Posted on 03/24/2005 11:20:38 AM PST by NormsRevenge
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A federal judge dismissed a criminal charge against the former finance director of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2000 election campaign who is charged with filing false campaign statements.
U.S. District Judge A. Howard Matz dropped one of four charges in an indictment against David Rosen, ruling Wednesday that prosecutors used an invoice from a Hollywood gala as the basis for two counts.
In January, Rosen pleaded innocent to charges of filing fictitious campaign reports with the Federal Election Commission that understated contributions for an August 2000 fund-raiser that honored then-President Bill Clinton.
Prosecutors said the event cost more than $1.2 million but Rosen reported contributions of about $400,000.
If convicted on three remaining counts, Rosen could face as many as 15 years in prison.
The judge refused to dismiss the entire case after Rosen argued it should have been filed in Washington, D.C., where his attorneys said the campaign statements were filed.
However, Matz said Rosen could submit another dismissal motion on other grounds, including why prosecutors kept the indictment under seal after it was returned by a grand jury in 2003. The indictment was unsealed in January.
Prosecutors have said they waited more than a year to unseal the indictment to protect a cooperating witness.
Sen. Rodham Clinton was not charged in the case.
Good week to do it. Nobody's even going to notice.
Wonder who appointed this judge.
Our system is broken beyond repair.
U.S. District Judge A. Howard Matz
Clinton appointee - 1998
yep.
We ARE in a state of anarchy. Judicial Anarchy.
Set him free - and put the real criminals in prison... and put them in the same cell. It'd give Bill a chance to get even for all the abuse he had to endure on Jib-Jab.
Well...A Clinton is as a Clinton does.
I'm shocked, I tell you. Shocked.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.