Indictments Mount for Hillary Aides

NewsMax ^ | 5/15/05 | Carl Limbacher

[wagglebee]

A mounting number of aides, advisors and fundraisers for New York Sen. Hillary Clinton have faced criminal prosecution in recent months, conjuring up memories of her ethically challenged past just as Democrats begin to focus on the former first lady as their probable 2008 presidential nominee.

Though press coverage of the trial of Sen. Clinton's finance director, David Rosen, was sparse last week, the case has brought attention to the prosecutions of at least three more Clinton fundraisers.

And that's on top of the plea bargain reached with the Justice Department in March by a senior foreign policy advisor to the former first lady.

Five members of Mrs. Clinton's inner circle now face indictment, trial or have pled guilty to an array or crimes, with the news of the prosecutorial deluge emerging in just the last few months.

* David Rosen, who served as Mrs. Clinton's finance director, is currently on trial in Los Angeles on charges that he cooked the books for her 2000 Senate campaign. If convicted on the three counts of fraud cited in his indictment, Rosen faces 15 years in jail and/or $250,000 in fines.

* James Levin, who was a top fundraiser for Mr. and Mrs. Clinton and served as the White House liaison for other fundraisers during Mrs. Clinton's 2000 Senate race, revealed on Thursday that he was cooperating with prosecutors in Rosen's case after being accused of defrauding the Chicago public school system.

* Raymond Reggie, who helped raise $100,000 for Mrs. Clinton 2000 Senate campaign, was indicted in April on bank fraud and conspiracy charges. In exchange for leniency, Reggie agreed to tape record Clinton campaign insiders about illicit fundraising activities. He faces up to five years in jail and fines.

* Aaron Tonken, who helped organize several fundraisers for Mrs. Clinton that collected over $1.5 million, agreed in 2002 to cooperate with the FBI investigation into Mrs. Clinton's campaign.

A close friend of Mrs. Clinton who lavished gifts on her aides and visited the White House seven times in 2000 alone; Mr. Tonken's is currently serving a 63 month jail sentence. The Justice Department has yet to release other details of his plea arrangement.

* Sandy Berger, who served as Mr. Clinton's national security advisor and who continues to advise Mrs. Clinton, pled guilty in April to the theft and destruction of top secret documents related to the 9/11 Commission investigation. Because of the political sensitivity of Berger's crime, he was let off with a $10,000 fine and a three-year suspension of his security clearance.

As recently as February, Berger was advising Mrs. Clinton, with the New York Times revealing that he helped her prepare an address to a national security conference in Germany.

Since taking office, Sen. Clinton's star had been on the rise, with Democrats encouraged over polls suggesting she had shed her reputation for ethical controversy. But the renewed swirl of scandal, punctuated by one indictment after another, "has some top party bosses feeling nervous," the U.K. Observer reported on Sunday.

"This sort of thing just serves to remind people of the Nineties scandals like Whitewater and the Monica Lewinsky affair," University of California political scientist Shaun Bowler told the paper.

Bowler added, "Some Democrats have short memories - but I don't think that a lot of American voters do."

[wagglebee]

Though press coverage of the trial of Sen. Clinton's finance director, David Rosen, was sparse last week, the case has brought attention to the prosecutions of at least three more Clinton fundraisers.

The press is pretending it's not even happening.

[kingattax]

when are people finally going to get it ?

Laws, rules, morals, ethics, etc. are for OTHER people and NOT the royal clintoons

[Txsleuth]

Well, according to the judge and DA in the case in California, Hillary has absolutely NO connection to this!!!

But, her HUSBAND, may be called as a witness---

What a complete farce this is----

[lilylangtree]

One way for the whole mess to go away is to do the usual clintoon thing; permanently eliminate all that's involved.

[stylin19a]

Does it bother anybody(MSM) that the woman who wasn't aware, and doesn't know what's going on in her inner circle, is being touted for president?

[nothingnew]

A few will be martyred. Nothing of importance will come of this. Every 4 to 8 years, the good cop/bad cop scenario changes. nothingnew here.

FMCDH(BITS)

[RavenATB]

"But, her HUSBAND, may be called as a witness---

What a complete farce this is----"

Her husband is still working on the meaning of "is"...

[26lemoncharlie]

I wonder if some of these "Aides' realize their predecessors had a habit of disappearing ?

[wagglebee]

I wonder if some of these "Aides' realize their predecessors had a habit of disappearing ?

The lucky ones get prison cells, the others get taken on a ride to Fort Marcy Park or something similar.

[Nick Danger]

Well, according to the judge and DA in the case in California, Hillary has absolutely NO connection to this!!!

Umm, that's because the person on trial there is David Rosen.

Would you expect the prosecutor in United States v Rosen to open his case by telling the jury that somebody else did it?

What the judge said is that "Mrs. Clinton will not be called to testify in the case." That would be because neither the prosecutor nor the defense counsel plans to call her. It is not because the judge has an opinion on whether there might someday be a case called United States v Clinton.

I wish people would stop acting as if they think Hillary Clinton is supposed to be found guilty in David Rosen's trial. That only happens on TV. In the real world, the only person who can be found guilty in David Rosen's trial is David Rosen.

Please await the start of Paul v Clintons, coming soon to a different Los Angeles courtroom, where Hillary Clinton (and Bill too) will be "Defendant."

[jws3sticks]

"People are known by the company they keep"

[expatpat]

Some get both, like Jim McDougal.

[26lemoncharlie]

Didn't one of them commit suicide by beheading himself?!!

[Txsleuth]

I am sorry---I was led to believe that the judge said more than just that she wouldn't be called to testify--or maybe I read what DFU has been posting and Hannity has been saying.

Do you know why Bill Clinton could be called as a witness?

[tjg]

"where Hillary Clinton (and Bill too) will be "Defendant.""

Maybe. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Houdini Clinton haven't had to answere for a thing in their whole lives. It's true there is a first for everything. But I doubt this is it. Civil suits are easily settled or dismissed.

[InABunkerUnderSF]

Has the press asked "What did the Senator know and when did she know it?"

Seems a fair question given the history.

[tjg]

"where Hillary Clinton (and Bill too) will be "Defendant.""

Maybe. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Houdini Clinton haven't had to answere for a thing in their whole lives. It's true there is a first for everything. But I doubt this is it. Civil suits are easily settled or dismissed.

[doug from upland]

No, Hillary will not testity in the Rosen case. The prosecution doesn't need her. Why Bill would be called to testify, I'm not sure. Character witness? But why would anyone rely on a known perjurer to be your characte witness?

Bill was at the event, after all. He might know something of value other than breast size of the female guests.

[yldstrk]

And where does the rotten trail lead, I wonder?

[BIGZ]

Dean screams that DeLay should be in jail?