"I suspect that this is another case of a senator
hyperventilating on a Sunday talk show. But if he
has information or knowledge, factual knowledge
of that, he should come forth and produce it."

White House Spokesperson Mike McCurry

March, 1997

As early as 1991, the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) had evidence that China was attempting to influence political elections.1 According to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., "FBI agents first approached her in 1991 or 1992 to caution her that China might try to funnel money into her campaign."2

By 1995, the FBI knew of at least 6 members of Congress who were targeted by China. "Evidence of Chinese efforts to influence congressional races was first discovered by U.S. intelligence agencies in the spring of 1995, as Congress prepared to vote on renewal of China's most-favored-nation status, a U.S. government designation providing substantial trade benefits."3

In June of 1996, the FBI warned the 6 "targeted" Congressmen (reportedly Republicans and Democrats), as well as "two officials of the White House National Security Council that China might be trying to influence congressional races."4 President Clinton said "that he and his senior staff were not told."5

"Then, in December 1996, the Justice Department task force discovered a second aspect of Chinese attempts to influence U.S. elections. Two weeks after the task force was created, investigators began…systematically analyzing a large volume of sensitive foreign intelligence information"6 previously collected "but not carefully scrutinized."7

"The review showed that in the early weeks of 1995, Chinese representatives developed what U.S. officials described as ‘a plan’ to spend nearly $2 million to buy influence, not only in Congress but also within the Clinton administration."8

When the "Campaign Finance Scandal" broke, FBI Director Louie Freeh advised that he would not release any information about the Bureau’s investigation to anyone connected with the White House or Congress.9 While Freeh was on duty in Saudi Arabia, Charles Ruff, the White House Counsel, requested information from the FBI about China and the campaign finance scandal allegations.10

"In his absence, Attorney General Janet Reno and [Deputy Attorney General Jamie] Gorelick asked the Justice Department's criminal division and Freeh's top deputies to decide whether any information could be turned over to the White House."11

"After preparing several versions of a response, several [FBI] officials described the result as a ‘plain vanilla’ report that contained little information beyond accounts already described in news articles on the suspected influence scheme by the Chinese. The broad outlines of the effort [were] gleaned from conversations intercepted by the National Security Agency, the secretive federal intelligence unit that eavesdrops on global communications."12

"But before the Justice Department turned the report over to the White House, Bryant telephoned Freeh, who objected to releasing any information. The reply was held until Freeh discussed the matter with Reno. They agreed to send the White House copies of documents like the briefing materials the FBI had given to two national Security Council aides in June 1996, when the issue first arose at the White House."13

"Ruff [was] responsible for supervising the defense of the president in the inquiries into campaign fund-raising and some FBI officials feared his request could be interpreted as an attempt to learn how much information the FBI had collected."14

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