Obama Discloses New Rezko Details
Watchdog groups are questioning why it took Sen. Barack Obama more than a year to disclose additional details of his dealings with indicted fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko.
While Rezko was known to be under federal investigation, Obama toured a Chicago-area home with him to get his opinion of the property, Obama's campaign revealed to Bloomberg News for a story published Monday. The politician later bought the home, with Rezko's help, who bought the adjoining lot in what was effectively a package deal.
Until then, Obama has professed trouble recalling such details during interviews with reporters.
Responding to questions about Rezko and the home sale last month, the Obama campaign repeatedly cited the candidate's on-the-record statements: "I don't recall exactly" conversations about the house with Rezko; "I am not clear" how Rezko decided to join in the purchase; and "I may have mentioned to him the name of a [developer] and he may at that point have contacted that person."
Pressed for more details, the campaign declined to provide any that were not then part of the public record.
...Obama called it "bone-headed" to have engaged in financial dealings with the wealthy Chicago political operative, particularly as federal agents were reported to have been investigating Rezko for alleged corruption. He has also said he was "confident that everything was handled ethically and above board."
The new revelations appear to indicate Obama had involved Rezko at an earlier stage of his home buying process than was previously known, and left many wondering why he had not shared the information sooner.
"Why did they wait so long to disclose this?" asked Jay Stewart of the Illinois-based Better Government Association, which combats corruption, waste and fraud in government.
"If you run as an agent of change, a reformer...that's holding yourself to a pretty high standard," said Stewart. "But when you're laying out that kind of rhetoric...it makes sense for people to say, 'Let's look at what you've done. Let's see if your rhetoric matches with reality.'"
"Where is Sen. Obama getting his media advice?" wondered Cindy Canary, executive director for the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.
"Is Obama following his instincts or the advice of a high-paid consultant?" she asked. "If it's a high-paid consulatant, maybe he should follow his own instincts... This is something that Sen. Obama should have put forward from the get-go."
Asked if there was a reason the campaign was mum on the Rezko home tour for more than a year after news of his involvement in Obama's home purchase broke, spokesman Bill Burton said, "No."
Obama claims that he's the man to change Washington. He's Mr. Clean. He's ethical. He's the one to lead us to the Promised Land.
Something is not right here.
At a rally in Madison on October 15, 2007, Obama told the crowd, "I won't snow job you."
He also said, "I'm asking you to trust in yourselves."
I think Obama hasn't lived up to his promise not to snow job Americans.
It's good Obama is asking us to trust in ourselves, because he can't be trusted.
Obama talks change, but he doesn't walk change.
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