Clinton “Experience” in Fundraising Raises New Questions

Another Chinese Funny Money Scandal?

While reminiscing about the glory days of the former Clinton Administration might sell to some Democrats who would prefer to return to an era where we stuck our heads in the sand, some of us have other recollections of that period of history.

Even Democrats recall that not all was sweetness and light during the Clinton years. In a campaign appearance, presidential candidate John Edwards said: "The American people deserve to know that their presidency is not for sale, the Lincoln bedroom is not for rent."

Edwards brought it all back again. The renting of the Lincoln Bedroom (guest list here, those White House "Coffees" (list here)which improperly used the White House for fundraising.

But worse than that, we’re reminded of what the Washington Post called "The Exploits of Charlie Trie." You remember Charlie don’t you? He was the owner of a Chinese Restaurant in Little Rock, Arkansas who all of a sudden found himself in possession of large bags of money orders which he delivered to the DNC for various Clinton campaign and legal defense purposes. Trie, John Huang and Johnny Chung, were responsible for raising $2.2 million – or 79 percent – of the $2.8 million in questionable or illegal contributions returned by the DNC in 1998. Ties to Chinese Communists became clear as the scandal unfolded.

The Washington Post has the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee’s report: "Investigation on Illegal or Improper Activities in Connection With The 1996 Federal Election Campaigns" if you want to freshen up your recall on just what Clinton "experience" means.

Take the Clinton "Experience" Quiz

The Washington Post also has this fun and interactive game where you connect the names and photos of participants in the Clinton campaign financing saga with their role in the story. What role did GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson play?

New Clinton-Chinese Funny Money Scandal?

What is it with the Clintons that the stink of corruption just keeps following them around? Just when Hillary Clinton is touting her experience as the wife of a former President another curious link to funny money fundraising involving persons of Chinese descent emerges.

This time, it’s not a Chinese restaurant in Little Rock, but the owners of a gift shop in California living in a very modest house near San Francisco (photo right).

All of a sudden, every member of the Paw family, who voted only "sporadically," began making very large campaign contributions to Democrats and to Hillary Clinton in 2004.

And a wealthy New York businessman by the name of Norman Hsu, who at one point also listed this modest home as his residence, is one of Hillary Clinton’s biggest contributors.

It’s important to note that campaign financing laws make it a crime to reimburse someone for making a contribution with the intention of disguising the real contributor or seeking to get around contribution limits.

With hundreds of Democrat-led Congressional investigations daily demanding accountability from Bush officials I’m wondering when that same standard will be applied to the "experience" of Hillary Clinton. I’m not holding my breath!