McCain Camp Launches October ‘Surprise’

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Rezko was convicted in June on federal corruption charges not involving Obama. But Republicans have been saying there’s something fishy about the 2005 deal for Obama’s home in Chicago.

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He paid $300,000 less than the asking price for the Victorian, on the same day Rezko’s wife bought a vacant lot next door for the full asking price. Obama has said that was a “boneheaded” move. But independent fact-checking groups have concluded that there’s no proof that Obama was involved in any wrongdoing.

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Still, the American Conservative Union filed a formal complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee today alleging that Obama’s home purchase violated the Senate’s gift ban. In the letter to the Ethics Committee, ACU Chairman David Keene said that “sufficient information exists to demonstrate that Sen. Obama solicited, received, and accepted a gift greater than $50 from Mr. and Mrs. Rezko, and Sen. Obama failed to disclose this gift.”

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“Obama needs to come clean on this deal before the election, so that voters can judge whether Obama received monetary benefits from these Rezko favors.

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Since the Democrats took control of Congress only two years ago, they have driven our economy into the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. What’s their solution to the problem? To spread more of our wealth around by giving it to those who don’t pay a single penny of federal income tax. With friends and priorities like these, Barack Obama and his Democrat allies lack the judgment to lead our country.”