Jun 13, 2007 7:44 am US/Central
Report: Obama Wrote Letters To Support Rezko Plan
Spokesman: Indicted Fundraiser's Real Estate Was Going To Help People In District
CHICAGO (AP) ―
-
-
Sen. Barack Obama (File)
AP
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama wrote letters to city and state officials in support of a proposed real estate development involving now-indicted fund-raiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko, according to a published report.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported in its Wednesday editions that Obama was a state senator when he wrote to housing officials in October 1998 in support of a proposed apartment building for senior citizens four blocks outside of his district, according to records from the project.
Rezko and Obama's former boss, Allison S. Davis, ran the project's development company, New Kenwood LLC. The development opened in 2002 and ended up costing $14.6 million in taxpayer money, including $855,000 in development fees for New Kenwood, the newspaper reported.
"I am writing in support of the New Kenwood LLC's proposal to build a ninety-seven unit apartment building at 48th and Cottage Grove for senior citizens," Obama wrote in separate letters dated Oct. 28, 1998, to city and state housing officials. "This project will provide much needed housing for Fourth Ward residents."
Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton told the Sun-Times that the letters weren't written as a favor for anyone.
"I don't know that anyone specifically asked him to write this letter nine years ago," Burton said in a written statement. "There was a consensus about the positive impact the project would make and Obama supported it because it was going to help people in his district."
A message left early Wednesday morning at Obama's campaign office was not immediately returned.
Rezko's attorney, Joseph Duffy, told the newspaper: "Mr. Rezko never spoke with, nor sought a letter from, Senator Obama in connection with that project." Duffy did not immediately return a message left Wednesday morning by The Associated Press.
Rezko has pleaded not guilty to charges accusing him of shaking down investment firms that wanted to do business with the state. He has contributed thousands of dollars to Obama's campaigns and raised thousands more for the politician, and Obama has tried to distance himself from the businessman. The federal allegations against Rezko have nothing to do with the senator.
Davis was Obama's boss at the law firm formerly called Davis Miner & Barnhill, where Obama worked after graduating college. At the law firm, Obama represented community groups that partnered with a developer -- Rezko -- in getting housing rehabilitation loans.
Burton said on Monday that the senator and Rezko "have not spoken for quite some time."
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
