Seeing red, Rezko in Texas
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL | Clinton aide claims Obama is still ducking 'staggering' number of questions on his ties to indicted fund-raiser
SAN ANTONIO -- The trial of alleged influence peddler Tony Rezko starts Monday in Chicago, and the Clinton campaign Friday said the number of questions still unanswered about the relationship between Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Rezko are "staggering."
Clinton campaign communications director Howard Wolfson said Obama and his team have ducked "legitimate questions" about Rezko, who faces federal corruption charges most centrally involved with Gov. Blagojevich's administration. Rezko's wife bought a lot next to the Obamas' new home on the same day and later sold them a slice of her land -- the opening chapter in this saga. Rezko also has been a fund-raiser for Obama.
(AP files)
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Wolfson commented after a reporter on a conference call, noting the start of the Rezko trial, asked him to compare the coverage Obama has received with the treatment of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) following revelations that one of her major fund-raisers, Norman Hsu, appeared to funnel straw donors to her and was a fugitive.
"Now the trial is beginning, and I think it will be more difficult for him to avoid these various serious questions. I can guarantee you that if, again, if the shoe were on the other foot, I would be getting those questions, and I'd be having to answer them to people who are very serious investigative reporters, who know their business, who know the right questions to ask, and don't take 'no comment' for an answer," said Wolfson, who handled the Hsu portfolio for the campaign.
Obama has never agreed to an interview about Rezko with the reporters from the Chicago papers who know the story the best, and it has not been for lack of trying. My Sun-Times colleagues who are investigating Rezko have pressed for a chance to talk to Obama about Rezko.
At issue is trying to put together the whole story about Obama and Rezko -- all of which speaks to Obama's judgment, his main selling point as he seeks the presidency and seems positioned to win the Democratic nomination.
The Obama campaign's response to the conference call was to put out a statement reminding people that Clinton did not release her tax returns and Obama did, and that her first lady records are still under wraps. After I asked if that diversionary tactic was their response, I was given a sheet with excerpts of news stories that concluded Obama has done nothing wrong.
On the call, Wolfson laid out a series of items that he said needed to be answered about Rezko and Obama. I consulted Sun-Times colleagues Chris Fusco, Tim Novak and Dave McKinney -- the main Rezko reporters -- to help look at a few of the questions that Wolfson said are unsettled.
Wolfson asked, "Is there anyone on this call who knows how many fund-raisers Tony Rezko has thrown for Barack Obama?"
The Obama team has never answered this question. One in 2003 has been written about.
"Is there anyone on this call who knows how much money Tony Rezko has raised for Barack Obama?"
The Obama team has said it gave about $150,000 in Rezko-linked donations to charity. They have never spelled out Rezko's role in raising political cash for Obama.
"Is there anyone on this call who knew before a week ago that Tony Rezko actually toured the house that they purchased before Barack Obama belatedly admitted it?"
Not before Tim Burger from Bloomberg News had the scoop.
"Is there anyone on this call aware whether or not Barack Obama impugned, or, I'm sorry, opportuned Tony Rezko to obtain jobs in the Blagojevich administration for Obama allies?"
The Sun-Times has been told we'll get an answer "soon."