Tuesday, July 01, 2008
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Obama's Corrupt Housing Policy
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Posted by:
Hugh Hewitt at
6:14 PM
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Barack Obama's got a big problem now that one newspaper --the Boston Globe-- has begun to scratch the surface of the South Side of Chicago's politico-sleaze culture:
But a Globe review found that thousands of apartments across Chicago that had been built with local, state, and federal subsidies - including several hundred in Obama's former district - deteriorated so completely that they were no longer habitable.
Grove Parc and several other prominent failures were developed and managed by Obama's close friends and political supporters. Those people profited from the subsidies even as many of Obama's constituents suffered. Tenants lost their homes; surrounding neighborhoods were blighted.
What's this got to do with Obama?
The campaign did not respond to questions about whether Obama was aware of the problems with buildings in his district during his time as a state senator, nor did it comment on the roles played by people connected to the senator.
Among those tied to Obama politically, personally, or professionally are:
Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to Obama's presidential campaign and a member of his finance committee. Jarrett is the chief executive of Habitat Co., which managed Grove Parc Plaza from 2001 until this winter and co-managed an even larger subsidized complex in Chicago that was seized by the federal government in 2006, after city inspectors found widespread problems.
Allison Davis, a major fund-raiser for Obama's US Senate campaign and a former lead partner at Obama's former law firm. Davis, a developer, was involved in the creation of Grove Parc and has used government subsidies to rehabilitate more than 1,500 units in Chicago, including a North Side building cited by city inspectors last year after chronic plumbing failures resulted in raw sewage spilling into several apartments.
Antoin "Tony" Rezko, perhaps the most important fund-raiser for Obama's early political campaigns and a friend who helped the Obamas buy a home in 2005. Rezko's company used subsidies to rehabilitate more than 1,000 apartments, mostly in and around Obama's district, then refused to manage the units, leaving the buildings to decay to the point where many no longer were habitable.
Campaign finance records show that six prominent developers - including Jarrett, Davis, and Rezko - collectively contributed more than $175,000 to Obama's campaigns over the last decade and raised hundreds of thousands more from other donors. Rezko alone raised at least $200,000, by Obama's own accounting.
One of those contributors, Cecil Butler, controlled Lawndale Restoration, the largest subsidized complex in Chicago, which was seized by the government in 2006 after city inspectors found more than 1,800 code violations.
Butler and Davis did not respond to messages. Rezko is in prison; his lawyer did not respond to inquiries.
Read the whole thing. Chicago rules, coming to the White House soon?
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blueinredcty. That is because McCain is a weak conservative whom most distrust to follow a conservative agenda. Obammy is a leftist radical and promotes an evil leftist agenda against humanity. One is pure evil and the other untrustworthy to promote conservatism. Now how do you apologize for the leftist evil the libtard party advocates against humanity? |
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K.G. writes: Thursday, July, 03, 2008 2:12 AM
Arch
A great 527: Obama's waxing rapsodic promising hope and change while the camera pans the pathetic projects.
What a phoney.
Arch says"
A phoney to the bone!! My uncle and his family lived in one of Obammy's districts and have first hand knowledge and experience of the Chicago political machine. If you have no money, then you have no say! That is the soviet style politics in play in Chicago. Obammy is a product of leftist radical propaganda preying on the ignorance and poverty of the masses just like all the Chicago libtard politicians. Look how far he got with no qualifications except being a smart politician with a resume of destruction! God Damn Obammy and the ideas he portrays. |
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A great 527: Obama's waxing rapsodic promising hope and change while the camera pans the pathetic projects.
What a phoney. |
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Patriotic Liberal writes:
I'm confused!
Arch says"
It needs no glorification now does it? |
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I'm confused. Hey Joe#2, get another moniker. Joe is already taken.. |
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No KG. Obammy wants to change the nation just like he changed the suburb of Blue Island, Chicago from a white working class neighborhood to a slum in less than ten years while he did absolutely nothing to help the situation. This is the change we can expect from an Obammy presidency! |
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...Obama is running as Mr. Fixit, the guy who is going to change everything and fix all of Bush's screw ups. Wasn't there something brilliant he could have done to swoop in a fix this relatively dinky program re: suffering poor people? |
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I'm with you. I don't really believe the Chicago papers were unaware of the story. I was making the implication that the Chicago papers have deliberately chosen not to cover the story. I am surmising that neither paper must deem the Obama developer/political connections a big deal. If they did, I would have expected some print space devoted to the story, if only to save face after the Globe published it's story. |
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Do you really think the Chicago papers got scooped by Boston? You don't think they know lots of things about Barack Obama, but would rather help him get elected than remind folks about them. |
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That is what Mickey Kaus is calling it. |
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...rabid reactions here, corrpution like this is resume' enhancement for their leaders. If only they could whip up some sex scandals - mistresses, rape victims, sexual harassment suits, their guy would be awesome to them. If you throw in some illegal Chicom campaign donations, he would be perfect. |
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Neither the Chicago Tribune nor the Chicago Sun-Times have written about this story, at least in their online editions. It's beyond me how the Boston Globe can out-scoop Senator Obama's hometown papers!
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Kimberly said: "Obama still stands head & shoulder above"
Above what? That means he is still in the Rezko muck up to his chest! |
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Axion writes: "I say Obama needs the same level of scrutiny for his questionable deals (ref. Rezko, etc.)"
Spot on!
Let the vetting begin, before the election! Perhaps this is why Hillary has not released her delegates? |
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labor lawyer said: "MCain's (sic)connections to lobbyists and fundraisers who supported corrupt banks, big oil, and foreign dictators,"
Where is your evidence of any of these allegations? What do you call a lawyer who asserts, but provides no proof? |
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My typing sucks. Blaming, donating, claims |
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Balmeing the messenger once again. Never mind that he ignored the conditions of people he calims to support. Did John McCain do any of that? Um, nope. Did he desert the public from dontaing funds on their taxes and accepting them in favor of BIG Soreasss money? Ummm, Nope.
Has McCain ever behaved in ways that promote racism? MMM, nope. And, finally, I would rather be with a sheepdog who looks out for the flock, than the sheep who only looks out for himself. And, I am only giving the "cons" side because I can. I am not a McCain supporter, per se. |
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from the Rezko case where Obama's name is mentioned. Evelyn Pringle's pieces broke it all down and hopefully some main stream media will pick it up.
There are of course questions concerning the mortgage Obama got and how his tax returns don't jive with that mortgage. For more on the mortgage
http://rezkowatch.blogspot.com/2008/07/preliminary-notes-on -obama-mortgage.html
I find it laughable that people are excusing the slum conditions of the housing projects because it is just Chicago politics. Chicago gets federal dollars just like most every other city and to sit back and just accept that people like Daley, Rezko, Davis, Auchi, Obama et al aren't to be held accountable shows a lack of moral fiber.
We can only hope Fitzgerald comes out with more indictments prior to the elections.
For anyone to think Obama's hands are clean is truly laughable. |
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McCain was examined and cleared long ago. I have some policy issues with McCain but I think he's been fully vetted.
I say Obama needs the same level of scrutiny for his questionable deals (ref. Rezko, etc.). But I won't hold my breath. The fix is in. The media wants Obama, so they won't get serious. Furthermore, the Left has their guy...their perceived antidote to Bush...so they won't scrutinize him either.
What we need now is a buyer protection plan for the Obamaites. I suspect many of the weaker ones will come falling down after Carter II gets underway. |
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...but he was sold as one. It's not difficult to envision a 527 showing the decaying projects, how Obama's friends got rich and taxpayers and the poor got screwed.
Obama's allure is hope and change for all of America, nea, the entire world. And yet he was unable to effect a change in the living conditions of the these people.
This is a simple message that will cast doubt on Obama's ability to deliver. |
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"It wasn't the policy....
...that was corrupt, it was these developers who implemented the policy. No question, Obama has to take responsibility for the fact that these corrupt developers supported him financially."
So, exactly how does he "take responsibility"? After providing inadequate oversight he hires the corrupt developers who ruined his perfectly perfect legislation on his campaign staff of course. I see how this responsibility thing works now.
Honestly, I don't know what it would take for some of the BO supporters to not vote for the guy. Talk about close minded.
Of course you had to bring up McCain to respond. Lobbyist = defense lawyer. If they're good, they probably have all kinds of unsavory clients, that isn't illegal. Dahmer had an attorney, it didn't make the attorney a mass murderer.
For McCain: no tax increase, permanent repeal of the death tax, reduce corporate tax (jobs!), strong defense, develop resources (jobs!), pro nuclear (jobs!), originalist judges, supports vouchers. Several here would include gay marriage, but I'm undecided on that one.
There have been plenty of supporting posts here, you are incorrect when you say otherwise. The immigration issue, followed closely by his global warming comments are the primary reason most here are having a hard time with JM.
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...that was corrupt, it was these developers who implemented the policy. No question, Obama has to take responsibility for the fact that these corrupt developers supported him financially.
However, with MCain's connections to lobbyists and fundraisers who supported corrupt banks, big oil, and foreign dictators, as well has his own fraudulent obtaining of campaign loans, I doubt the issue works substantially to McCain's advantage.
Bottom line, CincyGuy is right- Townhall only offers reasons to vote against Obama, rather than for McCain.
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PL Obama is not Mother Theresa! He is a politician.
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CincyGuy writes: "All you do with stuff like this is make Senator Obama a stronger candidate.
Hugh is only quoting the Boston Globe.
