Bush Prosecutor Nixes Bombshell Rosen Tape

NewsMax ^ | 5/18/05

[areafiftyone]

In a surprise move that shocked even the judge at the trial of Hillary's Clinton's former finance director, David Rosen - prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg announced yesterday that he would not introduce the government's strongest evidence that Rosen was guilty - the Hillary aide's own tape recorded admission implicating him in election fraud.

"The government does not intend to introduce the tape or elicit any testimony from the witness about that conversation," Zeidenberg told Judge A. Howard Matz.

Judge Matz was stunned by Zeidenberg's announcement, and hinted that the Bush prosecutor was throwing away his case.

"You couldn't keep [the tape] out," an incredulous Matz protested. "I wouldn't let you keep it out."

But eventually the Clinton appointed judge relented, saying he said he would allow Zeidenberg to file a "real pithy" argument in lieu of introducing the Rosen tape.

The Bush prosecutor went so far as to trash the Rosen audiotape, arguing that it was "hearsay," and requesting that Judge Matz bar even the defense from referencing it.

The explosive recording, made by Kennedy in-law Raymond Reggie during Sept. 2002 meeting with Rosen at a Chicago steakhouse, substantiated allegations by Rosen's chief accusers, Hollywood mogul Peter Paul and fundraiser Aaron Token, that Rosen deliberately understated the costs of an August 2000 gala fundraiser for Mrs. Clinton.

According to excerpts of the tape mentioned in an FBI affidavit, Rosen acknowledged to Reggie that the concert portion of the event may have cost $1 million or more. Rosen later reported costs to federal regulators of $400,000.

The Reggie tape also reportedly contains bombshell comments by Rosen suggesting that a top Democratic donor supplied prostitutes to "Clinton loyalists" - and even an account suggesting that then-President Clinton wanted to get in on the action.

News that the Bush Justice Department has decided to deep-six it's best evidence against Rosen improves his chances for acquittal - and dramatically lessens the pressure on him to implicate higher-ups in additional crimes.

The Bush administration has a long history of abandoning prosecutions against top Clinton figures. Just last month, Noel Hillman - head of the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section - declined to prosecute former national security advisor Sandy Berger for his admitted theft of top secret terrorism documents, some of which he destroyed.

Instead, Berger was allowed to plead guilty to a one count misdemeanor of unauthorized removal of classified material. Hillman recommended that he serve no jail time, and instead pay a $10,000 fine.

Hillman's signature appears on Rosen's indictment.

In 2003, the Bush Justice Department dropped a compelling case against Mrs. Clinton, despite credible allegations that she traded votes in Hasidic enclave of New Square, New York for presidential clemency that was granted to four village leaders.

Though New York's Hasidic community overwhelmingly backed her opponent Rick Lazio in 2000, New Square voted for Hillary by a staggering margin of 1400 to 12.

In 2002, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York dropped an even more compelling case against former first brother Roger Clinton, who was accused of accepting bribes in exchange for presidential pardons.

In its first month in office, the Bush Justice Department struck a deal with Indonesian billionaire Mochtar Riady, who had funneled millions of dollars in illegal foreign donations into Clinton campaign coffers.

Riady was ordered to pay an $8 million dollar fine and perform community service in his home city of Jakarta, where U.S. officials had no jurisdiction to enforce the sentence.

The Bush family has grown increasingly close to Mr. Clinton over the last year - especially since Bush 41 teamed up with Mr. Clinton in tsunami relief efforts. Recent reports claim that President Bush and his brother Jeb now refer to the former president as "Bubba" and "Bro."

In his opening statement in the Rosen trial, prosecutor Zeidenberg promised he would take great pains not to implicate Mrs. Clinton in any wrongdoing, telling the court:

"You will hear no evidence that Hillary Clinton was involved in any way shape or form. In fact, it's just the opposite. The evidence will show that David Rosen was trying to keep this evidence from the campaign."

[b4its2late]

Champagne's uncorked in Chappaqua.....

[yoe]

Something just isn't right here. Hillary is not to be embarrassed about anything or accout for any wrong doing on her part? Sandy Berger is let off after filching/stealing highly sensitive documents from the National Archives? Nor do I believe GWB or Jeb would call Bill Clinton Bro - I have to hear that from their own mouths to believe it! Soneone is pulling our legs..........

[who_would_fardels_bear]

"The "Illuminati are in control of both the Clintons and the Bushes" conspiracy freeks should be working overtime on this one."

The Republicans and Democrats don't consult the Illuminati.

They get their marching orders from the Dimminati.

[Nick Danger]

I swear, this place is getting more and more like the DU everyday.

