WASHINGTON, June 24 RNC-Obama-cards
As Obama Campaigns In Las Vegas, Will He Address His And His Supporters Questionable Housing Deals?
WASHINGTON, June 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was issued today by the Republican National Committee:
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080519/RNCLOGO )
Obama's Longtime Associate, Tony Rezko, Pops Up Again On Campaign Trail:
A Las Vegas Judge Issued A Felony Arrest Warrant For Antoin "Tony" Rezko For Failing To Pay $472,275 In Gambling Debts. "A Las Vegas judge has issued a felony arrest warrant for a politically connected Chicago businessman whose ties to Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama have become an issue in the campaign. Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who is standing trial on federal corruption charges in Chicago, is wanted in Las Vegas for failing to pay $472,275 in gambling debts to Caesars Palace and Bally's and related processing fees to the Clark County district attorney's office." (Jeff German, "Fundraiser Faces Arrest In Multiple Gaming Debts," Las Vegas Sun, 5/29/08)
FLASHBACK: Rezko Gave Obama A Sweetheart Deal On House In Chicago:
Obama Paid $300,000 Less Than The Asking Price For His Mansion, While Tony Rezko's Wife Paid Full Price For A Vacant Lot Next Door On The Very Same Day. "Two years ago, Obama bought a mansion on the South Side, in the Kenwood neighborhood, from a doctor. On the same day, [Antoin 'Tony'] Rezko's wife, Rita Rezko, bought the vacant lot next door from the same seller. The doctor had listed the properties for sale together. He sold the house to Obama for $300,000 below the asking price. The doctor got his asking price on the lot from Rezko's wife."(Tim Novak, "Obama And His Rezko Ties," Chicago Sun-Times, 4/23/07)
- The Seller Of Obama's Home "Wanted To Sell Both Properties At The Same Time." "On the same day Obama closed on his house, Rezko's wife bought the adjacent empty lot, meeting the condition of the seller who wanted to sell both properties at the same time." (Brian Ross and Rhonda Schwartz, "The Rezko Connection," ABC News' "The Blotter" Blog, abcnews.go.com, 1/10/08)
Obama Later Purchased A Portion Of Rezko's Land For $104,500; It Was Valued At $40,500. "Later, the Obamas bought a 10-foot-by-150-foot piece of the lot for
$104,500. An appraisal put the value of the strip at
$40,500, a spokesman said, but Obama considered it fair to pay one-sixth of the original price for one-sixth of the lot." (
Peter Slevin, "Obama Says He Regrets Land Deal With Fundraiser,"
The WashingtonPost, 12/17/06)
Obama Called His Purchase "A Boneheaded Move" Because Rezko "Was Already Under A Cloud Of Concern." "'I am the first one to acknowledge that it was a boneheaded move for me to purchase this 10-foot strip from Rezko, given that he was already under a cloud of concern,' Obama said. 'I will also acknowledge that from his perspective, he no doubt believed that by buying the piece of property next to me that he would, if not be doing me a favor, it would help strengthen our relationship.'" (
Rick Pearson, "Obama Believes Himself A 'Viable Candidate' For Presidency,"
Chicago Tribune, 12/14/06)
OTHER OBAMA CONTROVERSIAL TIES TO HOUSING
Alexi Giannoulias, A Long Time Obama Supporter Who Was Backed By Obama In His Successful Bid For Illinois State Treasurer, Gave Mortgages To A Noted Crime Figure That Were Used In The Purchase Of A Casino:
Giannoulias Has Served As National Chairman Of The Greeks For Obama Committee. "Illinois State Treasurer
Alexi Giannoulias, National Chairman of Greeks for Obama Committee, issued on Friday his positions on Greek national issues. Treasurer Giannoulias was one of Senator Obama's earliest supporters during his candidacy for
the United States Senate, and has been in the forefront of the Obama presidential campaign, consistently surrogating for the Senator, fundraising for the campaign, and organizing field operations." ("Giannoulias Expands Reach Of National Greeks For Obama Committee,"
Greek News, 2/11/08) (
