At Monday's debate, Hillary Rodham Clinton tried to blunt John Edwards' criticism about lobbyists influencing presidential politics. Obama "has a lot of lobbyists who are leading his campaign here in South Carolina," she said.

examining The facts

The lobbyists? Obama's campaign said this month that former South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges had become a national co-chairman. Hodges' lobbying and consulting firm is registered to lobby for Hillenbrand Partners, a Chicago-based company that does business with the Federal Home Loan Bank in Atlanta. Two other South Carolina leaders in Obama's campaign have lobbied in the state. Senior adviser Rick Wade said he last lobbied in 1996. Anton Gunn, Obama's state political director, was a registered lobbyist from 2001 to 2004, state Ethics Commission records said.

Volunteers vs. paid staff: Adviser Steve Hildebrand said the campaign has no problem with lobbyists volunteering to work, but no federal lobbyists are on the campaign's payroll and they cannot donate money or collect it. For instance, Hildebrand said he gave up federal lobbying work for an environmental group as a condition of taking his paid staff position.

Donations from PACs: When he was an Illinois state senator, about 40 percent of Obama's campaign cash came from political action committees, corporations and unions. He has since sworn off taking money from Washington lobbyists and PACs. "We've never walked away from that. He's said it's time to change that," Hildebrand said.

CLINTON: OBAMA REPRESENTED SLUM LANDLORD

Clinton accused Obama of represented a "slum landlord" in Chicago.

examining The facts

Obama's explanation: "I was an associate at a law firm that represented a church group that had partnered with this individual to do a project, and I did about five hours worth of work on this joint project." The Chicago law firm also said that it was working mainly for community groups that teamed up with real estate developer and fast-food magnate Antoin (Tony) Rezko, and that Obama's role was modest.

Housing development: Rezko, who is facing a federal corruption trial, was a major fundraiser for Obama from 1997 to 2004, and Obama has said he was a close friend. During that time, Rezko's company defaulted on a series of low-income housing developments in or near the State Senate district that Obama then represented. Obama has not been implicated in any wrongdoing and his campaign said this weekend that it would give to charity more than $40,000 in past donations linked to Rezko.

Controversial tie: Obama has been forced to explain how Rezko got tangled in the purchase of the Obama family home and other ties to Rezko. If prosecutors are right, his ties to Rezko may even mean Obama's campaign unwittingly accepted money generated by illegal activities.

Family home issue: On Nov. 1, 2006, three weeks after the Rezko indictment, the Chicago Tribune disclosed that Rezko was involved in the Obama family's purchase of a $1,650,000 home near the University of Chicago. The same day the Obamas closed on the house, Rezko's wife, Rita, bought a lot next door from the same sellers for $625,000. Obama later said the sellers had required that both lots be sold simultaneously. Spokesman Bill Burton said, "In no way did Senator Obama view this as a favor."

'Boneheaded' mistake: The Rezkos later sold the lot, but not before selling the Obamas a 10-foot-wide strip of land on the property for $104,500. Obama called that a "boneheaded" mistake. Their ties have been public record for more than a year.

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