Replies

Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Advisor, testified before the committee today. He said that during the 1996 campaign there was no adequate screening of White House visitors done.

SEN. FRED THOMPSON, Chairman, Senate Governmental Affairs Committee (To Berger): There for a while there’s really an unbelievable string of events taking place. You had an individual by the name of Wong June, chairman of the Chinese International Trust & Investment Company, an arms manufacturing company, which is run by the People’s Liberation Army, connected to a plan to smuggle assault rifles into the United States, attended a coffee with the President in February of ‘96. Ning Lap Sing, Mr. Wu, head of real estate development conglomerate with--from Macao. It’s a notorious place where a lot of at least gambling racketeering is going on. Roger Tamraz, who we have talked to, over really the objections of the NSC, managed to get into the White House I believe six times, including seeing a movie with the President. Gregory LaShinksy, international businessman linked to organized crime in Russia and the smuggling of nuclear materials, drug smuggling and money laundering, attended the dinner with the President in October of 1993, and I take it that you were not aware of this disturbing pattern of activities and--but I also assume that had you been aware, you would have been interested, or the NSC would have been interested in checking on who these individuals were and whether or not there were any adverse implications to there being with the President or the Vice President.

KWAME HOLMAN: Berger said he was unaware Hotung’s wife had pledged a $100,000 contribution to the Democratic Party at about the same time he was asked to meet with Hotung.

SEN. FRED THOMPSON: It was apparently worth $100,000 to him to have a photograph taken with the No. 2 person at the NSC. I think that’s--

SAMUEL BERGER: Mr. Chairman, I really--I can’t accept that conclusion, first of all. I don’t know the facts. But, you know, I’ve looked at the documents, and my impression is that he actually had already decided to give before any meeting with me came up...............Excerpt

I would also like to know to whom his phone records show he was making calls when in the library cramming papers into his clothing and dismissing library personnel. This had to be important to risk his position or he never would have committed this crime.