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BACKSTORY Fund-raiser Aaron Tonken Writing Hillary Tell-All
http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:2wsVoG07OUMJ:www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/3/11/182958.shtml ^ | Thursday, March 11, 2004 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

Posted on 01/07/2005 3:34:02 PM PST by Liz

For the story behind the story...

Convicted Hollywood fund-raiser Aaron Tonken, who helped organize an August 2000 star-studded tribute to Bill Clinton's presidency that doubled as a fund raiser for Hillary's Senate campaign, is writing an October-surprise tell-all book that could cause trouble for the entire Democratic Party.

"He has a book coming out in October in which he's promising to reveal all sorts of things," Fox News reporter Eric Shawn told WABC Radio's Monica Crowley Wednesday night. "I think we're in the beginning of what could turn out to be a major brewing story dealing with campaign financing in Mrs. Clinton's campaign."

That may be an understatement, if what the New York Post's Cindy Adams says about Tonken's book turns out to be true.

After getting a peek at his manuscript, Adams reports that in Chapter 13 alone there's enough material to keep a battery of Clinton damage controllers working overtime.

During seven White House stays in the last three months of the Clintons' term, Tonken says, he became so cozy with the first couple that he and Hillary once sat in their pajamas together eating popcorn and watching TV in her bedroom.

He also says, according to Adams, that he smoked pot with Bill's brother, Roger.

When the fun and games were over, the Hollywood moneyman says, he handed out checks to "certain pols" that were "illegal." And he personally witnessed a "brown bag" stuffed with cash going "someplace it shouldn't."

Tonken claims the illegal campaign contributions he personally doled out totaled over $100,000.

And from the sound of the Hollywood fund-raiser's statements under oath in legal proceedings against him last year, he isn't talking through his hat.

"I'm a star witness against President and Mrs. Clinton," he told attorneys in an unrelated civil case. "I'm a star witness in New York in the grand jury regarding the Marc Rich pardon and regarding the fund-raising activities that I've done on behalf of the Clintons."

Tonken's story could impact the entire Democratic Party, since Harold Ickes, who masterminded Hillary's 2000 Senate race, is now busily raising tens of millions of dollars for the Democratic Party's presidential "Media Fund."

In December, Tonken pleaded guilty to federal charges that he diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors and underwriters of Hollywood events he organized.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Politics/Elections
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Posted in response to today's news reports that David Rosen, Hillary's former fund-raiser, has been indicted.
1 posted on 01/07/2005 3:34:02 PM PST by Liz
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To: Liz

This gives the MSM, Hillary and the Democrats 9 months to destroy him, his career, and his reputation, not to mention the chance of an unfortunate accident befalling him. (This is the third post today that's reminded me of Vince Foster.)


2 posted on 01/07/2005 3:39:48 PM PST by Spok
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To: Liz

Clintons have been through other 'hit' books, and they survived. Unless this one has spectacular revelations, it probably won't mean much, except for a few dead trees-turned-to-paper.

Unless things can be directly tied to her, Hillary can skate by most scandals. The MSM sure aren't going to go after her.


3 posted on 01/07/2005 3:40:51 PM PST by TomGuy (America: Best friend or worst enemy. Choose wisely.)
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To: Liz
During seven White House stays in the last three months of the Clintons' term, Tonken says, he became so cozy with the first couple that he and Hillary once sat in their pajamas together eating popcorn and watching TV in her bedroom.

Ohhhh god, give us some warning first!

I'm hurling astroid-sized chunks right now.

4 posted on 01/07/2005 3:41:32 PM PST by hang 'em (NO MUSLIMS, NO TERROR)
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To: Spok
What goes around comes around.

Lord, please let me be around when it "comes around" for Billious Hillious.

5 posted on 01/07/2005 3:41:35 PM PST by starfish923
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To: Liz

He will be Arkancided within months, long before that book sees the light of day. I bet it will be another plane crash.


