State Rep. Lou Lang on U. S. Senator Barack Obama and his friend and former financial supporter Tony Rezko, Obama's judgment and leadership capabilities, the State's capital and operating budgets, Gov's Blagojevich's reported comments to Stu Levine about Levine's role on certain boards, Chris Kelly's and Tony Rezko's roles in the Blagojevich Administration, whether Lang could support HB 750, the tax swap bill that has about a seven billion dollar increase in revenue. .
Jeff Berkowitz, host and producer of "Public Affairs," debates and discusses state legislative issues and Barack Obama's Presidential judgment and leadership traits with State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie). Lang's twenty-two year tenure in the Illinois Statehouse includes the eight years (1997-2004) that Obama served in the Illinois State Senate. Rep. Lang supports Obama for President.
Rep. Lang answers a line of questioning about the credibility of Senator Obama's statements regarding Obama's friend and former financial supporter, Tony Rezko (quarter of a million dollars contributed over eight years to Obama by Rezko and Rezko is accused now in a federal courtroom in Chicago of trying to extort millions of dollars in payoffs and campaign cash [for Governor Blagojevich's campaign] from companies seeking to do business with the state of Illinois). Rezko, from time to time, during his relationship with Obama, consulted daily with Obama regarding Obama's political campaigns.
Lang reflected on what he knew about Obama from their time together in Springfield—as it relates to Obama's qualifications to be President. Lang was asked if there was any evidence of favors going either way between Rezko and Obama, including in the house purchase transaction by Obama when Rezko's wife purchased a side lot from the owner on the same day as Obama purchased a $1.9 million dollar house, for $1.6 million, Lang said there is no evidence of "there," there.
Rep. Lang noted that Gov. Blagojevich has spent two million dollars on personal legal fees during his tenure as Governor. Lang noted that Gov. Blagojevich has a constituency of one.
Rep. Lang commented that Gov. Blagojevich seemed to try to raise as much money as he could and he held press conferences with glitz but without any ability to pull it all off.
Rep. Lang noted that Gov. Blagojevich says he wants health insurance for low-income people. Lang stated that Illinois has a bad health care system that requires fixing but that Gov. Blagojevich is not a king. Further, Lang contended that the State cannot afford the Governor's plans. Lang said if Gov. Blagojevich prevails on his health insurance plans, we might as well not have a General Assembly in Illinois.
Lang said he would agree with Senator Brady (R-Bloomington), to a point, regarding Sen. Brady's criticism that Illinois had become a high cost state for employers and Illinois is 48th in job creation. Lang said Brady would remove regulations from business and Lang would provide incentives to business to come to Illinois.
Lang agrees that "people pay taxes, not companies." Lang said before he could support a tax swap or something like HB 750, Lang would have to know where the money was going and if his district was benefiting from HB 750 education revenue before he could support the bill.
RT/29:00
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