09-26-2008, 01:02 PM
"Attorney General Lisa Madigan -- a Democrat who is supporting Obama's presidential bid -- is investigating "whether this charitable organization properly used its charitable assets, including the state funds it received," Cara Smith, Madigan's deputy chief of staff, said Wednesday.
In addition to the 2001 grant that Obama directed to the housing association as a "member initiative," the not-for-profit group got a separate $20,000 state grant in 2006.
Madigan's office has notified Obama's presidential campaign of the probe, which was launched this week. But Obama's actions in awarding the money are not a focus of the investigation, Smith said."
It sounds like the Smiths may have misappropriated the grant money.
It happened when Obama was in the state legislature, not when he was a community organizer.
Obama as a community organizer had nothing to do with the Smiths' organization.
Obama as a state senator arranged a grant that the Smiths apparently then misused.
It's unfortunate but it happens. It does not mean that Obama was in cahoots with the Smiths. Obama is not under investigation. Obama is not suspected of any wrongdoing.
I think if you looked up the disposition of grants in your own state you would find plenty of material for despair.
One of my favorite buttons says "Jesus Christ was a community organizer. Pontius Pilate was a governor."
I don't know why the McCain-Palin people are so dismissive of community organizers and what they do. If America really is to be a land of opportunity, it needs plenty of good community organizers to help people get hold of the opportunities.
In addition to the 2001 grant that Obama directed to the housing association as a "member initiative," the not-for-profit group got a separate $20,000 state grant in 2006.
Madigan's office has notified Obama's presidential campaign of the probe, which was launched this week. But Obama's actions in awarding the money are not a focus of the investigation, Smith said."
It sounds like the Smiths may have misappropriated the grant money.
It happened when Obama was in the state legislature, not when he was a community organizer.
Obama as a community organizer had nothing to do with the Smiths' organization.
Obama as a state senator arranged a grant that the Smiths apparently then misused.
It's unfortunate but it happens. It does not mean that Obama was in cahoots with the Smiths. Obama is not under investigation. Obama is not suspected of any wrongdoing.
I think if you looked up the disposition of grants in your own state you would find plenty of material for despair.
One of my favorite buttons says "Jesus Christ was a community organizer. Pontius Pilate was a governor."
I don't know why the McCain-Palin people are so dismissive of community organizers and what they do. If America really is to be a land of opportunity, it needs plenty of good community organizers to help people get hold of the opportunities.