Tony Rezko Ordered Detained for Bond Violation

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 04:00:00 PM EST
Tags: Tony Rezko (all tags)

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Bump and Update: The Judge revoked Rezko's bail and ordered him jailed.

In a court hearing in Chicago, prosecutors detailed a $3.5 million wire transfer from a bank in Beirut, Lebanon that they said was moved through a series of accounts until it reached Rezko or some of his relatives who had posted property for his bond. Under the terms of his agreement, prosecutors said in a filing with the court, Rezko was obligated to disclose any change in his financial status.

More....

According to the court filings, the money came from a company, General Mediterranean, owned by a British-based Iraqi billionaire, Nadhmi Auchi, who was convicted in France on fraud charges. The filing says when Auchi was unable to obtain a visa to visit the United States in 2005, Rezko intervened and "asked certain Illinois government officials" to appeal the State Department's ruling.
The officials who Rezko approached are not specified. Sen. Obama had just taken office as a U.S. senator in 2005, the same year he sought Rezko's help in the purchase of his home.
The senator has said he was unable to afford both the home and an empty lot next to it which were effectively being sold as a package. Rezko's wife ultimately bought the empty lot, closing the same day as Obama did on his home.

Original Post:

The feds arrested Tony Rezko at his home on a bond violation charge this morning. A hearing is scheduled for 12:30 pm CST.

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Tony Rezko Ordered Detained for Bond Violation | 46 comments (46 topical)

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The reporter omitted the information (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by oculus on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 10:49:26 AM EST

no one has linked Rezko obtained campaign contributions to any Clinton campaign.

: rezko (5.00 / 1) (#33)
by tek on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:29:07 PM EST

In the Yahoo! article I read, it did state that Barack Obama had not returned the contributions Rezko made to his presidential campaign, only the Senate campaign. I even read that on Huffington Post and they are All Obama All the Time.

[ Parent ]

The Politics of Crime (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by diplomatic on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 10:53:51 AM EST

Will Resko be endorsing Obama?

Endorser is Ted Kennedy (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by PlayInPeoria on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 11:05:38 AM EST

explains why they leaked it yesterday and is front page today.

[ Parent ]

: Kennedy (none / 0) (#34)
by tek on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:31:25 PM EST

That was my first thought. They are trying to cover up the Rezko mess. Probably succeeded. The Democratic Party has a lot to answer for in this campaign--a lot of sleaze against the other candidates, especially the Clintons.

[ Parent ]

Only after Norman Hsu, Johnny Chung, (none / 0) (#9)
by Geekesque on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 11:17:42 AM EST

Web Hubbell, Jim Guy Tucker, and the Riady family endorse Clinton.

[ Parent ]

IIRC Norman Hsu Also Contributed To Obama n/t (5.00 / 3) (#16)
by MO Blue on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 11:38:19 AM EST

[ Parent ]

: Yep...no one mentions that (none / 0) (#29)
by Stellaaa on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:06:27 PM EST

[ Parent ]

Obama is making great progress (none / 0) (#10)
by oculus on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 11:22:37 AM EST

in the polls. Why throw this stuff in now?

[ Parent ]

polls (5.00 / 1) (#35)
by tek on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:33:49 PM EST

Why not? Hillary was 100 points ahead of Barack until the sleaze machine kicked in. If you don't want Obama to win, then you want this stuff to come out, or do you think Obama should be coddled and protected while Hillary is thrown to the wolves?

If you're an Obama person, that's probably exactly what you want.

[ Parent ]

He won't do well in GE if he doesn't speak now (5.00 / 2) (#41)
by BluestBlue on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 06:36:32 PM EST

No matter how well he papers over this in the primaries, he'll get beaten to a pulp by it in the general by the republicans if he doesn't clear it up now!

And he may be the media's darling now, but they'll be playing another game in the general if he gets there.

[ Parent ]

Is he? Post-SC polls today (none / 0) (#12)
by Cream City on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 11:27:02 AM EST

on pollster.com, merged in the graph, look like Obama has turned down. Maybe I read it wrong.

[ Parent ]

: Actually, I don't know. (none / 0) (#13)
by oculus on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 11:29:44 AM EST

The key Obama supporters here say so. BTD says don't trust polls. Who knows.

[ Parent ]

Just providing some perspective (none / 0) (#14)
by Geekesque on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 11:33:38 AM EST

for people who like to pretend that Rezko is a big deal.