http://www.greeknewsonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8076&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0_order=0&thold=0_)
- Obama: "I've got a very personal relationship with Alexi ... He was critical for me in terms of reaching out to the Greek community, other ethnic communities in the city. He was there from the start, when people didn't give me a shot."(Rick Pearson, "Parties Get Set For Busy Primary," Chicago Tribune, 12/5/05)
In 2006, Alex Giannoulias Was Elected Treasurer Of The State Of Illinois. "At the age of 30,
Alexi Giannoulias became the youngest State Treasurer in the nation when he was elected to office on
November 7, 2006." (Illinois State Treasurer Alex Giannoulias Website,
www.treasurer.il.gov, Accessed 4/21/08)
- NOTE: Obama Endorsed Alexi Giannoulias For State Treasurer. "U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) said his endorsement of Alexi Giannoulias, 29, vice president of the Giannoulias family's Broadway Bank in Chicago, was not a challenge to the slating process of the state Democratic Party." (Rick Pearson, "Parties Get Set For Busy Primary," Chicago Tribune, 12/5/05)
• Click Here To Watch Obama Endorse Giannoulias (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBE77hRRkVc)
Giannoulias Came Under Fire For Lending Money To Noted Crime Figure Michael Giorango. "Giannoulias, who is senior loan officer at his family's Broadway Bank, has faced questions about the bank's multi-million-dollar loans to
Michael Giorango, a convicted bookmaker and prostitution ring promoter." (
Rick Pearson and
David Jackson, "Obama Leans On Treasurer Nominee,"
Chicago Tribune, 4/13/06)
- Giannoulias Oversaw $11.8 Million In Mortgages Made To Giorango. "Questioned by the Tribune in March about loans made between 1994 and 2002, Giannoulias said those deals were approved before he became a full-time bank employee. But the Tribune reported Sunday that newly discovered public records show Broadway Bank made $11.8 million in additional mortgage loans to Giorango just last year. Giannoulias said he oversaw the servicing of those loans." (Rick Pearson and David Jackson, "Obama Leans On Treasurer Nominee," Chicago Tribune, 4/13/06)
- Giannoulias Claimed That He Thought The Property Was For Condos, But Records Show That Giorango Used A Portion Of The Loans To Purchase A Casino Boat Marina. "In March, Giannoulias said Broadway Bank 'never financed any casinos. We never did anything like that.' But newly obtained records show that $3.6 million of the recent loans were used by Giorango and another convicted felon to acquire a casino boat marina in Myrtle Beach, S.C.Giannoulias said he thought that property was for condos."
Hidden List
(Rick Pearson and David Jackson, "Obama Leans On Treasurer Nominee," Chicago Tribune, 4/13/06)
NOTE: Rezko's Casino Debt Was Partially Obtained By Writing Bad Checks On His Account At Alexi Giannoulias' Broadway Bank. "Rezko allegedly accumulated
$450,000 in debts to CaesarsPalaceand Bally's Hotel Casino between March and
July 2006. He passed nine bad checks and got hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash or gaming chips in return, Roger said. The bad checks, written on Rezko's Broadway Bank account, were for amounts ranging from
$15,000 to $120,000." (
Natasha Korecki and
Chris Fusco, "Rezko Wanted In Vegas For
$450,000 In Debts,"
Chicago Sun-Times,
5/30/08 )
Jim Johnson, A Former CEO Of Fannie Mae And Former Top Campaign Adviser, Received Sweetheart Housing Deal From Countrywide Financial:
Jim Johnson, A Former CEO Of Fannie Mae Chosen To Lead Obama's Vice Presidential Search Committee, Received Special Loans From Countrywide Financial CEO Angelo Mozilo. "Countrywide Financial Corp. makes mortgage loans through a vast network of offices, brokers and call centers. But a few customers have gotten their loans a special way: through Countrywide Chief Executive
Angelo Mozilo. These borrowers, known internally as 'friends of Angelo' or FoA, include two former CEOs of Fannie Mae, the biggest buyer of Countrywide's mortgages, say people familiar with the matter. One was
James Johnson, a longtime Democratic Party power and an adviser to Sen.