6 posted on 01/07/2005 3:42:00 PM PST by shellshocked
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To: TomGuy

"Unless things can be directly tied to her, Hillary can skate by most scandals."

Even when things can be tied directly to her, she skates. Cattle futures, Vince Foster, Rose Law Firm billing records, White Water...


7 posted on 01/07/2005 3:43:34 PM PST by Spok
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To: TomGuy

I agree. Hillary is loved by Dims who are in a trance over her. They'll blow off any thing she did. The MSM..well, this won't even get the exposure that the Amber Frey book is getting.


8 posted on 01/07/2005 3:43:58 PM PST by Recovering Ex-hippie (Support our troops!)
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To: Liz

4 years is a looooong time bump


9 posted on 01/07/2005 3:44:03 PM PST by John Lenin
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To: Liz

I predict a short life-span.


10 posted on 01/07/2005 3:45:07 PM PST by csuzieque
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To: Liz

It's been a bad day for Hillary an old friend has been relieved of his money

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1316307/posts?page=3#3


11 posted on 01/07/2005 3:46:10 PM PST by flitton
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To: Liz
By publishing this book at a time which isn't politically sensitive for Hillary, Tonken in effect innoculates Hillary against future use of the material he brings forward. When questions based on the book are raised down the line, Hillary will simply say (as she has so often in the past), "Oh, that's old news."

Hillary probably paid the salary of Tonken's ghostwriter.

12 posted on 01/07/2005 3:46:42 PM PST by snarks_when_bored
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To: Liz
Hillary's gonna have him killed.

Hope he has a nice plan to distribute backups of this across the internet in case of his death.

13 posted on 01/07/2005 3:52:30 PM PST by Centurion2000 (Truth, Justice and the Texan Way)
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To: Liz

Democrats will yawn and say, so what. They don't care if Hill's an axe murderer. Her sycophant/handlers will be out in force, spinning this guy as delusional....but it should be quite amusing to say the least.


14 posted on 01/07/2005 3:55:09 PM PST by hershey
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To: hershey
I'll keep an open mind about this. Nobody in the media or the Kerry Campaign thought that the Swiftboat Vets would ever amount to a thing.

They've been making more and more mistakes all the time.

15 posted on 01/07/2005 4:00:52 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: Liz

Stay out of Fort Marcy Park.


16 posted on 01/07/2005 4:01:21 PM PST by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
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To: Liz
Convicted Hollywood fund-raiser Aaron Tonken, who helped organize an August 2000 star-studded tribute to Bill Clinton's presidency that doubled as a fund raiser for Hillary's Senate campaign, is was writing an October-surprise tell-all book that could would have cause[d] trouble for the entire Democratic Party....

...UNTIL he was inexplicably found naked floundering aimlessly in an Arkansas swamp with tires marks on his chest...

17 posted on 01/07/2005 4:04:03 PM PST by F16Fighter
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To: Liz
"When the fun and games were over, the Hollywood moneyman says, he handed out checks to "certain pols" that were "illegal." And he personally witnessed a "brown bag" stuffed with cash going "someplace it shouldn't.""

If this is as specific as he gets, this story is going nowhere.

Not that I think it will go anywhere anyway. The Clintons are immune to this type of charge. There are so many stories of illegal fundraising and cash for favors that it ceases to have any signifigance. People that like them don't care, people that don't like them can't get the law to do anything.

It's more of the same and of no political signifigance.

It is entertaining though.

18 posted on 01/07/2005 4:15:03 PM PST by tjg
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To: shellshocked

Or suicide.....


19 posted on 01/07/2005 4:32:20 PM PST by processing please hold (Islam and Christianity do not mix ----9-11 taught us that)
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To: Liz
I read through every post and out of 19, only one thinks this might cause a problem for Hill. One other prayed that it would. Most expresed concern for Mr. Tonken's saftey. The rest of us blew it off.

Being a cynic in the company of other cynics is depressing.

20 posted on 01/07/2005 4:50:24 PM PST by tjg
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