[ Parent ]

In one of the links yesterday I (none / 0) (#15)
by oculus on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 11:37:50 AM EST

read a statement about how mud shows up better on a white horse. I think that is Obama's situation in that he states he doesn't take money from national lobbyists, disdains 527s.

[ Parent ]

527s (none / 0) (#37)
by tek on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:34:42 PM EST

He's got a 527 working for him in San Francisco and the papers there have condemned him for a hypocrite.

[ Parent ]

: But didn't the Chronical recently endorse (none / 0) (#38)
by oculus on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:45:31 PM EST

Obama?

[ Parent ]

I'm sure he already has endorsed Obama (none / 0) (#25)
by RalphB on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 02:30:58 PM EST

MSNBC just "put an asterisk" on (5.00 / 1) (#18)
by Cream City on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 01:31:06 PM EST

Ted Kennedy's endorsement today, because of the Rezko arrest . . . as I expected (above). And MSNBC now is going into an in-depth discussion of the longtime connections with Obama.

Of course, once the mic is turned back to the nightttime crew at MSNBC, it'll be all the guys with the crushes on Obama again.:-)

: "The questions remains . . ." (none / 0) (#19)
by Cream City on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 01:33:26 PM EST

what did Obama know and when did he know it, in so many words -- and did he know it "in 2005, when they had that private land deal."
And the judge just revoked bond on Rezko, a first-round win for federal prosecutors aka Patrick Fitzgerald.

[ Parent ]
: And more headlines from . . . (none / 0) (#20)
by Cream City on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 01:37:16 PM EST

front page of ABC News website:
Obama Kept Contributions From
Accused Fixer's Wife And Others
ABCNews.com Analysis Shows the Campaign
Still Hasn't Returned More Than $100,000
in Questionable Contributions
. . . which is, of course, what Chi press have been reporting for some time, pooh-poohed by some here as no problem for Obama. I continue to say otherwise.

[ Parent ]

obama and rezko (5.00 / 1) (#32)
by tek on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:26:57 PM EST

I actually saw this article in the MSM and they didn't give Obama a pass. Hope it gets more coverage.

What in the world is going on with Bill Clinton merely mentioning that Jesse Jackson ran a good campaign in SC and won both times, but didn't get the nomination? This is exactly the thing one says after a loss to keep the campaign's spirits up. But I guess just because Bill Clinton said the name of a black person, he's the biggest racist on the planet and he's attacked Barack Obama. The Barack wing of the Democratic Party is getting absolutely crackers.

resko (none / 0) (#1)
by tek on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 10:27:26 AM EST

May this boomerang on Obama.

Aha! (none / 0) (#2)
by Lena on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 10:28:39 AM EST

And so the 2 interests of this blog merge once again!

I am (seriously) betting that his arrest is going to somehow be pinned on Hillary Clinton's campaign.

: Harmonic convergence? (none / 0) (#26)
by oculus on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 03:22:29 PM EST

[ Parent ]

sounds like (none / 0) (#3)
by athyrio on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 10:30:49 AM EST

they are worried about his fleeing back to Syria his native land...

: The article says Rezko was booked after the (none / 0) (#4)
by oculus on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 10:48:35 AM EST

indictment after being taking into custody at O'Hare where he was arriving from Syria. That is to his credit. From the article it appears the FBI and prosecutor suspect he is trying to move and hide assets.

[ Parent ]

I am so happy (none / 0) (#21)
by athyrio on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 01:45:14 PM EST

that our nation is fortunate enough to have a true honest crime fighter like Patrick Fitzgerald on our side....He has my vote for Attorney General in the next administration..

Somehow I doubt Obama will appoint him. (none / 0) (#24)
by oculus on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 02:17:53 PM EST

i am not too worried about who (none / 0) (#27)
by hellothere on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 04:50:22 PM EST

obama would appoint. heehee! i couldn't help that! actually i just don't want another repub in there taking away my rights.

[ Parent ]

I ask, and ask again (none / 0) (#47)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 08:46:15 AM EST

What rights have you lost?

[ Parent ]

we have lost the right to privacy. (5.00 / 1) (#48)
by hellothere on Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 09:57:14 AM EST

we have lost the right ot assemble and tell the president of usa how we feel in a manner where he can actually hear it. other president were guarded but didnt' run away from voters that disagreed with him like your hero bush.

we lost the right to decide whether to go to war thanks to both bush and congress.

i could go on and on, but hopefully you get the picture.

