Business guy and campaign bundler who was engaged in a semi-scandal with Obama over some real estate. Eventually Obama sat down with the editorial boards of the
Chicago Tribune and
Chicago Sun-Times for several hours and just answered questions about it until there wasn't much else to say and the story died.
Rezko was just sentenced on various corruption and bribery charges for 10.5 years.
Chicago Tribune wrote:
Rezko, 56, made a name for himself as a powerful insider and fundraiser, earning a position as one of Blagojevich's top advisers and confidants from early in his administration. He had a knack for cultivating up-and-coming politicians, including state Sen. Barack Obama, who would become president.
Prosecutors portrayed Rezko as a key member of Blagojevich's "kitchen cabinet" who exercised influence over the appointments made by the governor to state boards and commissions. In return, he expected campaign contributions to be made to Blagojevich, the government alleged.
A jury convicted him in 2008 of using his clout with Blagojevich and scheming with Stuart Levine, a longtime Republican political insider, to extort millions of dollars from firms that were seeking state business or regulatory approval.
And in October 2010, Rezko, an immigrant with an American rags-to-riches story to his credit, pleaded guilty to a separate federal fraud charge over the bogus sale of his pizza restaurants. He is still be sentenced for that conviction.
Edited, Nov 29th 2011 3:11pm by Jophiel