REZKO: $43 million from fed, 11 bldgs in Obama's district, 5 winter Chicago weeks without heat

[Proud2BAmurkin]

This thing is getting uglier and uglier even for Chicago.

Why didn't Obama intervene on behalf of this filthy scumbag's tenants who were freezing to death in his own district?

Why didn't Obama answer George Stephonoaplous questions yesterday?

This isn't going away and If I was an Obama supporter I'd be careful about getting too emotionally involved because I have a feeling a lot of people are going to feel like idiots when it comes out.

Sucks that so many college kids are looking at this dude as some kind of hero. They'll never believe another politician for the rest of their lives. WHich is the good news, the bad news is how embarrassed they will be.

[goldcanyonaz]

1. Chicago politics at their finest.

[Fredda Weinberg]

2. There are some lessons one has to learn for oneself. Idealism doesn't

have to die ... but the young cannot know how to temper it with experience.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

4. agree. Better to learn it early but it's gonna hurt

[sunonmars]

3. Its an ugly scene, i'll say that

Why didnt he do anything? I mean anything to help these people?

[aquart]

8. Did anybody call to tell him about it?

If it was that egregious, MANY people should have known: the mayor, city council, the department of housing...the media...where were they?

It isn't a senator's job. It really isn't. This was a local problem. WHY wasn't the city dealing with it?

[Proud2BAmurkin]

10. 11 buildings in his district, he did nothing

[Occam Bandage]

12. He's a State Senator, not a landlord. You expect him to keep tabs on every building

in his district?

[Proud2BAmurkin]

14. This is the responsiblity of state Reps and state Senators absolutely

[Occam Bandage]

16. What a joke. This is an issue for your alderman, maybe. Not your State Sen.

[Mz Pip]

41. State Senators

represent their districts in state matters. They aren't the Housing Authority. Let's blame Don Perata for the slums of Oakland or go one step higher and blame Barbara Lee.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Occam Bandage]

52. Absolutely. They are not responsible for the conditions of individual buildings.

[LibraLiz1973]

68. Especially when they are friends with the slumlords

Did the senator ever complain to anyone -- government officials, Rezmar or Rezko -- about the conditions of Rezmar's buildings? "Senator Obama did follow up on constituency complaints about housing as matter of routine,'' Gibbs wrote.


You are SEEING that it was a matter of routine for him to follow up on those type of complaints, yes?????

So don't try and say it wasn't his job

[Occam Bandage]

75. When he got complaints, he followed up. What I'm arguing is that

it is not his responsibility to investigate local issues when problems are not brought to his attention, and there's no evidence that this was brought to his attention.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

82. followed up with his hand out for more $$$ and discounted real estate

[Occam Bandage]

84. No evidence he knew. You're talking out your ass.

[LibraLiz1973]

69. Once again:

"Senator Obama did follow up on constituency complaints about housing as matter of routine,''

[LibraLiz1973]

5. Move on. Nothing to see here.

I mean, really.... You didn't get the memo that Obama is not only the perfect candidate, he is ALSO the most perfect and benevolent being to ever roam the earth?? :sarcasm: Even Jesus thinks so- he endorsed him!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4235844&mesg_id=4235844

[indimuse]

36. let's not forget..

the light will shine down...you will have an epiphany...and vote for Obama! paraphrase..: Obaba's speech SC...OMG!

[aquart]

6. First: Did he know? Was he informed? Was he the proper person?

I (as we all know, I neither worship nor like Obama) cannot control the actions of MY friends. Why are you expecting Obama to be able to control HIS?

Did he even know about the lack of heat? I complain to my landlord, then I complain to my city. Or a local city council rep. I would never think of taking a heating problem to a senator, state or federal.

So that's my last question, was Obama even the proper person to be involved here?

Sorry, this is guilt by association. The same way Palast insisted Hillary was guilty of the miserable lives of sweatshop workers in the Marianas because she spent some time on the Walmart Board. I lost respect for Palast with that, and I'm not buying this just because I don't like Obama.

Obama's problem with Rezko is not heating other people's homes. It's what he did in buying his own home.

[LibraLiz1973]

7. Your telling me that NOT ONE person in those buildings in Obamas district

brought it to his attention?? Or the attention of his staff?

And what about the land deal Obama did with him?


Sorry, but if it stinks...... there's usually SOMETHING there.

[aquart]

9. Do you call your senator when you don't have heat?

Because I never do. Never would occur to me and my building goes cold for weeks on end. I'm still recovering from how sick I got because of it this Christmas. I sleep in thick wool socks, and sweaters and wool leggings and a hat and an electric blanket.

But I have never called a senator of any kind about it. And I'm not the shy, quiet type.

I absolutely will NOT hang this on Obama.

