Monday, June 25, 2007

Obama ditching more Rezko linked cash, but what about Hillary?

This won't be the last time I make a post on this topic. Like kudzu in Florida, Rezko is everywhere in Illinois.

From today's Chicago Sun-Times:

Sen. Barack Obama is giving to charity $3,500 from two donors the Chicago Sun-Times raised ethical questions about over the past several days.

Both donors are among a wide circle of people to be referenced in two indictments of Wilmette businessman Tony Rezko, who is fighting public-corruption and business-fraud charges.

Michael Winter, who gave $3,000 to Obama's Senate campaign in June 2003, and Myron Cherry, who gave $500 to Obama in July 2004, have been publicly identified as Individuals "G" and "H," respectively, in one case against Rezko.

Neither is facing criminal charges. Cherry vehemently has denied any wrongdoing. Winter could not be reached.

More on that particular case against Rezko here.

Dan Curry at Reverse Spin has been covering the sleazy story of International Profit Associates. Myron Cherry, also known as Mike Cherry, is an attorney for the Buffalo Grove, Illinois firm.

Here's what the New York Times wrote about IPA last year:

Federal authorities are pressing a sexual harassment suit against the company on behalf of 113 former female employees.

The Illinois attorney general is investigating accusations of deceptive marketing tactics, officials say, and the company has been the subject of 470 complaints to the Better Business Bureau across the nation in the past three years.

Just three months ago, Cherry donated $4,600 to the Hillary Clinton campaign, cash that has not been returned or donated to charity.

More from the New York Times article:

A spokeswoman for Mrs. Clinton said her campaign "will be reviewing" the I.P.A. contributions.

That was thirteen months ago, Hillary has kept all that money, the Sun-Times reports this morning.

More on the sexual harassment charges against IPA can be found on Oprah Winfrey's site.

Here's more from NBC 5 Chicago in 2004: Feds Investigate Harassment Allegations At Suburban Company

The Better Business Bureau says IPA has an "unsatisfactory record."

Hillary Clinton is in Chicago tonight for a fundraiser at the Palmer House Hilton. One of her "20 chairs" for the event is Myron Cherry.

For more on IPA, go to Reverse Spin, and type "International Profit Associates" in the search box.

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