When Alexi Giannoulias was an undergraduate at the University of Chicago in the mid-1990s, one of the guys he would play pick-up basketball games with in Hyde Park was Barack Obama, who taught at the U. of C. law school.HERE'S THE SPEECH HE GAVE - ON MONDAY NIGHT JUST BEFORE MICHELLE SPOKE:
Now Giannoulias is the Illinois state treasurer and Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee. Obama has been "like a mentor to me," Giannoulias told me. He will be one of the parade of Chicagoans who will speak at the Democratic convention Monday night, when Obama's family and friends tell the story of Obama's life.
... "I want people throughout the country to know the Barack Obama I know," said Giannoulias. Giannoulias --who won a tough primary with Obama's endorsement -- is a surrogate -- stumping in half dozen states; a major fund-raiser, on Obama's National Finance Committee, which means collecting at least $250,000 and a primary day basketball buddy.
THE REAL BARACK OBAMA HAD A GREAT POST ON THE REAL ALEXI - IN AUGUST 2008:
The Chicago Tribune’s Rick Pearson informs us that Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a “longtime loyalist” of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), will have a plum speaking spot at the DNC convention’s opening night in Denver.Obama endorsed Giannoulias, a banking heir, for state treasurer and Giannoulias defeated the slated Democratic candidate. Obama has said Giannoulias provided help with Chicago’s Greek Community and Obama used the Giannoulias family’s bank for his Senate campaign fund.
Well, there’s a bit more to the Obama-Giannoulias back story.
On June 15, 2008, RezkoWatch posted the following article, “Coincidence or not? Obama, Rezko, Giannoulias”. Judge for yourself.
In 2006, when Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias was running for office, his good friend Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) not only vouched for him but also appeared in a campaign commercial in support of his campaign.
When Giannoulias visited Chicago’s SouthtownStar editorial board last week, he said that he had “met several times” with convicted political fixer Antoin “Tony” Rezko as a “banking customer,” Kristen McQueary reported June 15, 2008.
Before being elected state treasurer, Giannoulias was vice president of his family’s North Side bank, Broadway Bank. Rezko was a client. In addition to at least one loan secured through the bank, Rezko held a checking account there. Rezko is accused of writing nine bad checks from the account totaling more than $400,000 to Las Vegas casinos, Nevada authorities revealed last month.
Wouldn’t you know it? Rezko liked to gamble, just like his pal Christopher Kelly, who faces federal charges in a separate case alleging he hid gambling debts and cheated the IRS. Both men were close advisers to [Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich].
Giannoulias could not, and would not, elaborate on his specific financial dealings with Rezko because as a banker, that information is private, Giannoulias said. “I would love to, but I can’t,” Giannoulias said.
As for Rezko’s bounced checks, Giannoulias said they simply show “the bank did the right thing.” In other words, the bank didn’t help Rezko by covering the losses. Giannoulias said he oversaw the loan portfolio of the bank anyway and would not have been aware of Rezko’s bad check-writing habits.
Giannoulias told McQueary “Rezko never asked him or Broadway Bank to help with the gambling debts; Rezko wasn’t steered to Broadway Bank by Barack Obama, a mutual friend; and Rezko had no personal connection to Giannoulias, other than as a bank customer.”
“Where else will Rezko’s taint spill over?” McQueary asked.
As a P.S. to the June 15, 2008, article, RW asked: Would it surprise anyone to know that Obama’s close friend Alexi Giannoulias was tossed under the Obama bus more than two years ago—and Giannoulias still runs the Obama endorsement on his official website?
Well, here’s a taste for America of politics done the “Chicago Way”.
P.S. Illinois Gov. Blagojevich is NOT scheduled to speak at the convention although his possible opponents are.
THIS GUYS IS AS SLIMY AS THEY COME.
THE GOP COMMERCIAL IS NOT OVER THE TOP - AND IT FAILS AT ONLY ONE THING: TYING ALEXI TO BARACK:
AND DON'T FORGET: HE HAS CLOSE TIES TO THE SEIU, TOO:
THE GOP COULDN'T ASK FOR A BETTER OPPONENT.
KIRK WILL WIN IN A LANDSLIDE!
No comments:
Post a Comment