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“Extreme Secrecy” Surrounds Obama Fundraising

By SusanUnPC on January 8, 2008 at 7:59 PM in Lobbyists, Obama

Let’s be clear here: There’s “extreme secrecy” about the big bucks donors, and the names of “his National Finance Committee [and] the Illinois Finance Committee” — which Obama refuses to disclose. The “little people”? Those the Obama camp is happy to talk about. Here’s Time magazine blog The Page‘s headline, then Lynn Sweet’s Chicago SunTimes column today:

extreme-secrecy-2.jpg

“Sweet: Obama secretive about fund-raisers he will be attending“:

With two presidential votes behind him, Democratic frontrunner Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.)) starts a new round of fund-raisers in New York, Boston and Chicago as the candidate who is making transparency a centerpiece of his White House bid continues to with-hold details of his higher-end fund-raising operation.

Obama will headline fund-raising events in Boston and New York on Wednesday involving his elite donor networks. He starts Thursday in New York, flies to Charleston, S.C. for a rally and then returns to Chicago for a “Welcome Home” $1,000-per-person reception at the home of Desiree Rogers on Chicago’s Gold Coast. The hosts include Obama Finance Chair Penny Pritzker and his top Illinois fund-raisers and bundlers.

The Obama presidential campaign also refuses to disclose the names of his National Finance Committee or the Illinois Finance Committee. Obama does disclose the names of his top bundlers, many of whom probably are on the finance committee.

Obama has long resisted putting on what he calls his “public” schedule information about all the fund-raising events where he appears. President Bush does disclose fund-raisers he attends.

Obama’s presidential campaign has been eager to get out information about low-end donations—the army of small dollar donors who have given through the internet. Sometimes bigger receptions are disclosed; sometimes not. On Monday, an Obama presidential spokesman declined to provide any explanation of the fund-raising events Obama will be doing in Boston and New York on the grounds they will not be listed on his “public schedule.”

At issue is not who gives—that eventually is disclosed under federal law—but who is helping Obama by hosting an event. That information does not have to be made public. …

In response to the pressure from Sweet’s column today, Obama did name Chicago hosts:

Robert Blackwell, Neil Bluhm, Peter C.B. Bynoe, Frank Clark, Les Coney, Jim Crown, State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, Joe Gutman, Bruce Heyman, State Comptroller Dan Hynes, David Jacobson, Steve Koch, John Levi, Charles A. Lewis, Cindy Moelis, Quintin Primo, Penny Pritzker, Jim Reynolds, Robert Rivkin, Desiree Rogers, John W. Rogers Jr., Alan Solow, Lou Susman, Tina Tchen, Grace Tsao ‐ Wu, Jim Tyree & Anne Wedner

  • Mr.Murder

    It’s a machine now.

    For the money he spends there’s not much justifable separation.

    Hillary’s in for the long haul, she can ride this out and decide a brokered convention.

    How she decides to play it will play into whatever the final outcome will be.

    • norris morris

      Mr Murder, Your posts are always on target both on NoQuarter and HuffPo.

      Obama has been taking huge amounts of bundled money with empahsis on donors like WallMart and Humana, etc. He’s been secretive,evasive, and dishonest about his Chicago connections to the Machine, and Pritzker family money. His major supporters he dares not divulge, as Mr. Democracy, Mr Hope and change is taking heavy, heavy, corporate money from donors he will owe big time. Phony.

      I am not talking about Union money. As for Kerry, it you scratch my Barack, and I’ll scratch yours.

      That’s a lot of Chablis.

  • Mr.Murder

    Strangely enough there’s no statistical variation for Edwards in any of the totals for the last three posted at Eschaton.

    Which vote machine company has the NH contract?

    • Kathleen

      That’s interesting. Sad to see Edwards doing so poorly in a state that prides itself at being independent. Heard an NPR interview with voters in New Hampshire. They seemed to know less about the issues than the voters in Iowa.

      The accumulative effect of not getting any press coverage even after winning second place in Iowa is not a pretty site

    • Cee

      Mr Murder,

      I said I don’t trust the machines.

      http://www.nhpr.org/node/10407

      Sylvester’s company LHS Associates has been supplying New Hampshire with voting machines since the mid-80′s.

      He told the Commissioners the Diebold 194W program called firmware is proven.

    • norris morris

      I believe Diebold and perhaps another.

      Trying to make a phony win? Not gonna happen.

  • Kathleen

    Wow Susan this is quite the piece. Do you know what the rules are about releasing the names of funders?

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      What do you mean?

    • norris morris

      Susan,

      A very good question. Google, go to Findlaw.com, and Washington Post has great political records of all pols voting, etc.

      But I dare you to find the entirely buried Obama records when he was State Senator in Illinois. Said he never thought they’s be important and were too costly to get now. Ahem.

