REZKO NEWS-Obama's Name Purposely Kept Out/Obama's Bad Memory

Two Interesting developments in the trial of Senator Barack Obama's buddy Tony Rezko. It has been revealed that all parties are working VERY hard to keep the Senator's Name out of the testimony (mmm smells like a cover up to me). That is on on top of the fact that the Senator says that he didn't remember if he went to a key Rezko party attended by some unsavory characters. I believe the technical term for that is non-denial denial. The other term for it is Liar, Liar, pants on fire...Read on for the details:

According to the Chicago Sun Times:

This morning at the Tony Rezko trial, before jurors entered the courtroom, lawyers discuss the expected testimony of Elie Maloof. Though Maloof is accused of making a straw donation to Barack Obama's campaign, lawyers and the judge this morning tiptoed around Obama's name, never mentioning it.

It appears when Maloof takes the stand in Rezko's trial, Obama will be kept out of the picture. Maloof is testifying with a grant of immunity from prosecution.

Maloof is a Rezko associate who allegedly made a straw donation to Obama's Senatorial campaign at Rezko's behest. That allegation was outlined in the government's proffer of evidence before the trial. Obama wasn't named in the proffer, he was just referred to as a political candidate.

But the Chicago Sun-Times, citing a source, reported Obama was that candidate. Obama was not accused of wrongdoing and subsequently donated Maloof's money (and other Rezko-related cash) to charity.

Prosecutor Chris Niewoehner told Judge St. Eve this morning he would talk about a couple of transactions tied to Maloof (another involving GOP heavyweight Bob Kjellander) but wouldn't elicit where the money went.

Then his surprising loss of memory. You think that the guy would take a look at his calendar archives. Because had he peeked at the archives he would have realized that his non-denial denial was loaded with truckloads of bull turds:

This is from the Baltimore Sun :

Obama didn't deny the assertion of Stuart Levine, a key witness in Rezko's federal fraud trial, that the now-Democratic presidential contender attended the party held on behalf of Nadhmi Auchi, a British citizen appealing a fraud conviction in France. Rezko was allegedly trying to partner up with Auchi and may have been using an Obama appearance to demonstrate clout.

"I just don't have a recollection of the event," Obama said Friday. "As I said, I was in the middle of running a U.S. Senate race. So, you know, I was speaking all the time, probably six, seven, eight times a day."

Obama may not recall Rezko's party for Auchi, but he was not in the "middle" of a U.S. Senate race or speaking all the time. The Saturday party was held less than three weeks after Obama had won the March 16 Democratic primary nomination and, as is tradition, the candidates slow their immediate post-primary campaign schedules considerably before reheating the fall general election contest in late summer.

Indeed, an archived copy of an Obama "upcoming events" schedule on his old Senate campaign web site shows that on a Saturday two weeks later, he had no personal campaign activities. On Friday, April 13, the web site shows Obama touring Illinois coal-country at four morning events with the state's senior senator, Dick Durbin.

On March 31, 2004, and Thursday, April 1, 2004, just a few days before Rezko's April 3 party for Auchi, Obama wasn't engaged in full day campaigning. Instead, he was on the floor of the Illinois Senate, where he advanced a measure to override a federal proposal to restrict overtime pay. On Friday, April 2, the day before the party, Obama taped a Chicago news radio interview program. And on Saturday, along with the Rezko party, Obama was among the glitterati who attended a Ritz-Carlton wedding reception.

On Sunday, April 4, Obama was on the South Side of Chicago, listening to a Palm Sunday homily at St. Sabina Catholic Church delivered by South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Also in attendance in the overflow crowd were Rev. Jesse Jackson and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, as the day also marked the anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.

See more, from a Tribune interview with Obama:

Questions for and answers from Obama, on Rezko:

"I have to say that I just don't recall it. I mean this has been, I guess, four years ago. My understanding, through his lawyer, Mr. Auchi doesn't recall meeting me and you know, I can't speak for other people's recollections. But I've said publicly, on many occasions, that I had a social relationship with Mr. Rezko."

Would you remember a toast?

"I'm fairly certain I would remember giving a specific toast to somebody. Keep in mind, though, that this was right in the midst of my U.S. Senate campaign, so I was doing three or four events a day. So, I mean, there were very few events where I wasn't speaking on anything. But I have no recollection of this particular event."

Do you think Rezko may have been using you to kind of impress potential investors?

"As I say, I just don't have a recollection of the event. As I said, I was in the middle of running a U.S. Senate race, so, you know, I was speaking all the time, probably six, seven, eight times a day."

Right, but why go to this event that was specifically designed for Rezko investors?

"As I said, I have no recollection of the event. Alright?"