ABC looks at Obama relationship with indicted 'influence peddler'

ABC's Brian Ross reports that Senator Barack Obama has an "unusual relationship" with indicted "influence peddler" Tony Rezco.

This video is from ABC's Good Morning America, broadcast January 10, 2008.





Transcript via closed captions

:: And we'll turn to a question facing presidential candidate barack obama this morning. The illinois senator said he regards that he had a relation relationship with a political operative facing counts of wire and mail fraud among other charges. A judge vaulted the name of that operative into the news and brian ross decided to look into it. Brian.

:: Good morning. Senator obama said no lobbyist would be permitted to work in his white house. And now he pushed new ethics reforms laws. All which makes his relationship with an accused political fixer all the more unusual.

:: Reporter: His name is tony resco. Known as a back-room operator who did favors and raised campaign money for politicians and benefit theed in return. He'll go on trial next month to face charges growing out of a three-year long undercover investigation involvinging bribes and kickbacks.

:: Today we received two indictments against anton tony resco.

:: Reporter: There was no mention of senator obama in rezko's indict many. It emerged that rezco's played a role in bow bam ma'am's much of a new home. He bought the house in 2005 after he had been elected to the senate. According to obama he wanted to sell the house next door to a vacant lot which he did not want, instead rezko's wife bought it for full price. 25,000. And according to obama, he bought the house paying $1.65 million, $300,000 under the asking price. Obama said the price was dropped because the house had been on the market for some time. Even civics groups were troubled by his involvement with a man of rezko's representation.

:: Our only concern has been the timing and our wish that the senator had been a little more sensitive to the emerging dark cloud over mr. Rezko's head.

:: For his cart obama has given a series of explanations about the deal. First he told the chicago tribune that he didn't recall what the conversations were with rezko. Four days later he told the chicago sun times that he did recall telling rezko about the property. Last may. Obama acknowledged to george stephanopoulos that rezko could become an issue.

:: It raised a possibility that here is a friend of mine doing me a favor. It was a bone-headed mistake.

:: Reporter: He told "the washington post" he knew he was under investigation. But then he said he had no idea of the first brewing troubles. The first answer was more accurate. We found over a hundred stories in the preceding five months detailing that rezko was a corrupting influence in illinois politics including an editorial in the chicago tribune focusing on rezko and his behind the scenes connection to the illinois governor. By our count rezko and people in his circle have given obama $120,000 for u.s. Campaigns. He's donated 44,000 of that to charity since the indictments in chicago. Senator said no favors were asked of him by rezko and none were granted.