Obama releases list of Rezko-related donors

You knew this had to happen. It was going to be the only way he could continue to foment the idea he's trying to distance himself from the man who could seriously tarnish Obama's image. He's been playing up the squeaky clean image for his entire campaign. From Politico:

Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign on Saturday released a list of 43 contributions totaling $73,900 that it says it will donate to charity because they were linked to indicted fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko.

The list at the end of this report, which includes Rezko’s family members, former employees and associates — brings to $159,085 the total contributions that Obama’s campaign said in statement "could be reasonably credited to Mr.Rezko's political support."

It doesn’t include any cash Rezko raised for the Illinois state legislative campaigns of Obama, now a U.S. senator running for president, nor does it include all contributions made to Obama’s federal races by Rezko-linked donors.

Obama’s campaign stressed in it's statement Saturday - and reiterated Sunday - that the identification of contributions that will be donated to charity “is not in any way meant to suggest questions or concerns about the specific individuals identified.”

Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said the bulk of the newly revealed contributions stemmed from a June 2003 fundraiser that Rezko threw at his suburban Chicago mansion for Obama’s 2004 Senate campaign.

“That occurred during the period of time in which [Rezko] is now accused of wrongdoing,” LaBolt said in a statement. “So, we made the decision to give away the money that we could determine had been raised for that event or by him for the Senate race. And this is the bulk of the money that Mr. Rezko raised for Obama overall.”

And here is the list with the names of those who donated, when they did it, and how much they gave:

Rezko, Antoin 9/1/1999 $1,000
Abboud, Anthony 3/27/2000 $850
Abboud, Anthony 6/30/2003 $500
Abboud, Anthony 3/5/2004 $250
Abboud, Anthony 6/25/2004 $1,000
Abdalla, Mustafa 6/30/2003 $1,000
Abruzzo, Steven 6/30/2003 $1,000
Almanaseer, Imad 3/12/2004 $1,000
Almanaseer, Imad 5/24/2004 $2,000
Aramanda, Joseph 3/17/2000 $1,000
Aramanda, Joseph 6/30/2003 $500
Aramanda, Joseph 3/5/2004 $10,000
Arons, Jennifer Shaxted 3/17/2000 $1,000
Ata, Ali 6/30/2003 $5,000
Barta, James 6/30/2003 $2,000
Butler, Velma 6/30/2003 $1,000
Cacciatore, Joseph 6/30/2003 $1,000
Cari, Joseph 5/16/2003 $335
Cari, Joseph 12/5/2003 $1,000
Carriglio, Jack 6/30/2003 $1,000
Chaib, Al 6/30/2003 $5,000
Cherry, Myron 7/27/2004 $500
Chipparoni, Guy 6/30/2003 $2,000
Di Benedetto, Vincent 6/30/2003 $10,000
Farahati, Mandan 6/30/2003 $2,000
Fishman, Judi 12/31/2002 $1,000
Fishman, Judi 12/31/2002 $500
Glennon, John 1/8/2004 $1,000
Gustman, Lisa 6/30/2003 $1,000
Hatchett-Polk, Bernice 12/31/2002 $1,000
Hatchett-Polk, Bernice 3/31/2003 $500
King Dibble, Kelly 6/30/2003 $250
Lannen, Kathy 6/30/2003 $2,500
Lavin, John 4/4/2005 $300
Licata, Anthony 10/8/2004 $1,000
Mahru, Daniel 3/17/2000 $1,000
Mahru, Daniel 3/5/2004 $5,000
Malek, Michel 6/30/2003 $10,000
Malek, Michel 9/15/2003 $500
Maloof, Elie G. 3/17/2000 $1,000
Maloof, Elie 12/30/2003 $10,000
Massuda, Fortunee 1/26/2004 $2,000
Mesi, Philip 6/30/2003 $2,000
Mesi, Philip 12/31/2003 $10,000
Mesi, Philip 6/10/2005 $1,000
Morgan, Craig 3/5/2004 $10,000
Nammari, Suheil 6/30/2003 $2,000
Othman, Talat 6/30/2003 $1,000
Pollock, Martello 6/30/2003 $1,000
Ray, Paul 12/31/2002 $1,000
Ray, Paul 6/30/2003 $3,000
Ray, Paul 10/6/2003 $2,000
Rezko, Rita 9/1/1999 $1,000
Rezko, Aboud 12/31/2002 $1,000
Rezko, Aboud 12/31/2002 $500
Rezko, Rita 12/31/2002 $500
Rezko, Rita 12/31/2002 $1,000
Rezko, Antoin 12/31/2002 $1,000
Rezko, Antoin 3/31/2003 $500
Rezko, Antoin 10/3/2003 $10,000
Rosenberg, Thomas 6/23/2004 $2,000
Rosenberg, Thomas 6/28/2007 $2,300
Rosenberg, Thomas 9/18/2007 $2,300
Sirazi, Semir 6/30/2003 $1,000
Sirazi, Semir 6/30/2003 $1,000
Smith, Jacqueline 6/30/2003 $1,000
Sreenan, Michael 6/30/2003 $2,000
Wade, Deloris P. 3/17/2000 $1,000
Wade, Deloris 12/31/2002 $1,000
Wade, Deloris 12/31/2002 $500
Wade, Deloris 6/30/2003 $1,000
Winter, Michael 6/30/2003 $3,000
Wislow, Susan 6/30/2003 $2,000

Now these names will certainly come up in the trial. A few already have. And while the connection to Obama might not necessarily be there (other than being the recipient of the donations) they are all closely tied to Tony Rezko. Again, this emphasizes just how much of a rookie Obama is. He was unable to spot the corruption surrounding Tony Rezko.

If this trial does anything, it'll show the country just how inexperienced Obama is in catching things so blatantly in the open. If he can't even see when his friend and fund-raiser is extorting money, and using his influence in the governor's office to be able to shakedown businesses, then how in the Hell can we expect him to be able to deal with someone like Ahmadinejad; a man more shrewd than Rezko, and one that sits on the brink of developing nuclear weapons?

Publius II