Obama donates money from contributors linked to indicted developer

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is giving charity more than $40,000 in past political contributions linked to Chicago real estate developer and fast food magnate Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who is facing federal corruption charges, his campaign said Saturday. The contributions are from seven people who contributed to Obama's House and Senate campaigns. None of the money was for his presidential bid. "Recent public information has called into question contributions to the Obama campaign from a donor and fundraiser," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement Saturday. "It is the policy and practice of the campaign to review all such new information and dispose of questionable funds such as the potential illegal 'straw donations' that campaigns, like other presidential campaigns this cycle, must address as new facts emerge. "Our consistent practice in these circumstances is to give the funds to charity out of an abundance of caution," Burton said.