Obama named in Rezko's opening statement

CHICAGO, March 7 (UPI) -- The name of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., popped up in the defense's opening statement in the corruption trial in Chicago of former fundraiser Tony Rezko.

The defense listed the Democratic presidential hopeful's name as well as five others, saying Rezko loved the political process and wanted help candidates he thought had the public's interests at heart, The Politico reported Friday.

Rezko pleaded innocent to charges of demanding payments from firms trying to do business with the state and funneling the funds to himself or political figures he favored.

Rezko was a one-time fundraiser for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Obama, who also entered into a 2005 land deal with Rezko.

Rezko "met Barack Obama when he was in Harvard Law School and tried to hire him" as the lawyer for Rezko's development firm, lead defense attorney Joseph Duffy said.

The first witnesses testified Thursday, including an FBI analyst who said his review of Blagojevich's campaign records tied Rezko to more than $1.4 million in fundraising activity. That amount is roughly three times higher than the amount Rezko acknowledged raising on the governor's behalf, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The trial resumes Monday.