      He is heavily funded by [finance fund chair is a Pritzker of Chicago billions] & much secretly budled money that includes WallMart,Humana, and more.

      He is well known in Chicago as a product of their highly structured political and social scene comprised of many powerful African American billionaires, and is an absolute machine man.

      But unless bloggers and reporters are unrelenting in their research they will not get Chicago Statehouse info. As for current fund raisers, there have to be lists on the letterhead invites, but it is also the bundled money that blends and hides so much. Is it legal? maybe no, but he never closed down his PAC as Hillary did when he started to caucus. Not good, but he did it.

      His fairy story about rejecting lobbyists is absurd. He has lobbyists working for his campaign and is highly connected.

      Watch Martin Luther King footage, and JFK footage, and you see the direct channelling,intonation,empahasis on words, use of ideas, and powerful JFK words are taken whole.

      This really needs to be quickly and thoroughly looked into. Oprah has worked the big Chicago money base [mostly old line Chi Pols, or Republicans] and that’s an old story. Rest is Dem machine $$.

      They always said if Oprah wanted to run she could be President. Now it seems there will be lots of Chablis.

      Lets find out what’s going on here.

  • Cee

    At issue is not who gives—that eventually is disclosed under federal law—but who is helping Obama by hosting an event. That information does not have to be made public. …

    Why does this make me think of the Lincoln Bedroom?

    • norris morris

      It’s worse. Visitors to White House are carefully logged in. We know who they were, and when they stayed. No on hid this, and guests even bragged about it. This Obama biz is a closed curcuit.

  • longwalksinparis.blogspot.com

    What no T-O-N-Y R-E-Z-K-O

    • Cee

      Ooooookay. I looked him up. No wonder I’m still thinking of the Lincoln Bedroom, Filegale, Whitewater and the rest of the bogus CRAP that I listened to during the Clinton years.

      The crime: Chicago-area businessman and longtime Barack Obama friend was charged in 2006 with money laundering, extortion, and fraud. Obama also arranged a sweetheart real estate deal with Rezko which the candidate acknowledged appeared improper, although it was fully legal.

      The donations: $12,500 to the Obama for Illinois and Obama for Congress campaigns, reaching back to 1999, according to FEC records. His ‘homemaker’ wife Rita also donated $1500. In all, the Chicago Sun Times reported in June, the Obama campaign has returned about $37,000 donated by Rezko and individuals connected to him. But the Sun Times also reported that Rezko and his associates had donated as much as $168,000 over the breadth of Obama’s political career. In the meantime, Rezko also hedged his bets as any good businessman might: he wrote the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign a $4,000 check in 2003.

      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/tony-rezko

      • norris morris

        Rezko, his real estate sweetheart dealer and donator has just been indicted for corruption.

        Nothing in Chi is going to be good.

  • ms in la

    From the Chicago host list- Jim [James] Crown…Here’s some of my earlier research on the Crowns and the Obama campaign:
    ____________________________

    Just after Obama spoke out against the impending Iraq war (October 26, 2002) at the Chicago anti-war rally– his campaign coffers were being generously filled by the renown Chicago “Crown Dynasty” family, as they are called.

    Per the Center for Responsive Politics site, the Crown family have owned and run General Dynamics, a major US defense contractor. and comprise a healthy sector of its board. Holding titles such as Company President and Chairman are:
    Henry Crown, Lester Crown (also on the board of Israeli Aircraft industries), and James (Jim) Crown

    Total Crown funds taken in by the anti-war Obama over a two year election cycle prior to his Senate run add up to around $120,000.

    General Dynamics’ 2006 total revenues figures were listed at over $24 Billion. Forbes estimates the Crown family’s worth at $3.6 Billion.

    Donations To Obama from the Crowns

    Steven Crown—– $12,000
    William Crown—– $12,000
    Patricia Crown—–$12,000
    Elizabeth Crown— $12,000
    James Crown—- $14,000
    Rebecca Crown—–$12,000
    Renee Crown—– $14,000
    Susan Crown—– $17,000
    Paula Crown—– $13,500
    _______________________
    Crown contrib’s— $118,500 TOTAL

    http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/76429/index.php

    Also, for the 2008 election cycle they have already contributed an additional $61,000 to Senator Obama.

    http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search_hp.asp?txtName=Crown&NumOfThou=0&txt2008=Y&submit=Go%21

    • norris morris

      The multibillionaire Chicago Pritzker family are major supporters, and his fiancial chair in charge of fund raising is a Pritzker.

      Obama only deals with high roller corporate money, bundled and unbundled . Smaller stuff just an addition. He will have unlimited funds. This is the Chicago Machine in full tilt. They will run the country if Obama is elected.