[LibraLiz1973]

13. I've never been in that position. However, I know several people who

have been in similar situations and about 85% of them called EVERYONE- including their senators.

[in_cog_ni_to]

61. This was when Barack was a STATE Senator. Not U.S. Senator.

When my sister was trying to get her daughter moved up a grade in school and the school district refused to do it, she contacted our State Senator and he got the job done. So, yes, people DO contact their State Reps/Senators. What are they here for? The people. It wouldn't be out of the question for people to contact a State Congress person for help.

[Marie26]

65. A lot of people do

Most senators (state & fed) have a staffperson that handle consitutent relations - this includes answering & responding to the constitutent complaints about everything from lost welfare benefits to subpar housing.

[aquart]

86. Do you know any who have? Or are you assuming?

[Marie26]

89. Nope

I interned w/a federal congressman, and that was my job: constituent relations. Basically I answered phone calls & letters from constituents who had contacted the congressman's office w/a problem. Usually it was a problem w/a federal agency, but sometimes it was people complaining about bad housing conditions, or unfair evictions. But no matter what the complaint, the office kept a log of all contacts, & created a file for each caller. One guy called every day about CIA conspiracies against him, & we dutifully added it to the file. My point is, if constituents DID contact Obama w/complaints about the conditions, Obama's office should have a record of it. And the prosecutor might have an interest in those records.

[here_is_to_hope]

74. They are called heaters, buy one...n/t

[aquart]

85. I can't. My apartment runs on one 15 amp fuse. It would blow the fuse.

But I bet you're smart enough to realize I would have thought of a heater first. But if you were that smart, you wouldn't have said it like a condescending jerk.

[here_is_to_hope]

88. You choose to live in substandard housing and then

whine because you dont have heat...and then you call me not smart...lol...yeah.

[Marie26]

90. Are you not familiar

w/minimum housing codes? It's ILLEGAL for a landlord to rent out substandard housing, and the tenants have a right to complain and even recover rent that they had paid.

[Marie26]

59. What I want to know

is what Rezco got for his investment. Rezco has given Obama at least $500,000 dollars, managed his campaign finance fund, made other people contribute to Obama, etc. But we never hear what Obama did for Rezco in return, except writing a recommendation letter. I don't think Rezco gave all this money to Obama out of the goodness of his heart; he must have been expecting something in return. And a recommendation letter doesn't justify the amount of payoffs that he gave to Obama. Obama must've done a whole lot more to help Rezco, & I want to know what that is. I suspect that Obama may have directed those million-dollar contracts Rezco's way; and he may have had a role in persuading city inspectors to look the other way. It's not fair to hold Obama responsible for Rezco's slums, but if he had a role in getting Rezco the contracts to build these slums, he is indirectly responsible.

[LibraLiz1973]

71. People roasting you in 5..4...3....2...1

Good luck

[Occam Bandage]

11. So what, Rezko's tenants should have called their State Senator? You're really stretching.

[Fredda Weinberg]

17. I've called on my state senator when city government failed to act

Why is it a stretch?

[LibraLiz1973]

56. Because the subject is Obama and he is PERFECT

:sarcasm:

[Proud2BAmurkin]

18. Why not? That's what they do. Obama didn't know what his close friend was doing?

[Occam Bandage]

21. Why would Obama be aware of the heating conditions in every building in his district?

[Proud2BAmurkin]

24. "took contributions from Rezko even after his low income housing empire was collapsing"

[Occam Bandage]

26. Non-sequitur. Answer the question.

[oasis]

15. MTP question for Obama: "As president, will you pardon Mr. Rezko?".

:popcorn: This I gotta see. Put the Super Bowl on the back burner.

[LiberalHeart]

20. And he'd say...

"Rezko? Name's vaguely familiar. He might have been someone I knew, but not sure. Nuh-uh, can't say as I can place him..."

[Occam Bandage]

23. More likely response: "No."

[oasis]

32. I'm dying to be treated to a bit of Obama's grand oratory on that occasion.

:popcorn:

[ProSense]

19. Facts:

if you're interested.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

22. Real Facts

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/353829,CST-NWS-rez23.article

Rezko and Mahru couldn't find money to get the heat back on.

But their company, Rezmar Corp., did come up with $1,000 to give to the political campaign fund of Barack Obama, the newly elected state senator whose district included the unheated building.

Obama has been friends with Rezko for 17 years. Rezko has been a political patron to Obama and many others, helping to raise millions of dollars for them through his own contributions and by hosting fund-raisers in his home.

Obama, who has worked as a lawyer and a legislator to improve living conditions for the poor, took campaign donations from Rezko even as Rezko's low-income housing empire was collapsing, leaving many African-American families in buildings riddled with problems -- including squalid living conditions, vacant apartments, lack of heat, squatters and drug dealers.

