was under federal investigation for influence peddling and fraud while serving as a deal maker for since-disgraced Governor Rod Blagojevich.
In 2003, Rezko held a crucial fundraiser for Obama's US Senate campaign at his Chicago North Shore home--the future president was seen as a decided underdog in the race at that time.
Rezko was found guilty of a fraud and money laundering in 2008. Rather than posting bond, Rezko has been awaiting sentencing while being held alternately in a Wisconsin jail and Chicago's Metropolitan Correctional Center. Federal prosecutors wanted him nearby in case he was needed as a witness in the trial of downstate power broker William Cellini and the two Blagojevich trials.
Rezko's attorneys will request that the onetime real estate developer, fast food businessman, and yes, slumlord be sentenced to time served, the Chicago Tribune is reporting. But the feds want 11 to 15 years.
Oh, odd thing about that Trib article. President Obama isn't mentioned in it.
Media bias, anyone? Well, Chicago's other daily newspaper, the Sun-Times, thought Obama's ties to Rezko was newsworthy in its Rezko pre-sentencing write-up.
Much saver than in the parking lot of the Trinity Church.
The MSM is incredibly powerful. Do not believe all the tripe you see here at FR about the MSM being on a deathwatch
Don’t worry Tony. Your silence will bring a commutation or pardon from Obama.
I don’t like to use the word bias media anymore. Corrupt media is more accurate
Obama channeled Rezko millions of dollars of tax money funded projects that made him rich so he could fund Obama’s political career.. it’s the Chicago Way political circle jerk
Far more than people admit. It creates narratives and controls the information. So many will never know Obama is connected to Rezko for example. They have created narratives about each and every Republican candidate, except for Romney but they are holding their powder there. They have the power. The internet and talk radio help to speak to the echo chamber but the media still controls most perceptions. Those perceptions are then reality to most. If the economy was halfway decent, Obama’s favorable ratings would be very high. He is their prince and king and he is treated as such. Sad. He is ruining this country and investing our money in his “people” and democrats to fill the coffers and the future for his friends at our expense.
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