Barack Obama's campaign, who this past week was named to a panel that is vetting running-mate possibilities for the presumed nominee." (
Glenn R. Simpson and
James R. Hagerty, "Countrywide Friends Got Good Loans,"
The Wall Street Journal, 6/7/08)
- While CEO Of Fannie Mae, Johnson And Mozilo Worked Closely And Maintained A "Close Friendship." "From 1991 to 1998, Mr. Johnson served as CEO of the Federal National Mortgage Association, also known as Fannie Mae, which worked closely with Countrywide, one of the nation's leading lenders and loan servicing companies. In 1996, Mr. Johnson named Mr. Mozilo as chairman of Fannie Mae's national advisory council. A 1999 article in the American Banker said the two men had a 'close friendship.'" (Josh Gerstein, "Top Talent Scout For Obama Tied To Subprime Lender," The New YorkSun, 6/9/08)
"Property Records Show Mr. Johnson Has Received More Than $7 Million In Loans From Countrywide Since 1998, The First Coming In The Waning Days Of His Fannie Mae Tenure."(
Glenn R. Simpson and
James R. Hagerty, "Countrywide Friends Got Good Loans,"
The Wall Street Journal, 6/7/08)
- At Least Two Of The Mortgages Were At Rates "Below Market Averages." "The Journal said at least two of the mortgages, among a series of loans made available to people Countrywide officials called 'friends of Angelo,' were at rates below market averages, though it is difficult to predict a market rate without access to nonpublic information about a borrower's credit history and other factors that can reduce interest charges on a loan." (Josh Gerstein, "Top Talent Scout For Obama Tied To Subprime Lender," The New YorkSun, 6/9/08)
Penny Pritzker, Obama's National Finance Chair And Campaign Bundler, Owned A Failed Bank That Specialized In Subprime Lending:
Penny Pritzker Is The National Finance Chairman For Barack Obama. "And
Penny Pritzker, a Chicagophilanthropist, serves as Mr. Obama's national finance chairman even as her brother,
Jay Robert, holds fund-raisers across town for Mrs. Clinton." (
Jodi Kantor, "In Democratic Families, Politics Makes For Estranged Bedfellows,"
The New YorkTimes, 2/4/08)
- Pritzker Is A Bundler For Obama's Presidential Campaign And Has Committed To Raising Over $200,000. (Obama For America Website, www.barackobama.com, Accessed 5/19/08)
The Pritzker Family Co-Owned Superior Bank FSB. "Ms. Pritzker, who declined to be interviewed, has confronted other challenges, including the 2001 collapse of Superior Bank FSB, which the Pritzker family co-owned, resulting in a
$460-million payment to federal regulators, and a rift over family assets that settled out of court in 2005. She oversees the Pritzker family's non-hotel real estate interests and chairs its TransUnion LLC credit bureau." (
Steven R. Strahler, "
Penny Pritzker,"
Chicago Crain's Business, 5/7/07)
- "Penny Pritzker Served As Head Of The Board From 1991-94 And Is A Director Of The Bank's Parent Holding Company, Coast To Coast Financial Corp." (Melissa Allison and William Neikirk, "Bank Closes As Pritzkers Back Out Of Bailout Plan," Chicago Tribune, 7/28/01)
"Superior Bank Specialized In 'Sub-Prime Lending,' Which Is Making Loans To Underserved Borrowers, Who Are Often Poor Minorities."(
Kathleen Day, "Regulators Probe Bank Loan To Co-Owner,"
The WashingtonPost, 7/31/01)
- Superior Bank Was A "Subprime Lender That Made Risky Mortgage And Auto Loans To People With Poor Credit Histories." "Auditors Ernst & Young...agreed to pay the FDIC $40 million in restitution in connection with the collapse of the bank, a subprime lender that made risky mortgage and auto loans to people with poor credit histories. It had about $2 billion in assets when it was shuttered." (Kathy Bergen, "Millions For Pritzkers In Settlement," Chicago Tribune, 12/28/04)
NOTE: NevadaLed The Nation In Foreclosures In May, And Has Led The Nation For 17 Straight Months."Nevadaled the nation in foreclosure activity in May, the 17th straight month that the state had the nation's highest rate, according to a report released today."(
Jason Hidalgo, "State A Leader In Filings,"
Reno Gazette-Journal, 6/13/08)
Paid for by the Republican National Committee. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
SOURCE Republican National Committee
