Chicago Mob Associate John D' Arco Jr. tied to Miami hotel funded by Alexi Giannoulias' bank

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Republican Congressman Mark Kirk is running for Obama's old Senate seat. On the Democratic side, the front runner is Obama side kick Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias.Crain's Chicago Business reported in October 2006:

Former state Sen. John D’Arco — twice convicted of federal corruption charges — is involved in a land deal financed by a bank that’s owned by the family of Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic candidate for Illinois treasurer.

Official records in Florida indicate that Mr. D’Arco and two convicted bookmakers joined in March 2001, to incorporate a company that acquired the Lorraine Hotel in Miami Beach, Fla. Two months later, the firm received the first of a series of mortgage loans from Broadway Bank, where Mr. Giannoulias is a vice-president.

Mr. Giannoulias and the bank Tuesday released nearly identical statements saying that Mr. D’Arco, whose name does not appear on mortgage papers, “has never been a loan applicant, recipient, co-signer, guarantor or customer” of Broadway, and does not hold an ownership share in the hotel deal.

But Florida records also indicate that Mr. D’Arco signed legal papers in connection with renovation of the hotel in October 2001 — four months after Broadway issued its first mortgage loan.

For more on Chicago Mob associate John D'Arco Jr. Here's Obama's campaign commercial for Alexi Giannoulias when he ran for Illinois State Treasurer.