Rezko, Giannoulias and Obama – dominoes?
By LisaB on October 11, 2008 at 7:45 PM in Barack Obama, Chicago Mansion, Chicago politics, Current Affairs, Tony Rezko
We’ve known for a while that Tony Rezko is likely talking with federal prosecutors, since his sentencing after being convicted of wire and mail fraud, money laundering, aiding and abetting bribery has been indefinitely delayed. This is considered a sign that Rezko is providing information that will mitigate against his potential sentence. The absolute best way to follow the Rezko story is with the Chicago papers and Michael Sneed, of the Chicago Sun-Times had an interesting “heads-up” yesterday. Although short, for those following the Rezko story in Chicago, this is very interesting.
Read the rest ->
Sneed hears rumbles political fund-raiser/fixer Tony Rezko, who is now singing sweetly to the feds from his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, has been talking about his “dealings” with a Chicago bank, which has political connections.
The Sneed tidbit is important because many Chicogans think the bank she alludes to is the Broadway Bank, owned by the family of 30 year-old Illinois state treasurer Alexi Giannoulias.
Giannoulias became state treasurer at the age of 29, despite no experience and not even having voted before, when backed by Barack Obama.
Locals think this backing was payback for Broadway Bank’s help in getting Obama a loan for his first townhouse in Chicago.
Last year, the NYPost had a very pointed story about Giannoulias.
A man who has long been dogged by charges that the bank his family owns helped finance a Chicago crime figure will host a Windy City fund-raiser tonight for Sen. Barack Obama.
Alexi Giannoulias, who became Illinois state treasurer last year after Obama vouched for him, has pledged to raise $100,000 for the senator’s Oval Office bid. Before he promised to raise funds for Obama, Giannoulias bankrolled Michael “Jaws” Giorango, a Chicagoan twice convicted of bookmaking and promoting prostitution.
Giannoulias is so tainted by reputed mob links that several top Illinois Dems, including the state’s speaker of the House and party chairman, refused to endorse him even after he won the Democratic nomination with Obama’s help.
Therealbarackobama (formerly Rezkowatch – I miss the old name), is, of course, all over this. They detail some of Obama’s dealings with Giannoulias.
Flashback: Barackopolis: Sneed reported September 23, 2008: “Obama was scheduled to attend a private Greek fund-raiser” Monday night, September 22nd, at Chicago’s Powerhouse restaurant hosted by “Obama’s basketball buddy, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who was hitting donors up for $28,500 for Democratic National Committee coffers.”
And TRBO believes Sneed at the Sun-Times is a solid source.
P.S. Why, you ask, does RBO hold Michael Sneed in such high esteem? Well, we can all thank her for providing the proof that Barack and Michelle not only attended that April 3, 2004, reception for Iraqi-British billionaire businessman, Nadhmi Auchi, at Rekzo’s house, but that Obama was observed delivering a toast in Mr. Auchi’s direction. RBO will place good money on anything Sneed has to say. Anytime. Anywhere. Anyhow.
In an earlier piece, TRBO shows how Obama, Giannoulias and Rezko are connected.
In 2006, when Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias was running for office, his good friend Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) not only vouched for him but also appeared in a campaign commercial in support of his campaign.
When Giannoulias visited Chicago’s SouthtownStar editorial board last week, he said that he had “met several times” with convicted political fixer Antoin “Tony” Rezko as a “banking customer,” Kristen McQueary reported June 15, 2008.
TRBO notes ominously at the bottom:
P.S. Would it surprise anyone to know that Obama’s close friend Alexi Giannoulias was tossed under the Obama bus more than two years ago—and Giannoulias still runs the Obama endorsement on his official website?
Yep. Obama did “bus” Giannoulias back in 2006, BECAUSE HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT BANK LOANS TO A “CHICAGO CRIME FIGURE.” Here’s the link to that story, at thecapitolfaxblog.com
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama said Wednesday he is concerned by revelations that the bank owned by Illinois Democratic treasurer nominee Alexi Giannoulias’ family gave loans to a Chicago crime figure and said the candidate owes him and the public a full accounting.
“I’m going to take a look at what’s been going on and I’m going to ask Alexi directly what is happening,” said Obama, an early and enthusiastic backer of the first-time candidate, after a town hall meeting at York High School in Elmhurst.
“I think it is absolutely appropriate for [Giannoulias] to have to explain what exactly the nature of the relationship was, how aware the bank was of some of the illegal activities that this gentleman had engaged in in the past,” he said. “I think that is something that, as his campaign goes forward, he’s got to explain to voters.” […]
“It sounds like they hadn’t fully thought that through,” Obama said. “My recommendation to him will be that he needs to have a thorough press conference in which all of this gets completely aired and all of these questions have to be answered. I think that’s what any elected official owes to the voters.”
Wow! Obama was worried at one time about relationships. Now? Not so much. Want to see and hear Obama’s endorsement of the Illinois state treasurer? It’s still a feature of Giannoulias’ site (before it gets taken down. . .).
Back on 10/8, the Sun-Times also had a short bit saying the Rezko sentencing had been postponed.
The delay comes as evidence mounts that Rezko is providing information to federal prosecutors. The Sun-Times first reported Rezko’s meetings with the feds in August and sources close to the investigation later confirmed the talks last month.
. . . If a deal is worked out with the government, Rezko could prove to be the most valuable witness yet in an ongoing probe into state corruption under Gov. Blagojevich’s administration.
. . . Blagojevich said he hoped Rezko “tells the truth” and said he wasn’t worried about his former adviser and fund-raiser talking about him. The governor pointed to a letter Rezko sent St. Eve earlier this year saying he wasn’t going to make up lies about Obama and Blagojevich.
Ziegelmueller said both the letter and the governor’s comments speak for themselves.
”I think everyone else can draw their own conclusions,” he said.
Some NQ stories on Rezko:
Corroborated – Rezko Speaks Prosecutors Interested in Obama Listen
Open Thread – Obama Can Try to Run but He Can’t Hide
ALSO: The Boston Globe did a great investigative piece on Obama’s links to the housing privatization schemes — but none of the rest of the MSM picked up their great work. Our own Un Coup De Des wrote it up brilliantly in two parts:
(a) Boston Globe Exposé, Part I: Introducing Cecil Butler, Obama’s West Side Slumlord Patron
(b) Boston Globe Exposé, Part II: Barack Obama (D-Slumlord) Is Aloof, Oblivious, Dangerous
And a great video by Flineo:






