[Occam Bandage]

25. And is there any evidence that Obama was aware there was anything going on worse

than the standard for the South Side?

[Proud2BAmurkin]

29. "than is standard for the South Side"

wow that's leadership

[Occam Bandage]

34. No, I'm serious. Nobody expects him to wave his hands and fix poverty. We're asking

if he was aware of horrid wrongdoing on Rezko's part.

[LibraLiz1973]

43. Well, if he wasn't.... there is a SERIOUS problem

So either way, I don't want this guy as my leader.

And I wont vote for him.

[Occam Bandage]

48. Do you expect all state officials to be aware of the heating conditions in every building?

[LibraLiz1973]

Well!! As long as it was THE STANDARD, it's okay!!

I hope you don't expect him to raise our STANDARD of living if he is elected.

[Occam Bandage]

40. Obama spent his entire career attempting to raise that standard, as an advocate, a civil-rights

lawyer, and a State Senator. He's impeccable there. And Rezko is far below the standard on the South Side. I'm just setting guidelines for what Obama knew and didn't know.

[LibraLiz1973]

45. There is walking the walk, and there is talking the talk.

[Occam Bandage]

50. And Obama walked the walk for decades. He was working as a community advocate for

$10,000/yr while Clinton was on the board of Wal-Mart and Edwards was winning himself multimillion-dollar shares of settlements.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

47. are you kidding? "Oops I pushed the wrong button in the child welfare funding bill"

[LibraLiz1973]

53. I'm TELLING you...

Obama is NEVER responsible for his foibles.

[Occam Bandage]

57. Actually, he apologized for that within minutes of it. That's taking responsibility.

[ProSense]

27. Wow, $1,000, raising money for many others, worked to improve living conditions of the poor:

Arrest him!

[ProSense]

30. Oh, forgot this, the real facts:

Obama has been accused of no wrongdoing involving Rezko or anyone else.

[oasis]

37. "Obama has been friends with Rezko for 17 years"????OMG.

:wow:

[Tulkas]

28. Did you expect Barack to go turn on the heat?

Yes, we admit it.....


Rezko is a scum bag


Obama should never hava associated with him.


He made one mistake, ONE..... Rezko

Should we try to count things the Clintons have done that were wrong??

[Proud2BAmurkin]

31. Two years ago

""Two years ago, Obama bought a mansion on the South Side, in the Kenwood neighborhood, from a doctor. On the same day, Rezko's wife, Rita Rezko, bought the vacant lot next door from the same seller. The doctor had listed the properties for sale together. He sold the house to Obama for $300,000 below the asking price. The doctor got his asking price on the lot from Rezko's wife.

Last year, Rita Rezko sold a strip of that vacant lot to Obama for $104,500 -- a deal Obama later apologized for, acknowledging that people might think he got a favor from Rezko. Obama called the episode "boneheaded'' and a "mistake.''

[LibraLiz1973]

38. I don't know why you even bother...

Obama supporters are so convinced by the MSM that Obama is THE candidate, they can't acknowledge ANY of his shortcomings.

It's VERY reminiscent of the 2004 election and how the Republicans marched like good little sheep for Bush.

I gotta ask- who the fuck is handing out this kool aid???

[indimuse]

I am from the "NO MORE BONEHEADS IN THE WHITE HOUSE GROUP!" NO MO!

Obama will get this..."Just say NO!"...:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[AndyA]

33. And what's even worse, knowing that this guy's buildings were not being

maintained properly, Barack was writing letters on his behalf to secure government funding for him to do more buildings!

Barack's constituents were freezing to death, and Barack did nothing to help them, but he did take the time to get more hand outs for his crooked crony.

Oh yeah, I want this guy in the White House like I want Bush for a third term. :eyes:

[Proud2BAmurkin]

35. exactly beyond not helping his constituents, he gleefully kept his hand out

[LibraLiz1973]

39. Read above: It's OKAY because it was "THE STANDARD"

for that area.

[Occam Bandage]

42. Never said that. Rezko is clearly below the standard for the South Side. Pay attention.

[AndyA]

46. Oh. I didn't know that it was allowable for people to freeze to death in Chicago.

I guess they were poor people, so it didn't matter, right? :(

[LibraLiz1973]

49. Well, it was the standard so it wasn't anything to get alarmed about.

Obama was not responsible for his constituents.

[Occam Bandage]

55. Again, I was explicitly drawing a line between the standard and between Rezko.

You're just being ignorant.

[Occam Bandage]

44. What evidence do you have that he knew? Any?

[LibraLiz1973]

51. The amusing thing is, if this same story was about Hillary Clinton

everyone pants would be ON FIRE to bring her down.

