Tag: Norman Hsu (page 2)

Bump and Update: Norman Hsu has made his $2 million bond.

Update: The Justice Dept. will investigate Mr. Hsu's fundraising activity. Guess DOJ isn't that broke after all.

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Original Post:
Norman Hsu Surrenders, Held on $2 Million Bail

Democratic contributor and bundler Norman Hsu has turned himself in on the California Arrest Warrant. Bond is $2 million (the amount on the outstanding warrant) and a hearing will be held Sept. 5 at which the Judge may reduce it to $1 million.

I won't be surprised if he bonds out today on the $2 million. Then again, maybe he'd rather do a holiday weekend in jail than fork over an extra mil.

He went to court with his California attorney and his publicist. He's got a great lawyer, James Brosnahan. Brosnahan's last high profile client was "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh.

More of Hsu's political donations are being returned:

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Tuesday, Barack Obama's spokesperson said the Senator would not give up the donations received from Norman Hsu.

... spokesman Jen Psaki said Obama, who has criticized Clinton for taking contributions that could undermine her independence, had no plans to return Hsu's donations.

Today, he's had a change of heart.

A spokesman for Senator Barack Obama, the Illinois Democrat who is a rival of Mrs. Clinton for the party’s presidential nomination, said Mr. Obama intended to give away $7,000 that Mr. Hsu contributed to his committees.

No one seems to know where Mr. Hsu really lives. I figured since he's a naturalized citizen, he must be registered to vote. But the only voter registration record I could find for a Norman Hsu was in Delaware. There's also a Norman Hsu in Cleveland. (I'm excluding the Norman Hsu who's been on the city council in Hacienda Heights, CA because it doesn't appear to be the same person.)

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While Hillary, Al Franken, Bill Richardson and others are returning Norman Hsu's campaign contributions, Obama is not.

Hsu also made donations to the Illinois senatorial campaign of Barack Obama in 2004. Yesterday, spokesman Jen Psaki said Obama, who has criticized Clinton for taking contributions that could undermine her independence, had no plans to return Hsu's donations.

I'm not going to criticize Obama for not returning the money. I think returning it was premature since it hasn't been determined there is anything illegal about the donations and as I said here, felons should be encouraged to participate in the political process, particularly after they've served their time (yes, I know Hsu doesn't fall in that category but his crime was 15 years ago and he's been law-abiding since.)

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Looks like the outstanding California arrest warrant for Norman Hsu was the breaking point for Hillary Clinton and other Democrats' campaigns. They are giving his donations to charity.

Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer said the $23,000 included contributions from Hsu to Clinton's presidential campaign, her Senate re-election and her political action committee. The campaign did not plan to return any money Hsu raised from other donors, Singer said.

"In light of the information regarding Mr. Hsu's outstanding warrant in California we will be giving his contribution to charity," Singer said.

Also divesting themselves of Hsu's funds: Al Franken and Rep. Michael Honda of California and Rep. Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania. I expect that Obama's campaign will make a similar statement:

Federal Election Commission records show that Hsu has donated $260,000 to Democratic Party groups and federal candidates since 2004. Though a fundraiser for Clinton, he also donated to Sen. Barack Obama's Senate campaign in 2004 and to Obama's political action committee.

One note: The money is not being returned because the contributions were illegal. It's being returned because of Hsu's criminal conviction.

As Rep. Honda's spokeswoman said,

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After yesterday's Wall St. Journal article on fundraising bundler Norman Hsu who is a big contributor this year to Hillary Clinton and who has contributed to many other Democrats in the past three years, his lawyer responded and the media got its interest piqued.

There's still no indication there are any problems with Hsu's political contributions or activities, which began about three years ago, but the LA Times is reporting a "teaser" for a story today that Hsu pleaded guilty to grand theft and agreed to serve a three year prison sentence, but never showed up, making him a fugitive.

I did check California's criminal records database and there are entries in San Mateo County for San Francisco Municipal Court and Redwoods Superior Court for a Norman Hsu....back in 1991. No other details are included.

Hsu's lawyer says he has no recollection of pleading guilty or agreeing to prison time.

Today the Journal follows through, apparently not knowing about the criminal charges, and explains why "bundling" is a legal practice:

It is legal for individuals to ask friends, colleagues and family members to make donations to political candidates, though not to reimburse people for such donations.

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The Wall St. Journal has me seriously rethinking my subscription. Check out this article by Brody Mullins and its baseless attempt to smear Hillary Clinton's Asian contributors.

Shorter version: An American family of Chinese descent in San Francisco, the Paws, contributed to Hillary around the same time as one of her big contributors, Norman Hsu, who now lives in New York.

Not only is there nothing wrong with that as big fund-raisers often ask people to make contributions around the same time they are contributing, but the Journal admits:

There is no public record or indication Mr. Hsu reimbursed the Paw family for their political contributions. (my emphasis.)

Not only that, but The Journal acknowledges the Paw family and Norman Hsu gave to other candidates as well. If you check campaign records, you will see Mr. Hsu has donated to Barack Obama, John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, and that the Paw family has contributed thousands to an Obama's PAC.

Plus, the Journal insisted on running the piece in the face of factual denials from all involved.

This is a hurtful, non-story with a smear factor and the Journal should be taken to task for publishing it.

But enough of my interpretation. Here is the statement from well-respected, prominent lawyer Lawrence Barcella,who is representing Norman Hsu.

Statement Below: