Questionable friends?

Cari, Rezko, and Auchi. These three names should be raised at every one of Barack Obama’s campaign stops.

When Joe Biden first ran for president in 1988, Joseph Cari Jr. was his Midwest field director. 1 Since then, Cari served as finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee and chairman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.  2

Over the years, Cari donated thousands of dollars to Biden’s campaigns, and when Biden started his most recent run in the Democratic presidential primary, Cari planned a Chicago fundraiser for him. 3

On the day of the fundraiser, July 25, 2005, Cari was named in a federal corruption probe of the Illinois Teachers Retirement System. Biden told the press: “All I know is Joe Cari is a friend, and he’s an honorable guy, but I don’t know anything beyond that.” 4

In September, 2005, Cari agreed to plead guilty to one count of attempted extortion, and to testify against Antoin Rezko. Cari admitted he was part of an $850,000 kickback in Rezko’s political “fundraising operation.” 5

The Syrian-born Rezko owned 11 low-income housing projects in Obama’s Illinois State Senate district. 7 Because of the testimony of Cari and others, Rezko was convicted of 16 felony corruption charges.8

Biden has acknowledged knowing Rezko for the past 30 years, reports the Washington Times.9

Obama has known Rezko since at least his Harvard Law School days when Rezko offered him a job, which he declined, 11 but the law firm Obama did go to work for, and Obama himself, represented Rezko’s company, Rezmar Corp., says the Chicago Sun-Times. 12

Rezko had worked on Obama’s 2004 U.S. Senate race 13 and specifically on Obama’s campaign finance committee, says the Sun-Times. 14

When Obama announced his U.S. Senate run, Rezko held a “lavish fundraiser June 27, 2003, at his Wilmette mansion,” says the Sun-Times. 15 The direct contributions from Rezko’s family, employees, and associates totaled $150,000. 16 Obama told the Chicago Tribune that altogether Rezko raised $250,000 for him — not including his run for the presidency. 17

At least one of Rezko’s $10,000 campaign contribution’s to Obama came directly from a $250,000 kickback, the London TimesOnLine reported. 18

In June 2005, Obama and Rezko’s wife, Rita Rezko, bought adjoining real estate parcels. Obama admits he toured the mansion with Tony Rezko before he bought it, says the Wall Street Journal. 19

Obama paid $1.65 million for the residence, and Rezko’s wife (who testified she earned only $35,000 per year) paid $625,000 for the vacant lot next door. Obama’s purchase price was $300,000 under the asking price; Rezko’s wife paid full price. 20

The month before the Obama-Rezko purchase, the Chicago NBC affiliate had already aired the story that Rezko was the subject of a grand jury corruption investigation 21, which may account for The New York Times report that, “Mr. Obama has since called the transactions ‘boneheaded.’” 22

The Sun-Times also reported that in 2005, after Rezko paid a $1.5 million bribe to the Iraqi Electricity Minister, his company was awarded a $50 million contract to train security officers at Iraqi power stations. 23

At Rezko’s trial, the government’s star witness, Stuart Levine, testified that Barack and Michelle Obama attended a party in April 2004 at Rezko’s home to honor the London-based Iraqi billionaire, Nadhmi Auchi. 24

Auchi had just been convicted in 2003 of corruption in France, and given a $3 million fine and a 15-month suspended sentence. A Pentagon inspector general report in 2004 cited “significant and credible evidence” of his involvement in weapons smuggling for Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi Oil for Food scandal. Auchi denies those charges. 25

The Wall Street Journal reports that three weeks before Obama and Rita Rezko bought their adjoining properties, Nadhmi Auchi loaned Tony Rezko, who was broke at the time, $3.5 million dollars. 26

Cari, Rezko, and Auchi. Those three names should determine the fate of Obama’s campaign.

J. Michael Sharman is an independent columnist who practices law in Culpeper. His column appears Tuesdays in the Star-Exponent.     
   

