The frigid mess in Obama's back yard

Here's my idea for the John McCain campaign: After the Republican National Convention ends in September, he should steer the Straight Talk Express Bus east on I-94, exit on 71st Street in Chicago, turn left and head to the slum properties formerly co-owned by Barack Obama's convicted felon pal, Tony Rezko, and hold a press conference.

Doug Ross has more on his blog:

"Senator Obama does not remember having conversations with Tony Rezko about properties that he owned" — Obama's campaign staff, April 2007 (Chicago Sun-Times)

For more than five weeks during the brutal winter of 1997, tenants shivered without heat in a government-subsidized apartment building on Chicago's South Side... It was just four years after the landlords -- Antoin "Tony'' Rezko and his partner Daniel Mahru -- had rehabbed the 31-unit building in Englewood with a loan from Chicago taxpayers.

How cold was it?

During January and early February, temperatures routinely dipped to around ten degrees below zero.

But Rezko and his partner couldn't rustle up enough money to get the Englewood building's heat turned back on.

But their company, Rezmar Corp., did manage to find $1,000, which it promptly gave to the campaign fund of State Senator Barack Obama. The young politican had recently been elected the representative for the district that included the Englewood apartment complex.

The South Sangamon apartment building finally had its heat turned on in February 1997, but only after the city of Chicago sued, eventually collecting a $100 fine from Rezmar.There appears to be no evidence that the young state senator had anything to do with the city's numerous lawsuits against Rezko's companies, even though the city was attempting to protect Obama's constituents.

The tenants there had no heat from Dec. 27, 1996, until at least Feb. 3, 1997, when the city of Chicago sued. It was during this exact period that the district's new state senator -- Barack Obama -- received a $1,000 donation from Rezmar. The date was Jan. 14, 1997.

Fifteen months ago, NBC 5 Chicago's Carol Marin tried to interview Obama about these slum buildings while he was in town for a speech. As this YouTube video shows, the Great Orator felt more comfortable sitting in a fast-moving SUV.

Technorati tags: Obama politics Barack Obama Illinois Election Democrats Chicago Tony Rezko corruption legal real estate Chicago