Obama to donate funds received from Rezko friend

[NJSecularist]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/920701,CST-NWS-obama29WEB.article

Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama is giving $2,300 in presidential campaign contributions to charity -- money he got from Aiham Alsammarae, a dual U.S.-Iraqi citizen who posted more than $2.7 million in property to help spring Tony Rezko from jail.

Alsammarae, Iraq's former electricity minister, gave to Obama's presidential campaign six times in January, February and March.

"The contributions were made online," Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said. Obama is giving them to charity "given the circumstances brought to light by recent news reports."

The Chicago Sun-Times reported in its Sunday editions about Alsammarae posting his Oak Brook mansion and two South Loop condominiums to help free Rezko -- a onetime Obama political fund-raiser and patron -- from jail earlier this month.

Rezko's indictment and ongoing trial has proven a political headache for Obama. The U.S. Senator from Chicago is not accused of any wrongdoing, but his ties to Rezko have proven an attack point for his Democratic rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)

Besides his decision to give the $2,300 in presidential campaign cash from Alsammarae to charity, Obama has donated to several charities $159,085 in Rezko-related contributions from his Senate campaign. He also has sought to put all Rezko questions to rest by doing lengthy interviews with the Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune about Rezko on March 14.

The chickens are coming home to roost. He is unelectable.

[scheming daemons]

1. Um... that's a POSITIVE Obama article, you realize..... he's not going to use ill-gotten donations.

...something Hillary wouldn't do.

[NJSecularist]

3. Donating money doesn't give people amnesia.

Obama's appeal as a "new type of politician" is dissapearing by the day.

[MadBadger]

2. Thanks Jack

[LakeSamish706]

4. "He is unelectable" Seriously, you really have to be kidding me with your post...

What the hell is it that you people can still be standing behind Hillary? In all honesty, I would rather elect a David Gergen as President than a Hillary Clinton.. Please tell me what the hell you are supporting in this candidate, cause I sure am not seeing it?

[Yossariant]

5. It'll take forever for him to slough off Rezko's money.

[JoFerret]

13. Alma Chizzet?

.

[Condem]

6. NJ

how the fuck old are you?

[scheming daemons]

7. Since his viewpoints change by the week so easily, I'm guessing younger than 25.....

....no brand-loyalty yet.


Next week, he'll be supporting McCain.

[Condem]

8. scheming

a flamer-22!

[scheming daemons]

12. ? Sorry..... went over my head.....

[anamandujano]

9. Will Alsammarae, Auchi and Rezko give back the (alleged) favors

that Obama did for them?

[PurityOfEssence]

15. When you start hearing about Nadhmi Auchi, things'll get nasty

What a mess.

[KSinTX]

10. Chickens done come and gone, my friend

August 28, 2007, 5:26 pm
Clinton Campaign Will Keep Contributions
By Leslie Wayne

“Norman Hsu is a longtime and generous supporter of the Democratic party and its candidates, including Senator Clinton. During Mr. Hsu’s many years of active participation in the political process, there has been no question about his integrity or his commitment to playing by the rules, and we have absolutely no reason to call his contributions into question or return them.”

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/28/clinton-campaign-will-keep-contributions/

Hsu raised big money for Clinton supporters
Candidates she courted benefit
By Scott Helman, Globe Staff | September 26, 2007

Disgraced fund-raiser Norman Hsu did a lot more than just pump $850,000 into Hillary Clinton's campaign bank account: He also raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local, state, and federal candidates who have endorsed Clinton or whose support she courted.

A major fund-raiser for Democrats since 2003, Hsu became one of Clinton's biggest bundlers - gathering scores of individual checks and sending them to her campaign. But since revelations last month that Hsu was a fugitive in a 15-year-old California fraud case, Clinton has said she would return the $850,000 she has taken from him and his associates.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/26/hsu_raised_big_money_for_clinton_supporters/

Dem fundraiser Hsu sentenced to 3 years

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (AP) — Disgraced political donor Norman Hsu was sentenced Friday to three years in prison after a judge refused to throw out his 1992 no-contest plea to fraud.
Hsu's lawyers had asked Judge Stephen Hall to dismiss his 16-year-old plea, arguing that Hsu's right to speedy justice was violated because authorities were not actively pursuing him during his years as a fugitive. They could easily have arrested Hsu, his lawyers argued, at one of the fundraisers he hosted in California for prominent local politicians.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-01-04-hsu_N.htm

Hsu was also indicted on federal fraud charges in New York.

Only thing left is a little egg for the face. (Oh, and if we wish to throw these sorts of stones, there's an entire list of others we could work from. Not a good idea to engage.)

[Kittycat]

11. NJS - DU's Flip Flopper

:eyes:

You're starting to remind me of that one HillFan that was supposedly undecided, then liked Obama - then hill, then neither - that person changed quicker than the news cycles :rofl:

[JoFerret]

14. Sounds intelligent to me

Like Obama changing his mind on Wright.

Always be wary of the true believer.

[Blue_Roses]

16. is this your third yet? You are just the little ray of sunshine around here aren't you?

:eyes: grow the fuck up.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

17. oh those damn sleppy chickens!