Byron York reports that author Ed Klein has a three hour recording of Reverend Jeremiah Wright in which your former pastor asserts that during the 2008 campaign he was allegedly made an offer of $150,000 “to shut up until after the November election.” York reports Wright also alleges that although you didn’t personally offer him any money, in a private meeting you asked your former pastor “to stop speaking publicly until after the election was over.” York notes that, while Wright may be old news, these new allegations merit inquiry.
What didn’t you want Wright to say? Did you ask any of your other past associates — such as Tony Rezko, Bill Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn or Rashid Khalidi to “shut up until after the November election?” If so, what didn’t you want them to say?
Is Wright telling the truth about the $150,000 offer? If not, will you encourage anyone with knowledge of the facts to speak publicly? Will you challenge Wright to produce the document in which the offer is allegedly made?
If Wright is telling the truth, where was the $150,000 to come from? Was any of the money from campaign funds?
Who authorized the $150,000 offer? If you didn’t, did you know about it at the time? If not, did you learn about it later? When? What, if anything, did you do about it?