[ Parent ]

: tehe (none / 0) (#49)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 06:06:54 PM EST

We did?? I don't remember any assemblies being broken up. Do you have some examples? I thought you Lefties believed in speaking Truth To Power.
lol.

we lost the right to decide whether to go to war thanks to both bush and congress.

Could you expand on that? We elect a Pres and a Congress. Are you saying that we should have a national plebiscite??

[ Parent ]

Sweet..... (none / 0) (#28)
by Stellaaa on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:05:05 PM EST

His bail was revoked... (none / 0) (#23)
by athyrio on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 02:13:26 PM EST

Round one Fitzgerald wins...

Funny when you play games (none / 0) (#30)
by Stellaaa on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:10:59 PM EST

Obama's machine, wanted to imply transendency,(sp), beyond race, yet, in SC, they had to show race. How do you show race, by proving that you are being attacked for your race. Then, when you win because of the race, and if someone implies that, it's derogatory. How twisted can it get. This is honesty? In the meantime invalidate the democratic base.

junk (none / 0) (#39)
by Jgarza on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:56:16 PM EST

this line wins no one over. so please keep spewing it.

[ Parent ]

Stellaaa (none / 0) (#40)
by Kathy on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 06:13:39 PM EST

true, and you also really annoy the rest of white America, who don't want to have to deal with issues of race. It defeats Obama because it paints him as a black candidate rather than what he is: a candidate.

[ Parent ]

Speaking of honesty (none / 0) (#42)
by manys on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 07:02:49 PM EST

Let's turn down the intellectual dishonesty a few notches, eh? I mean really, you leave out about 99.9999% of the complicating factors in your cynical tirade.

[ Parent ]

: this is pure politics... (none / 0) (#45)
by Stellaaa on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 07:17:27 PM EST

tell me how it's more complicated than this?

[ Parent ]

Another piece of the puzzle (none / 0) (#31)
by lily15 on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:21:01 PM EST

Thanks for pursuing this...How interesting that the potential quid pro quo emerges...the timing is remarkable. It is credible that a US Senator would been in a position to query the State Department. My question is whether the Republicans at the State Dept. know something we don't and are waiting for the right time to disclose it...Why wasn't the Illinois official named. I realize this is all conjecture...But these bank transfers and the money involved are not small change...And as we both know...revoking the bond was big step. The judge must have been convinced of a genuine flight risk...or something else equally serious? And there was no question that this would have a political impact...so my guess is the judge was careful. I am familiar with the Chicago federal bench and they are quite good...though I haven't looked up this judge. Maybe you know their reputation?

: Hope they put him in jail (none / 0) (#36)
by Stellaaa on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 05:34:33 PM EST

with one of the people that lost their housing. Folks, what this guy did in defrauding the govt of all that money in the housing then claiming he is broke, and Obama claiming he knew nothing is no small potatoes. In my world view of ethics it's really bad. I just hope whatever comes out before he gets closer to nomination.

[ Parent ]

The Great (none / 0) (#43)
by talkingpoint on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 07:10:36 PM EST

meidia darling, man of change, new vs old, not your standard politician, Sen. Obama have shown is true colors. He have been in politics for several years, yet today when he realize that he is going to loose big in California, he finally says that he wants to give illegal immigrants amnesty. This just shows that the media darling Obama will say anything to win. Just another politician.

What type of shirt is he wearing? (none / 0) (#44)
by oculus on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 07:13:47 PM EST

see Huff Post for Guiliani's change of attire in FL.

[ Parent ]

: Rudy isn't running in the Demo primaries (none / 0) (#46)
by jimakaPPJ on Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 09:01:25 PM EST

[ Parent ]

Obama/Rezko (none / 0) (#50)
by peterv on Thu Jan 31, 2008 at 09:34:41 AM EST

Judge Amy St.Eve, who is presiding in the Rezko matter, was an ass't US Atty in Chicago before being nominated by W. During her tenure as an ausa, she was detailed to Ken Starr and the Whitewater investigation.Among her jobs was the prosecution of Webb Hubbell. Could there be a connection between the Gov't seeking to revoke his bond, with info they had for months and months, just on the eve of trial, and just on the eve of the primary election in Illinois etc? These developments can only help Hillary, whom the GOP would much rather run against than Obama. This a political hit on Obama.