Obama appears to have blatantly lied about Rezko

The Chicago Sun-Times (via Reliapundit):

As a state senator, Barack Obama wrote letters to city and state officials supporting his political patron Tony Rezko's successful bid to get more than $14 million from taxpayers to build apartments...

...Obama's letters, written nearly nine years ago, for the first time show the Democratic presidential hopeful did a political favor for Rezko -- a longtime friend, campaign fund-raiser and client of the law firm where Obama worked -- who was indicted last fall on federal charges that accuse him of demanding kickbacks from companies seeking state business under Gov. Blagojevich...

Earlier, author John K. Wilson and other sources quoted Obama as denying any assistance to Rezko's corrupt operation.

Rezko’s eye for scouting political talent was amazing, but he did not capitalize on Obama’s influence. Obama said he had known Rezko for twenty years and "he had never asked me for anything. I’ve never done any favors for him." ...The reality is that all politicians have connections to people like Rezko. What matters is whether they acquiesce to the demands of such donors or serve the public good.

I guess assistance that netted Rezko nearly a million dollars of skim doesn't qualify as a "favor" in Chicago.

Hope! Change!*

*Hope and Change now available in convenient 8-oz., Chicago-style packaging.