How much did Obama know about Van Jones past, and when did he know it?

The idea of making Jones a czar was to pay him back for his support during the campaign. Obama was well aware of Jones and his background and in fact Michelle Obama was his biggest fan. Since he was made a czar and he is an avowed greenie, the Obama Administration figured that with the media in their pocket, no one would take a serious look at his background. The Senate certainly wasn't going to and neither was the House. Had it not been for some Conservative media pundits pointing out Jones's foibles, he would still be on the Washington payroll and we would have been none the wiser. This is the way the Chicago political machine works and shows us EXACTLY WHO Barrack H. Obama really is.