Obama has a thin resume and now this further connection to corrupt Chicago politics which lead to bad public policy and ineffective government with bad results for Obama's constituency.
Among those tied to Obama politically, personally, or professionally are:
Valerie Jarrett, Allison Davis, Cecil Butler and Rezko.
This is telling:
"Butler and Davis did not respond to messages. Rezko is in prison; his lawyer did not respond to inquiries."
"The campaign did not respond to questions about whether Obama was aware of the problems with buildings in his district during his time as a state senator, nor did it comment on the roles played by people connected to the senator."
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This is not the SOuth Side Protects and Chicago Politics I knew.
This is not the Valerie Jarrett,Allison Davis or Antoin "Tony" I thought I knew.
. THese aren't the building permits I knew. THis isn't the shoddy housing I knew. These aren't the campaign contributions I knew.
Under the bus for the lot of you.
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As far as Chicago politics goes corruption is an art form that goes all the way to the top. Nothing happens in Chicago without the touch of decay that corruption brings.
Alderman Fred Roti, named by the Justice Department on racketeering indictment as a "high ranking made member" of The Chicago Mob who's job it was to hijack the City Council (which he did for 23 years), decided he wanted to ban guns in Chicago so honest citizens couldn't fight back against "The Outfit" - and he did.
That's where the gun-ban came from, the Mob doesn't like competition - so who stands to benefit from made-up jobs and subsidies? Who/where's the bagman/alderman now? |
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How can this happen on Obamas' watch? The man who is going change Washington can't even change the status quo of his district!Better move over grandma,Rev Wright,Father Pflager,Gen Clark ,tony Rezko make some more room under that bus a whole new group is coming in. Btw people Chicago just raised it's sales tax to the highest in the U.S. 11.5% this is an indication of what an Obama administration would be like.Tax only the rich,yea right! |
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Corruption = stronger candidate. Got it.
Rezko, Ayers, admitted cocaine use, Farrakhan supporter, proponent of raising taxes, no development of resources, vague history, penchant for dissociating with problematic long time associates = stronger candidate. Got it.
Sadly, I agree with you somewhat. It is human nature to cling tightly to emotional beliefs, and cling tighter in the face of adversity, even at the expense of self interest.
That is the central issue many have with so many BO supporters - theirs is an emotional tie that no amount of reason can penetrate. It smacks of fanaticism, hence the "messiah" moniker. |
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All you do with stuff like this is make Senator Obama a stronger candidate. I never ever hear Townhall Cons making the case FOR their candidate, only AGAINST Senator Obama. It never works. |
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I made no accusation, I simply asked if BO supporters could explain why this should be no big deal without trying to obscure the issue with some type of relativistic argument. Your overreaction doesn't set you in good stead so far.
BO hardly "worked there". He was the elected governmental representative of that district. He was a supporter of the program in question. People on his staff benefited directly from that program. As such, I think it is justified to expect he may have had something to say about any (alleged) corruption that may or may not have occurred there under his watch.
Your answer seems to be "everyone else there is corrupt, so it's no big deal". OK, I guess that is one argument. I wonder how that will play?
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..let's blame Mother Theresa for corruption in Calcutta and let's call those who admired Reagan's leadership the worshippers of a false messiah. I mean, this is the sum and substance of your argument: Barack worked in a place that has a long history of corruption and his followers think that he can maybe create a little pushback against the private interests which own this country.
You clowns are pathetic. Have fun on the ash-heap of history.. |
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Wow, first one out of the gate...who'd a thunk it? |
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And the light begins to shine on the mystery man's history. Image and suggestion have been his friend to this point, I have a feeling detail won't be so kind.
I look forward to reading our resident BO supporters explanations why this too is nothing to think twice about. I wonder if they can do it without mentioning GWB or McCain:)?
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Let the FACTUAL reports about the SouthSide corruption begin.
Hey Barack - you represented the South Side for a dozen or so years!
How did that CHANGE and HOPE jive work there?
NOT - words, hot air, lies and corrupt cash.
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Look, this is Chicago type corruption. That has never stopped Ill. voters from electing corrupt mayors, city councils, and Senators. It is stuff which most voters outside of Ill. will never understand, can't get their heads around because most voters are lazy except on very , very, very clearly defined issues and then they can only handle 3-4. This is not one of them. No Obama supporter will change his or her mind. If fact, most brain dead libs would not change their mind if Obama has really agreed with Ayers on overthrowing America. To liberals, that is justified since 'Reagan, Bush, McCain, Christians except liberals, conservatives, lie.' So, while all of these ideas are showing just how alike the Messiah is with say the Wrights, Sharptons, Clayton Powells, the Clintons, the sharpies who have always clouded the air with spin, his supporters and people who hate McCain , will not be moved. I wish that they would be but alas, this election is the Messiah vs a guy who can't seem to gain traction even when he is right. |
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