Obama, Articulate But Not Squeeky Clean

Yeah, it's been too long since an update or any activity. I fully apologise for that.

Now, down to business.

I've heard reports from various people about how clean and honest Barack Hussein Obama is. I call it a bunch of baloney. Someone somewhere is trying to sell a bridge, and a really big one somewhere. We know all about the Clinton Body Count, and how slick Edwards is (I'll stick to the Democrats as this is their primary), but there seems to be little nationwide knowledge about Antoin "Tony" Rezko and Obama's dealings with him. Obama also seems to avoid questions about why he wants to be president as well. Let's shine a light on a few things, shall we.

Obama closed on a house the day before Rezko purchased a vacant lot next to Obama's house. Let's let the Chicago Tribune tell some more:

In normal circumstances, the two real estate transactions probably wouldn't have raised an eyebrow. There is, after all, nothing illegal or untoward about an aggressive developer buying hot property next door to a rising political star.

Exactly, but there is more to the story. The transactions were anything but normal.

"I told them if you can spare another 5 or 10 feet, I'd be happy to purchase it from you," Obama said. "They came back and said they could sell us up to 10 feet."

Using a standard formula, Obama's appraiser estimated the 1,500-square-foot portion at a market value of $40,500.

But Obama felt it would be fair to pay the Rezkos $104,500, or a sixth of their original $625,000 purchase price, because he was acquiring a sixth of their land. The sale closed in January 2006.

But why did Obama feel the need to pay far more than the land was worth. About $60,000 more?

Let's delve a bit deeper. It turns out that Obama's ex-boss is one of Rezko's partners. This is from the Chicago Sun-Times:

When Barack Obama took a job at a small Chicago law firm in 1993, the first name on the door of the firm was Allison S. Davis.

Five years later, having left his Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland firm, Davis invested in Antoin "Tony'' Rezko's final government-subsidized, low-income housing project, state records show, in a deal handled by Davis' former law firm.

Davis and Rezko also went into business together, building upscale homes in the booming Kenwood neighborhood where Davis lives. The legal work on those deals was also done by Davis' former law firm, where Obama was working.

And Obama was working at Davis's law firm at the time, and knew very well who Rezko was. And there's another connection to the Illinois Politicial Mafia (maybe that's derogatory toward the mafia):

Four years ago, Blagojevich appointed Davis to the Illinois State Board of Investment, which controls state pension funds -- one of a series of appointments the governor made at Rezko's request.

Wait a minute, appointments made by Blago at Rezko's request? Hold the phone! Blago's already suspected to be "Official A" for his own corruption in the state.

A court document filed by federal prosecutors just before Christmas claims Blagojevich boasted to a key government witness about awarding contracts and other work to boost campaign fundraising.

The document was filed in the criminal case of Antoin “Tony” Rezko, one Blagojevich’s top fundraisers, who is scheduled to go on trial in February. Rezko is charged in a fraud scheme that included shaking down companies that wanted state business.

Blagojevich isn’t named in the document, which refers to “Public Official A.” Attorneys who have asked not to be quoted by name due to grand jury secrecy have said Blagojevich was Public Official A.

-Bloomington Normal Pantagraph

Patrick Fitgerald has been very careful in his attempts to corner the Blago administration and indict the guilty. The guilty, which I feel, extends to the governor, Mayor Daley, Alexi Giannoulias(state tresurer), and many more. Rezko was one of Blago's top fundrasiers, as well as involved in dealings with Obama. So, how well did Obama know Rezko? Newsmax.com gives us a hint of it:

Sixteen years ago, Chicago businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko tried to hire bright young Harvard law student Barack Obama to work in his real estate development company.

Obama said no, but it was the start of a political friendship.

Rezko contributed thousands of dollars and raised thousands more as Obama ran for the Illinois legislature, the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate. He was even involved in Obama's purchase of a family home.

So did Obama keep his distance from Rezko?