People are really, really blind where Obama is concerned.

[Occam Bandage]

Nope. I defend HRC against bullshit too.

[LibraLiz1973]

66. I don't think people living in squalor and freezing is bullshit

So I guess that is the difference between us.

[Occam Bandage]

77. Neither do I. So where's the evidence Obama knew?

[LibraLiz1973]

63. As a matter of routine...

Did the senator ever complain to anyone -- government officials, Rezmar or Rezko -- about the conditions of Rezmar's buildings? "Senator Obama did follow up on constituency complaints about housing as matter of routine,'' Gibbs wrote.



I guess this one just slipped through the cracks.

[Occam Bandage]

78. So you admit you have no evidence.

[AndyA]

76. Search. The internet is your friend.

;)

[Occam Bandage]

79. So you admit you have no evidence. You're talking out your ass.

[AndyA]

94. You're hallucinating. I said no such thing.

I told you to search for it. I don't have time to go back and find it again, but it is there if you seek it, but I have the feeling you won't.

I've noticed that you like to argue with people and you troll DU looking for people to bait. You add nothing to the conversation except empty accusations, and as you just did here, you insert your own thoughts and say things that simply aren't true.

Frankly, I think you've had so much Kool-Aid that you're a lost cause. You're annoying, and you just aren't worth it.

Welcome to my ignore list. Now you'll only be wasting your time, because I'll never see another thing you write. :)

[Divine Discontent]

58. yikes...

that's disgusting. the fact that he was familiar or friends with this guy for 17 years, and this guy had 11 tenement slum buildings that had no head for over a month, and yet Obama wrote letters for him for more AID???

Sheesh, wish we could wake up the sheeple!

[Occam Bandage]

60. So perhaps you can tell me what evidence exists

that Obama was aware of Rezko's wrongdoing. There are lots of buildings in Chicago.

[Divine Discontent]

91. Yes there are, but there's only so many owned by the Obama campaign fundraiser

Antoin Rezko, who apparently has a nearly 20 year relationship with Sen. Obama. Rezko, who was recently indicted, being connected as a 'friend' of Obama's so long, and having accusations that he's a slum-lord campaign contributor to Obama certainly doesn't help. Has Obama stated he knew nothing of the accusations against Rezko??? That's the bigger question, if he's said so, then I'll believe him.

[Thrill]

54. Do we need to run through.....How much crap like this goes on in NY?

Why didn't Clinton intervene?

[Vinca]

62. Use a little common sense here. Do you think Senator Obama

would be running for this office if there was even a minute shred of evidence of any wrongdoing against him? He's a very smart man. What would cause him to do such a thing? It doesn't make sense or ring true. As for poor people living without heat . . . do you suppose there might have been any people like that in the State of New York? I sincerely hope Patrick Fitzgerald comes forward and publicly clears Obama of any wrongdoing just to shut you people up. You're like a bunch of candle snuffers trying to kill the first light of hope many people have seen in their lifetimes.

[sunonmars]

67. What rubbish, of course he would, he's out for himself.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

70. If he'd run for president after one year in the senate, he has enough hubris for anything

[LibraLiz1973]

72. True that

[Vinca]

80. It's sad how you just don't get it.

I remember when JFK was running for office - he stood in the square of the Ohio town I grew up in - and there was something magical about him. Obama has somehow captured a bit of that magic, too. I'm sorry you can't see it.

[OzarkDem]

83. Yes, its a common mistake

Politicians who get themselves into shady relationships with donors can become inoculated to the problem, especially if their ethical lapses go unnoticed or unpunished. After a while they assume that since they're not being held accountable, then it must be ok.


Its when they step into a different political arena, where they're held to a different standard of accountability, that reality hits them.

[Scriptor Ignotus]

64. oh, those poor college kids

if only they listened to you, maybe they would have a chance at a happy life and vote the "right" way.

:sarcasm:

[here_is_to_hope]

73. Thats not what Ted Kennedy said! n/t

[OzarkDem]

81. Illinois Coingate

Rezko's biggest problem is the investigation into his activities taking state money and laundering it into profits and campaign contributions. That's what Fitzgerald's investigation is focused on.

[itsrobert]

87. Change, We Can Freeze The Poor With

So, we can thaw them when cheap labor is needed again.

[jackson_dem]

93. lol itsrobert!

[Proud2BAmurkin]

95. LOL

:rofl:

[K Gardner]

92. When you got nothing but bitterness, scream REZKO.

[ProSense]

96. Still waiting for answers: Clinton regrets Marc Rich pardon

Clinton regrets Marc Rich pardon

[Tatiana]

97. Cause Obama is Satan.... n/t