Democratic Money Trail & Campaign Finance Fraud Investigation

[BNaylor]

Here we go again. It will be interesting to see the results of the DOJ/FBI investigation. The story could have substance or maybe not.

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating possible campaign-finance violations by top Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu, according to people familiar with the probe. On Friday, Mr. Hsu surrendered to California officials on an unrelated grand-theft charge dating to the early 1990s.

Norman Hsu surrendered on Friday to California authorities on grand-theft charges. Mr. Hsu, who, until earlier this week was one of the biggest fundraisers for Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Rodham Clinton, was booked at the San Mateo County jail, where he was handcuffed and later released on $2 million bail. Wearing a black suit and white shirt, Mr. Hsu rushed to a waiting black Chevy Suburban outside the jail lobby Friday afternoon without answering any questions from reporters.

Mrs. Clinton's campaign declined to comment yesterday. The New York senator, along with other Democrats, has said she would turn over donations received from Mr. Hsu to charity.

But Mr. Hsu's legal woes are a political blow to the many prominent Democrats who accepted his funds, in particular Mrs. Clinton. While there is no sign any of them were aware of Mr. Hsu's actions and prior record, they could be embarrassed by the probe of his fundraising.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118858052960914805.html

Priceless!


You've got to give Bill credit when due. He's slick.

Contoocook, N.H - Former President Bill Clinton said he was "shocked" by revelations that a top fundraiser for his wife is a fugitive from justice and claimed he didn't even know what "HillRaiser" Norman Hsu did for a living.

"You could have knocked me over with a straw, especially when I heard the L.A. people had been allegedly looking for him for 15 years when he was in plain view," he told Newsday while touring a county fair in rural New Hampshire Sunday.

"I never knew how he made a living or anything, but I was shocked," said Clinton of Hsu, who has made millions as an investor in tetxtile and other businesses.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationwo...,6566532.story

[00accord44]

I'm interested to hear the details of their investigation. Hsu is obviously going down but will he try to take anyone with him??? Will he unleash the dirt now or wait until after elections and see what leverage it may buy him? opcorn:

[taranaki]

Interesting to see that the historic charges that this man is accused of are not detailed in this article. Must be really serious if he can hide in plain sight for 15 years!

[RSX-S777]

The interesting thing in this case is not the direct contributions Hsu made. Naturally, in the interest of saving face, that money is being returned or donated to charity by all involved. Likely none were even aware of his criminal past. The true test will come upon further investigation of Hsu. The FEC is speculating that he has made donations through friends and colleagues that far outstrip his direct contributions.

Here's a good site with info:
http://suitablyflip.blogs.com/suitab...ly-big-hs.html

All in all, I don't think the Democrats will suffer much embarrassment, assuming none of them knew the money was dirty and it is consequently given up. That is, if Hsu is even found guilty of any wrongdoing...

[RSX-S777]

I'd also like to remind everyone of good old Johnny Chung, who donated some 350,000 to Bill Clinton and the DNC between '94 and '96. Mr. Chung testified in front of the House Committee that a large chunk of that money came from General Ji Shengde of Chinese Military Intelligence. So if anyone is up for crazy theories...

Who could blame the world's powers at this point, eh?

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by RSX-S777

THere's a good site with info:
http://suitablyflip.blogs.com/suitab...ly-big-hs.html

Interesting link and blog. Who is this guy Flip that did all the research? I read somewhere that he was some sort of forensic investigator.

Without adding any qualifiers IMO it is best not to get into a rush to judgment in this matter. I'll wait for the results of the DOJ/FBI and FEC investigations. Especially if you look at the results of the FEC investigations concerning the past 2004 elections.

[RSX-S777]

Philip (Flip) Pidot, MBA, CFA, CFE

[BNaylor]

Well, it looks like Hsu is off to a good start.

Norman Hsu, the fugitive fund-raiser for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and other Democrats who turned himself in to California authorities last week, failed to show up for a court appearance today, and his lawyer said Mr. Hsu’s whereabouts were unknown.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/us...447&ei=5087%0A

Norman Hsu's quickly jumpstarted life on the lam came to a screeching stop less than 48 hours after it began when he got sick on the California Zephyr and was nabbed after being rushed to a Colorado hospital, according to the FBI.
The prolific Democratic fundraiser and fugitive was busted at 7 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time by FBI agents from the Denver office, according to Special Agent Joseph M. Schadler in the FBI's San Francisco office.

http://www.wral.com/news/political/story/1786857/

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_6822726

[00accord44]

and

[YogsVR4]

The people he donated to are running away like he's got the plague.

[BNaylor]

This is even funnier.

You'd figure if he had any sense at all he would have headed the other direction like back to China.

Disgraced Democratic fund-raiser Norman Hsu was wandering about an Amtrak train bare-chested, shoeless and "freaked out" when he was nabbed, a witness said.

"I thought he had a suitcase full of crack or meth," fellow passenger Alberto Dee, 21, told the San Francisco Chronicle.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wn_r...d_freaked.html

[00accord44]

No shirt. No shoes. No service

[03cavPA]

He was probably running from Hil and Bill. He knows what happened to Vince Foster.

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by 03cavPA

He was probably running from Hil and Bill. He knows what happened to Vince Foster.

Also, from all the people he swindled. I'd be more worried about them. In the meantime hot off the press.

WASHINGTON --Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign said Monday it will return $850,000 in donations raised by Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu, who is under federal investigation for allegedly violating election laws.

Clinton, D-N.Y., previously had planned only to give to charity $23,000 she received from Hsu for her presidential and senatorial campaigns and to her political action committee, HillPac.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/ar...raised_by_hsu/

[00accord44]

Dizamn, almost a mil! That's gotta hurt the Hillster. Obama is somewhere laughing.