While Obama turned down Rezko's offer of a job back in 1991, he ended up in a group of real estate deals involving the developer anyway.

The answer is a resounding no.

In Illinois, nothing seems to happen without being connected to something else. To be honest, Blago, Daley, Todd Stroger, William Beavers, and Obama are all Chicago Democrats. Being as such, they come from the same politicial machine, that famous Chicago Democratic Machine. They practice typical Machine politics as well, with all the bells, whistles, and corruption that goes with it. So why would the Machine decide they want a candidate for president? After all, they have their own fiefdom in Cook County and now across the state of Illinois. Why the presidency as well?

The answer does not lie in what they can do for America or even the White House. It lies in what they can get rid of in Illinois. Patrick Fitzgerald, the US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and the Federal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of the Chicago Machine and its corruption. They have sent former Illinois governor George Ryan to prison for his own kickback scheme, Licenses for Bribes. And they have indicted people involved in the Daley admninstration in Operation Silver Shovel. Patrick Fitzgerald was appointed US Attorney by President George Bush at the suggestion of former Senator Peter Fitzgerald (no relation). The same Peter Fitzgerald who was pushed out by the Republican Party in Illinois.

So what can Obama do as president to Fitzgerald and the FBI? He can fire Fitzgerald as the US Attorney and put a stop to the investigation by the FBI. Removing Fitzgerald from the equation removes a major thorn in the side of the Machine. With Fitzgerald and the FBI gone, they would be free to continue their corruption and free to manipulate the vote in Illinois. They could also cover their tracks better and make the trail of corruption harder for the next prosecutors to follow.

That is why Obama is running for president. It's not the fame, it's not the foreign policy, it's not even for change as he so proudly exclaims. It's all for his politicial buddies and allies in the Chicago Democratic Machine and taking the federal heat off them.

The Sharks are Circling, and They Smell Blood in Springfield

The Feds are investigating some of Patti Blagojevich's real estate deals in a three-year probe of Blago's corruption.

Patricia Blagojevich's real estate deals with power brokers close to her husband first came under scrutiny in 2005 when the Tribune disclosed her eight-year business relationship with Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a Chicago developer who became one of the governor's top fundraisers and a member of his kitchen cabinet.

Tony Rezko was indicted last year on federal charges of soliciting kickbacks from firms involved in state contracts. He is involved in a shady real estate deal with presidential candidate Barak Obama.

Blago Gets Sued

Rod Blagojevich is at it again, trying to appropriate money for his own pet projects without the approval of the General Assembly. However, Ron Gidwitz of the Illinois Job Coalition is taking him to task for it. According to Andy Shaw of ABC7, Gidwitz is suing Blago to stop him from moving money appropriated for other projects to health care.

The governor is expanding access to free breast and cervical cancer screenings for women to three additional health clinics, including one in Oak Park, even though a lawsuit supported by a lot of Illinois lawmakers is challenging Blagojevich's decision to spend money on new health programs without the approval of the state legislature.

Oak Park!?! Posh Oak Park needs a free clinic!?!

What's Blago thinking!?

"It's mind boggling that the heir of a shampoo fortune would go out of his way to take health care away through the courts. And, yeah, it is Scrooge-like in many ways," said Blagojevich.

No, Governor Nero, it is not "Scrooge-like" of Mr. Gidwitz. It is more "Hugo-like" or "Fidel-like" or, dare I say "Mugabe-like" of you to move money without the permission of the General Assembly to your own pet projects.

Where's Roddo?

Someone should make a children's book when all is said and done. You know, the point being to find the guy in the striped shirt or something like that. At least I have a name for it: "Where's Roddo?". I'm willing to bet it could become a best seller, maybe even a cult following.

Here's Tom Cross's staff (R-Oswego) on the debacle with Blago at the Hawks game:

"What we really need is a political Zamboni," said David Dring, spokesman for House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego, "to clean up this mess that's been the 2007 legislative session."