  • Cee

    What have they gotten for their money?

    • TeakwoodKite

      Cee: as ms in la points out, it is a “loan” due on the oath of ascension or back to the senate… I posted a link a few threads back for the CEO of Exelon Corp, a Mr Rowe. He was CEO of AETNA and several other healthcare objects. What is interseting is how closely Obama’s positions reflect the history of Mr. Rowe’s career.
      If you look at the Board of the Exelon Corp, I am quite sure you would find other monied supporters for Obama. Bottomline…Mr Murders rule. $$$

    • norris morris

      Cee,

      The history of American Politics and particularly the Democratic Party has been steeped in corrupt Mayor Daly machine in Chicago for a long time. Without support from and playing with the machine, it’s no go for a pol.

      Obama and the times bucked Daly and Daly fell, but as you know particularly in Chicago there’s always another regime.

      Powerful Pritzker and other billionaire sometine Democrats are major donors, but Oprah and the rise of many brilliant and powerful African American millionaires, billionaires have risen to powerful social and political poasitions in Chicago.

      Obama is a product of Chicago retail politics from sweetheart real estate deals to compliant “present” votes to offer cover for dicey votes needed to cover Dems in right leaning districts.

      Chicago is a hornet’s nest of political favors and machinations. Obama will comply when and where he has to. He just needs to get elected.

      Did you know that [WashPost congressional section], he voted AGAINST Clinton and other Dems on a bill that would cap credit card interest for strapped debtors at 30%?? There’s more, and it really needs bloggers to do their due diligence and go to the sources.

      Cee, if nothing else, as Karl Rove the evil meme maker said,
      “Obama elites drink Chablis; Hillary supporters drink beer”.

      Our propogandist is hardly anyone I would ever believe, but maybe this time he’s right?

  • LuigiDaMan

    More importantly, what do they expect to get for their money? More war?

  • B Merry
  • longwalksinparis.blogspot.com

    Tony Rezko is a fixer/racketeer par excellance. Many politicians of both parties will pay a heavy price from his trial. Just before he surrendered himself to the feds he was doing deals in Iraq and Syria… hmmmmmmmm

  • B Merry

    FYI, I’ve expanded on the list of names in a Taylor Marsh Hot Topics Diary, which links back here. All names on this list are official Obama bundlers who have collectively raised in excess of $4 million.

    • ms in la

      Interesting. That list linked shows the Crowns have already given $400,000 in the 2008 cycle. When I’d looked it up a few weeks back it was only around $60K. They are moving right along, and it’s still early in the season.

      Cee- Re: What have they gotten for their money? I would hazard it’s but some insurance policy that it might pay off down the road should he become the president.

      Have you seen the Exelon Corp contributions to Obama? Around $200K for the ’08 cycle.

      Exelon (NYSE:EXC),a utility services holding company with a $52.7 billion market cap.

      Within the company is Exelon Nuclear, which supplies a massive chunk of the United States’ nuclear power.

      According to the company website Exelon Nuclear operates the largest nuclear fleet in the U.S. and the third-largest fleet in the world.

      It has 10 stations and 17 reactors, representing approximately 20% of the U.S. nuclear industry’s power capacity. A Goliath in the nuclear power arena, and a company that’s also diversified in hydro and fossil fuels.

      He’s already faced some scuffles at rallies from anti-nuclear protesters because of his nuclear friendly rhetoric. And yet he runs on the strength of taking the money people out of the way so that the people’s voices can be heard.

  • norris morris

    Regarding Penny Pritzker who is Chair of Finance fund raising for Obama.

    You should familiarize yourselves with the Pritzker 15 Billion dollar plus empire and their place in power politics in Chicago. They are heavily into more than the obvious wealth from Hyatt chain of hotels. There are nursing homes. Equitable Fianance, medical companies, travel co’s, etc., and 2 S&L’s shut down by the Feds.

    There was the daughter suing her father as most of her Pritzker inheritance was absconded by dad in huge fight that’s gotten much press and it may be settled by now. Liesl Pritzker alleged that her Trust Fund was raped by her father.

    And on and on and on.

    The IRS ruling that Pritzker kickbacks favoring Goldman Sachs employees [Google], was resonsible [2/4/07] for indictment by feds. Income tax invasion Federal action for non payment of taxes by those receiving and those giving kickbacks, and judges rulings.

    Pritzker aquisitions thread through many major corporations, and their role in Chicago Democratic politics is legendary. All can be Googled.

    There is the recent matter of secrecy surrounding Obama’s current fundraisers, No information about sponsors or doners will be divulged, and bundled
    money hides the rest.
    Note that Obama is supposed to have been a part time Senator in Illinois, but where are the records.

    Where are they and why can’t they be seen?

  • http://www.investmentd.com/ structured settlements

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