1 “Biden Has Deep Ties to Rezko Accomplice JOSEPH CARI: 30-year Friend of VP Pick Guilty in Kickback Scheme” http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/1124666,CST-NWS-rezko25.article
August 25, 2008
2 “Biden Has Deep Ties to Rezko Accomplice JOSEPH CARI: 30-year Friend of VP Pick Guilty in Kickback Scheme” http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/1124666,CST-NWS-rezko25.article
August 25, 2008
3 “Witness links Blagojevich White House hopes to pay-to-play: Blagojevich had big plans, witness says” April 15, 2008 http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/04/witness-links-b.html
4 “Biden Has Deep Ties to Rezko Accomplice JOSEPH CARI: 30-year Friend of VP Pick Guilty in Kickback Scheme” http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/1124666,CST-NWS-rezko25.article
August 25, 2008
5 “Biden Tied to Rezko Fraud Figure: Vice-Presidential Candidate’s Former Campaign Advisor and Fundraiser Aided Kickback Scheme” August 25, 2008
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/MoneyTrail/story?id=5649093&page=1
6 Court filed Indictment for Tony Rezko, et al http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2007/pr1213_03a.pdf
ALI ATA, ABDELHAMID CHAIB, also known as “Al Chaib”
7 “8 things you need to know about Obama and Rezko”, Chicago Sun Times, January 24, 2008
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/757340,CST-NWS-watchdog24.stng
8 “Biden Has Deep Ties to Rezko Accomplice JOSEPH CARI: 30-year Friend of VP Pick Guilty in Kickback Scheme” http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/1124666,CST-NWS-rezko25.article
August 25, 2008
9 Antoin “Tony” Rezko, one of Sen. Barack Obama’s first major donors, was convicted in June on charges of seeking kickbacks.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/aug/28/longtime-biden-backer-linked-to-rezko/
Washington Times, August 28, 2008
10 “Tony Rezko’s Billionaire Buddy” Chicago, Sun-Times, February 28, 2008
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/817377,CST-NWS-watchdog28.stng
11 “Obama named in Rezko’s opening statement”, UPI March 7, 2008
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2008/03/07/obama_named_in_rezkos_opening_statement/6101/
12 “8 things you need to know about Obama and Rezko”, Chicago Sun Times, January 24, 2008
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/757340,CST-NWS-watchdog24.stng
13 “Obama Papers Confirm Rezko Tie” UPI March 23, 2008 http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/03/23/Obama_papers_confirm_Rezko_tie/UPI-48461206314303/
14 “8 things you need to know about Obama and Rezko”, Chicago Sun Times, January 24, 2008
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/757340,CST-NWS-watchdog24.stng
15 “8 things you need to know about Obama and Rezko”, Chicago Sun Times, January 24, 2008
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/757340,CST-NWS-watchdog24.stng
16 http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Apr14/0,4670,FundraiserTrial,00.html
“Witness: Obama Attended Rezko Party”, Monday, April 14, 2008
17 http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/03/15/Obama_answers_questions_about_Rezko/UPI-39531205580321/
18 “Mansion ‘mistake’ piles the pressure on Barack Obama” February 26, 2008 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3433485.ece
19 FUND,JOHN “Obama and Chicago Mores” Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2008
http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB120450564143806509.html
20 “8 things you need to know about Obama and Rezko”, Chicago Sun Times, January 24, 2008
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/rezko/757340,CST-NWS-watchdog24.stng
21 “Blagojevich: My ‘Testicular Virility’ Led To Family Feud; Gov. Blames Grand Jury Investigation On Feud” May 16, 2005 http://www.nbc5.com/politics/4495263/detail.html
22 “Ex-Obama Fund-Raiser Is Convicted of Fraud” The New York Times, June 5, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/us/politics/05rezko.html?partner=BREITBART&ei=512
23 “Rezko linked to $1.5B Iraq power bribe”
http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:CzP_ka8I4Z4J:www.upi.com/Energy_Resources/2008/03/05/Rezko_linked_to_15B_Iraq_power_bribe/UPI-67781204756098/+%22Rezko+linked+to+%241.5B+Iraq+power+bribe%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us
24 http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Apr14/0,4670,FundraiserTrial,00.html “Witness: Obama Attended Rezko Party” Monday, April 14, 2008
25 FUND, JOHN “Obama and Chicago Mores” Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2008
http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB120450564143806509.html
26 FUND, JOHN “Obama and Chicago Mores” Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2008
http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB120450564143806509.html