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Obama: Law must be followed in aunt's case

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor November 2, 2008 07:17 PM

Barack Obama said this evening that he's concerned about his aunt, who has reportedly been living illegally in Boston, but said immigration laws must be followed.

"If she is violating laws, those laws have to be obeyed," Obama said in an interview with Katie Couric aired on CBS News.  "We're a nation of laws.  Obviously that doesn't lessen my concern for her. I haven't been able to be in touch with her.  But I'm a strong believer you have to obey the law."

Zeituni Onyango, the half-sister of Obama's late father, was ordered to leave the United States four years ago after an immigration judge denied her request for political asylum from Kenya, the Associated Press has reported.

The AP reported today that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement asked its inspector general and the Office of Professional Responsibility on Saturday to investigate whether any policies were violated when information about Onyango's case was publicly disclosed.

She has been living quietly in two public housing complexes in Boston since 2003. Obama's campaign says that he had seen Onyango on a few occasions, and she attended Obama's swearing-in at the US Senate in January 2005. Obama last heard from her about two years ago, when she called to say she was in Boston, according to his campaign.

Onyango had contributed $260 to Obama's presidential bid in small installments, but with federal law prohibiting foreigners from contributing to political candidates, his campaign said it was returning the money.


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Give me a break! If Obama did not have contact with his aunt, it’s only because he NEEDED not to have contact with his aunt. For God’s sake, she’s listed in the White Pages (online): Zeituni Onyango / 283 Bowen St / Boston, MA 02127-2645 / (617) 268-2003.

Noting how easy it was for me to find the listing, explain to me how the media, so determined to leave no stone unturned in its “journalistic service” to the public, never even bothered to look. How embarrassing for the US press to be outsleuthed by the Times of London.

“White Pages?… online?… My, how clever!".

Auntie Zeituni will obviously not be going back to Kenya. The Obama campaign statement had already said that it “believes that any and ALL appropriate laws be followed”. I’m sure a President Obama will figure out something in the "law" to keep his aunt from being deported… Indeed, Aunt Zeituni has been counting on it all along!

Posted by AndrewO November 2, 08 08:01 PM
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One can wonder why State Department can not disclose the immigration status of the great-great-grand Uncle of John McCain in this land.

Posted by rax November 2, 08 08:06 PM
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Sure, now that its too late to be effective......Dont worry, we will all get a hug in the coming days of the Messiah.

Posted by typical white person November 2, 08 08:16 PM
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Obama has integrity. Bush would pardon her like he did Scooter Libby.

Posted by Vote Integrity November 2, 08 08:18 PM
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another moocher in subsidized housing. Get used to it. Democrats about to take over. Lots more dollars for moochers - work harder (If you work).

Posted by homer November 2, 08 08:39 PM
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True colors of mr. Obama read on.

Barack Obama lavishing praise on a former PLO operative and supporter of Palestinian terrorism against Israel is showing not just traditional media bias, but has crossed the line into activism.

Rashid Khalidi was first discussed here at America's Right on May 31, 2008. There, and many times since, Khalidi has been identified as a long-time, close friend of Barack Obama's. The two met when Khalidi was teaching Middle East Studies at the University of Chicago; the videotape being intentionally suppressed by the Los Angeles Times is from a dinner party, a going-away event, when Khalidi made his way from the University of Chicago to Columbia University, where he still teaches today.

Also present at the event? Unrepentent domestic terrorist William Ayers and equally disturbed wife Bernardine Dohrn. Ayers, Obama and Khalidi all served on the board of the non-profit Woods Fund which, in the two-year span while Obama served, funneled $200,000 or so to Ayers' leftist educational programs and an additional $75,000 to the Arab-American Action Network, an organization founded by Khalidi and his wife, Mona, and notoriously supportive of Palestinian terror. Furthermore, Mona Khalidi served as a prominent English-language translator for the late Fatah founder and PLO leader Yasser Arafat.

Rashid and Mona Khalidi are said to have been frequent dinner companions of Barack and Michelle Obama, and have reportedly even baby-sat their children. The Khalidis threw successful fundraisers for Obama as well, and like William Ayers helped to launch his political career.
Down Mexico Way

Posted by Down Mexico Way November 2, 08 08:50 PM
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The fact that someone related by blood to a candidate violates a law does not automatically makes this person somehow party to violation. If that’s the case then practically whole Australia is prison convict relatives, who should be denied right to be election candidate outright.

Besides, again, as in the case of many other reports on election candidates on both sides of election spectrum, I find the offense blown out of proportion. For this specific case, I never understood how any law can be used to separate families. I thought that unless there is clear reason to disallow someone entry in our country, then all the laws to unite families should be given strong preference.

I whish Mrs. Onyango safe stay and speedy naturalization according to laws and regulations of our land. And I would like to extend this to all elderly who were swept around the world and have to rely on some system that protects their safety and well being. I have seen up close and personal how these people gets thrown into hardship and it is really hard to contemplate that this can happen in our country.

Posted by Miron November 2, 08 09:07 PM
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There’s one word that exists in every language on the face of the Earth and in every society since man began to speak. And the word is truth. And in every language it means exactly the same thing. Truth is . . . what you get other people to believe.”
- Tommy Smothers

Obama has been a master in getting people to believe his "truth."

Posted by Susan November 2, 08 09:35 PM
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here goes another person under the bus for obama. his priest, his mentor, his brother, his chicago friends and foes HIS AUNT-- whatever is political movement to win --HE DOES IT --do you really belelve that he could not get in touch with her --but he was able to find out sooo much about JOE???

DOES HE NOT SCARE YOU? HIS ABUSE OF POWER?

Posted by FEEDBACK November 3, 08 10:06 AM
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Down Mexico Way...

McCain sent $448,000 to the same PLO group

Posted by McCain is Senile and a Liar November 3, 08 10:46 AM
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Asylum matters are kept confidential for a reason: many asylum applicants' lives could be in danger if their home countries learn the details (or even the existence) of their asylum claim. Moreover, the press is jumping to an unwarranted conclusion in stating that Ms. Onyango is living in the United States illegally. For all we know, she has appealed the denial of her asylum claim, which can easily take four years or longer due to the backlog of cases at the Board of Immigration Appeals. But the real issue isn't whether the half sister of Senator Obama's late estranged father has or has committed a civil violation. The real issue is whether the Bush administration has unlawfully leaked details of a confidential asylum matter for political purposes (talk about abuse of power!), and whether it was done in collusion with the McCain campaign. The first poster is right inasmuch as this is a matter which could easily have come to light earlier. The fact that it's been leaked to the press just days before the election is suspicious at best. McCain has already tried to portray Obama as a communist, a terrorist, a (god forbid!) Muslim ... and now he's being tainted for his association with an alleged illegal alien. The Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for how they've conducted themselves during this campaign. Obama has taken the high road, while McCain & Co. have engaged in every possible dirty trick to manipulate gullible, uninformed voters. For shame!

Posted by Listen to Reason November 3, 08 11:08 AM
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I'm just saying - If she was denied, surely she would have gone to a well liked senator to get that denial overturned. He could have used his clout in the senate for his aunt had he known of her circumstances. I'm thinking this is exactly what he would have done had he known. How many of you out there are really close to all of your relatives - near and distant? I have uncles and aunts on my father's side that I haven't seen nor heard from in 30 years. I have cousins I never met-perhaps some day I will.

Posted by P November 3, 08 02:56 PM
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She now has a valid lawsuit against the government for leaking her personal info for political attacks.

Posted by Get a lawyer November 3, 08 04:34 PM
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