One-degree of separation: Obama, Rezko and the Iraqi power plant contract

UPDATE: NEWER POST

Do you think Obama accepted money from an Iraqi to get his house? I don’t think there is enough proof yet. But I think he was taking dirty money from convicted felon jihadi for favors. Well enjoy the article from  Rezko Watch bellow. One-degree of separation: Obama, Rezko and the Iraqi power plant contract: “Details about Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.)’s involvement regarding an Iraqi power plant contract and a related security contract negotiated by his patron, indicted political fixer Antoin ‘Tony’ Rezko, and Rezko’s long-time friend—and former Iraqi Minister of Electricity—Aiham Alsammarae, can be found in Chicago newspaper articles dating from January and August 2007.Tim Novak wrote August 7, 2007, in the Chicago Sun-Times:

Two years ago, Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity gave a $50 million contract to a start-up security company owned by now-indicted businessman Tony Rezko and a onetime Chicago cop with a checkered financial past. Within a month, an Iraqi leadership change left the deal in limbo.Now the company, Companion Security, is working to revive its contract to train Iraqi power-plant guards in the United States.Companion found support last summer from Gov. [Rod] Blagojevich, whose staff offered to let the company lease a military facility in western Illinois. Since then, Companion has been lobbying officials from Washington to Baghdad about its Iraqi deal, according to documents. [snip]After the state found a proposed training site, Frawley went to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) [in August 2006]. [snip]’The Senate staff had two meetings, one conference call, and sporadically e-mailed with representatives of Companion Security about their request for Sen. Obama to write a letter introducing the company to senior officials in the Iraqi government,’ Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt said. ‘That is not the kind of action Sen. Obama usually takes for individual companies, and our staff concluded on that basis to decline the requested assistance.’LaBolt said Obama’s staff was unaware Companion had any ties to Rezko, who has raised campaign donations for Obama.Companion beefed up its lobbying efforts in March, hiring a Washington attorney who has contacted the U.S. State and Commerce departments. Frawley wants U.S. officials to persuade the Iraqi government to honor the contract he signed on April 18, 2005, when Aiham Alsammarae, another friend of Rezko’s, ran Iraq’s electricity agency.Iraq’s current electricity minister has balked, saying Frawley’s contract is too expensive, according to a U.S. Embassy official in Baghdad. 

Another version from August 7, 2007 reported that

Two months later, Frawley sought help from Obama, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who is now running for president. Frawley met with Seamus Ahern, who runs Obama’s Moline office. Frawley and Ahern discussed the proposal over a period of about six months. Obama and Blagojevich viewed Frawley’s efforts as a chance to create jobs in the Quad Cities area.Blagojevich’s spokeswoman, Abby Ottenhoff, said state officials assume Frawley’s contract has ‘gone away’ because they haven’t heard from Companion since last year. 

A January 17, 2007, Chicago Sun-Times article on Alsammarae reported

A criminal justice expert questioned why U.S. and Iraqi officials weren’t more outraged about Alsammarae. ‘You would think this would be a major international incident,’ said University of Illinois at Chicago Professor Matthew Lippman. ‘It’s all very shadowy. I believe the U.S. government … helped get him over here. And everyone’s agreed to let this thing slide.’Whether Alsammarae will face questions on another front remains to be seen. The feds have expressed interest in Alsammarae’s friendship with recently indicted businessman Tony Rezko, the Sun-Times reported last month. Rezko won an Iraqi power plant deal while Alsammarae was electricity minister. 

See related RezkoWatch articles:

Rezko and Alsammarae: corruption in Iraq

Rezko’s power plant in Iraq

Alsammarae-Rezko (Updated) See related articles

Rich Miller, Another investigation of Rezko underway, The Capitol Fax Blog, December 4, 2006.

Nibras Kazimi, More on Alsammarae saga (Updated December 18, 2006), Talisman Gate, December 15, 2006. Footnote includes James Glanz’s December 15, 2006, ‘Bitter Detour for Expatriate Back in Iraq.’

Rezko-Owned Firm Looking To Work In Iraq. Indicted Fundraiser’s Security Company Is Bidding For Lucrative Contract, CBS, August 7, 2007.” (Via Rezko Watch.)