Obama would not pardon Rezko if elected president
SPRINGFIELD — If elected president, Democrat Barack Obama will not pardon Tony Rezko for his corruption convictions or reduce his prison time, the senator’s campaign said Thursday.
That decision comes after a federal jury convicted Rezko on 16 of 24 corruption counts and after Republicans quickly seized on the verdict with an immediate round of internet-based advertising questioning Obama’s past personal and professional ties to Rezko.
(Tom Cruze/Sun-Times)
When asked by the Chicago Sun-Times about the possibility of clemency, Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said the senator would not act to wipe away Rezko’s felony convictions or commute any prison time he might serve as a result of Wednesday’s verdict.
LaBolt would not elaborate on Obama’s rationale for ruling out any kind of clemency for Rezko, nor would he offer any kind of guiding principles on who would and would not qualify for pardons or commutations in an Obama White House.
In a statement issued by his campaign a few hours after the verdict, Obama said he was “saddened” by Rezko’s conviction and said, “This isn’t the Tony Rezko I knew.” Obama underscored how the conviction requires action by the General Assembly to “prevent these kinds of abuses in the future.”
The Republican National Committee hit Obama forcefully, saying the verdict and the senator’s past friendship with Rezko “raise serious questions about whether he has the judgment to serve as president.”
Sen. John McCain’s campaign did not immediately respond to a phone call today seeking comment on Obama’s stance on a Rezko pardon.