Former Black Panther and Current Democrat Rep Bobby Rush Under Investigation for Corruption

By Steven Ahle on July 27, 2014 in Crime, Democrats, Politics

Rep Bobby Rush, (D) Ill, is under investigation for a variety of charges.  He is accused of misusing campaign funds, improper reporting of finances, and the missing one million dollar grant provided by a private company aided by Rush in Congress.  Rush maintains his innocence.
The Chicago Sun Times has led an investigation into various transactions Rush has had and possible violations of the law plus quid pro quo arrangements with the telecommunications companies, including a million dollar grant that Rush can’t explain where the money went.
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The first possible infraction concerns an office Rush has maintained for the past 12 years.  Rush has not filed with the FEC (Federal Election Commission) any reports on the money spent renting the office space.  That is a violation of the rules.
Records also indicate that Rush has donated over one hundred and ninety six thousand dollars to the Beloved Community Christian Church, where Rush is the pastor of record.  The money was used to help close on a building and helped with a creditor who was trying to collect money owed to him.
It also shows that Rush has paid his wife a year round salary since 2007 that amounts to $404,000 dollars, or about one quarter of all the campaign money Rush collected during that period.
Rush and his wife, as well as their nonprofit organizations have decade long problems paying income, property and various other taxes:

Congressman Rush, By The Numbers

NOTE: Tax liens are considered outstanding and generally not released until debts are paid in full.
Source: Publicly available government records.
In 2000, while in a brutal primary with then state senator Barack Obama, Rush started a nonprofit called, Rebirth of Englewood Community Development Corp.  He was given a grant from SBC, now known as AT&T.  Congress added another $175,000 in taxpayer money to renovate the building, which would be named, The Bobby L Rush  Community Center for Technology.  It is now 2014 and the center was never built.  The entire one million is missing and Rush says he did nothing wrong but can’t show where the money went.  (Maybe his computer crashed?)

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The “Who’s Who” of Rebirth of Englewood Community Development Corp.

U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush: Rebirth founder, board member.

Carolyn Rush: Wife of congressman, Rebirth board member.

Flynn Rush: Son of congressman, on Rebirth staff as employment placement specialist.

Vincent Barnes: Rebirth executive director until 2007, previously legislative counsel on Rush’s congressional staff.

Stanley Rakestraw: Rebirth board member, board president in 2009, former Metra board member.

Timothy W. Wright III: Rebirth board member through 2007, former law partner of ex-U.S. Sen. Roland Burris.

State Rep. Dan Burke: Listed on documents as Rebirth board member through 2007, though he says he was unaware he was mentioned as a board member. Burke, brother of Ald. Edward Burke (14th), says he agreed to join Rebirth’s board but no one followed up and he never attended a meeting.

Sources: Interviews, publicly available nonprofit filings.

Quid Pro Quos

These companies all contributed money to Bobby Rush and his nonprofits.  In return, Rush supported legislation that would reward his benefactors.  Although on the face, these actions are not illegal (according to rules that govern congress written by congress, hmmm)  they do raise the question as to where Rush’s allegience lies.  With the people of his district or his corporate sponsors.
Bobby Rush is a former Black Panther, who spent time in prison on weapon charges.