October 23, 2008 (LPAC)--A Washington Post story today claims that McCain ads highlighting Barack Obama's connections to convicted Chicago real estate developer Tony Rezko are having "little impact" on voters appears to "protest too much," while cataloging a heavy load of connections.

Rezko sentencing has been postponed until Dec. 16, while "the parties engage in discussions""--legalese terminology indicating that Rezko is now a cooperating witness giving information on others in the influence-peddling schemes.

Some of the Rezko ties to Obama are elaborated in what the Washington Post calls "the long history of the two." These include the fact that Rezko was among the first three people to contribute to Obama's first race for State Senate; personally raised contributions from others, which Obama estimated at 10-15% of the money he raised before running for President; introduced him to powerful Chicago aldermen; and listened when Obama recommended a friend of his, Eric Whitaker, M.D., for a job to Rezko, who screened candidates for state jobs for Governor Blagojevich. Dr. Whitaker was appointed Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Obama also wrote a letter in 1998, while a state Senator, urging local officials to fund a senior housing project controlled by Rezko and a partner.

Obama sought Rezko's advice when he bought an expensive house on Chicago's South Side for $300,000 below asking price on June 5, 2005. On the same day he closed on the House, Rezko's wife bought a adjoining lot, and sold Obama 1/6 of it for $104,000--1/6 of the full price she paid.

According to the Washington Times, another investigation is underway on that appraisal. Last Thursday, former Mutual Bank of Illinois official Kenneth Connor filed a complaint in Cook County Circuit court, that his appraisal of Mrs. Rezko's lot was replaced with a higher one. Mr. Conner also charges that his lower appraisal was removed from the file, which was subsequently subpoenaed, and reviewed by the FBI and the FDIC. Connor's complaint charges that the bank could be charged with fraud for making a false statement, and that he was fired when he questioned bank officials about the removal of his lower appraisal from the file.