How apt an image.

Do You Want To Be Governor For A Day?

Well, the Illinois Republican Party passed out raffle tickets in front of the Thompson Center today, according to CBS2's Mike Flannery. The winner will dine at a fine restaurant and attend a Chicago Blackhawks hockey game, as Blago did while the Illinois House was discussing the RTA bailout.

It must be easy to be governor. Attend hockey games, eat fine food. Sounds more like Nero than a governor.
Governor Nero.

Blago's Budget Busting

Blago is running into trouble with his attempts to get a bailout budget together for the RTA (CTA, Pace, and Metra). He called the General Assembly into session earlier in the week, and decided that instead of staying in Springfield to help with the effort, he'd treat himself to a Blackhawks game.

He was ridiculed in the House, where Rep. Ed Sullivan (R-Mundelein) brought a hockey stick to the House floor to make a point.

"If he's truly up there working on commerce, that's one thing. But this is him going to a hockey game to enjoy himself at the expense of the people of the state of Illinois. You can't get any more plain than that," said Sullivan, who called on the governor to cut a check to the taxpayers for his airfare.

Shame on you, Mr. Governor. It's your budget you want pushed through, and you feel as though you don't even need to attend the budget battle? Shame, shame, shame.

Now, there's no resolution in sight, at least not til after the first of the year.

When Democrats Fight

Amazing how we seem to have only one party in this state right now. One would think they'd agree on almost everything. They don't. In fact, they can't even agree how best to ding us with taxes. Being Democrats, you'd think they could at least to that together. Maybe we should be thankful they disagree so much. Here's a case in point over the RTA with King Richard II vs. Blago from the Chicago Tribune.

Even ex-governor Jim Edgar sees it, and notices that it's gotten personal (from the Trib's Clout Street).

Edgar said he was “flabbergasted” by Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s decision to move ahead with a health-care expansion after it was rejected by a bipartisan legislative panel—a panel Edgar helped create while serving as a legislator in 1978.

Back Door Socialized Medicine, Illinois Style

Blago still intends to move ahead with his rejected health care plan, even though the General Assembly told him they (and we by default) could not afford it. What about NO do you not understand, Mr. Governor?

So What About Raiding The Public Pensions, is CTA Pension Next, Mr. Governor?

King Richard II is calling on Blago to find money for the CTA health care and pension plans.

He said workers have done everything they can. Now it's up to the state to fund their pension and health care deal.
-NBC 5, Chicago

Do we really want Blago's hand in any pension plans? He raided the state's pension plan to fund his pet projects and make it appear liek he was balancing the budget. Not that I'm in favor of using more taxes for the CTA, but we don't need the governor's hands in yet another pension plan.

Mass Transit Meeting "Unproductive Shouting"

From the Springfield Journal-Register, House Speaker Michael Madigan left a meeting about funding Chicagoland's mass transit, declaring it to be little more than "unproductive shouting". King Richard II, by contrast, felt "optimistic". The meeting was between Daley, Madigan, and Blagojevich, and other legislative leaders in Chicago.

I, for the record, support cleaning house in each of the RTA's agencies first, then raising fares so they can support themselves without any band-aid fixes or more taxes.

State Police Probe Blago Donation

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois State Police are investigation some campaign contributions made in order to stave off an on-going fraud investigation.

Harish Bhatt, owner of Basinger's Pharmacy in Joliet, is at the center of this investigation for donating $25,000 to Blagojevich during this time. Bhatt has made other contributions to Illinois Democrats as evidenced on Campaign Money.com.

The Free Will Blog asks How Corrupt is the City of Chicago? Well, it isn't just the city, it's the whole dang state right now.

How much deeper could this get, and could Blago end up as Ryan's bunkmate?

Rockford Register-Star Takes a Look at Blago's Tenure

The Rockford Register-Star takes a look at Blagojevich's tenure as governor. He has a 23% rating, which, by the way, is less than President Bush.