There is no reason to insult the fine people at DU.

I think we may have to consider the possibility that someone has figured out a way to send a Stupid Stick through the FreepMail. I'm not opening any more of mine until I find out what's going on here. I've seen stupid threads before, but a thread where virtually every on it is a blithering idiot is unusual, to say the least.

Maybe this is like that episode of Star Trek where everybody is putting on those glasses and getting weird on us, and it's up to us to figure it out and save the Enterprise.

[eureka!]

Here's the reason the prosecutor does not want to introduce the tape: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1406202/posts

[ravingnutter]

We all know who the informant is now, but this bit of additional info I found in a search on the Prosecutor is interesting:

While the informant's work for the FBI on Mr. Rosen's case dates back to 2002, the agency continued to work closely with the witness through the end of 2004, court documents indicate. The November 2004 filing indicates the FBI was planning to use the informant in an investigation of "a prominent political figure who may be involved in illegally soliciting foreign nationals to contribute to national political campaigns." The target of the inquiry was suspected of "funneling illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals to individuals running for federal office."

There is no indication in the documents whether the "prominent political figure" who may have been soliciting illegal gifts from foreigners is the same person to whom the informant is related.

The same unidentified informant was also being asked to record phone calls with targets of an investigation into alleged political corruption in Louisiana, the court filing late last year said. That scheme involved a state senator and a "fraudulent contract worth five million dollars," prosecutors asserted.

Source

Also of interest is the fact that I cannot find a bio on this prosecutor anywhere. Is he really a "Bush prosecutor" or was he appointed by someone else? If we could find that info, it would shed some light on his agenda.

[r9etb]

What's this about? Any ideas?

Unike the reflexive knee-jerkers on this and all similar threads, I rather doubt that the prosecutor is taking a dive here. It's a surprising move, certainly, which makes me think there's a different game afoot here.

IMHO they're cutting a deal here, in order to support a different case. This tape implicates a lot of people -- and as such is germane to more than one case. It may well be more useful in a different trial of, say, one Hillary Clinton. (Well, we can hope....)

[r9etb]

need to see a better description than NewsMax has provided here

LOL! Only after the fact did I realize that it was a NewsWhacks story ... an automatic whack on the knuckles for me, and an auto-ignore on the article itself.

[eureka!]

Read the story and link at post #85, above. This prosecutor is doing the right thing in not using the tape. In this case. Hehehehe....

[ravingnutter]

I saw that previously. My interest was peaked from this para in the post I just made:

The November 2004 filing indicates the FBI was planning to use the informant in an investigation of "a prominent political figure who may be involved in illegally soliciting foreign nationals to contribute to national political campaigns." The target of the inquiry was suspected of "funneling illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals to individuals running for federal office."

Could there be another trial coming up for Hillary concerning foreign donations? Could it have something to do with Tendo Oto contributing to this gala? Inquiring minds would like to know... : )

If she could be brought down on a more serious foreign donations charge, it would explain why they are not persuing her in this case.

[eureka!]

I saw your post too, but in my hasty read did not register the Tendo Oto connection. Well done. Speculation I saw from earlier discussions on the foreign $$ side was looking at the Kept Ketchup Boy's campaign (due in part to Fat Teddy's connection to the wire wearing Reggie). In any event, Rosen is just the beginning. *big freakin' smile creasing my face*

[cyncooper]

The Judge said last week that this trial will not be about Hillary Clinton. We already know she is riding free and clear on this. TYPICAL!

Oh, simmer down.

You need to subscribe to read more, but here's the tantalizing beginning to an article from The Sun:

Rosen Trial Zeroes In on Gala Costs

excerpt:

While the judge in the trial of a former top fund-raiser for Senator Clinton has vowed not to allow the case to dwell on President Clinton and his wife, the Clintons loomed over the proceedings yesterday - literally, on a 6-foot-tall video screen.

The Clintons, who are not expected to testify as witnesses at the trial of Mrs. Clinton's former finance chief, David Rosen, appeared repeatedly in a video prosecutors played of the August 12, 2000, fund-raising gala at the heart of the case.

~snip~

BTW, Ray Reggie is cooperating in other investigations, too, so I'm inclined to trust the prosecutorial judgement.

In addition, I find NewsMax's breathless attempt to link President Bush behind every strategy decision to be stupid in addition to disgusting.

[cyncooper]

I swear, this place is getting more and more like the DU everyday. Conspiracy theories abound.

High five, Joe. You are so correct.

Discussing facts is fun. I hope we all can return to that function and set aside handwringing wailing and gnashing at the least provocation.

[cyncooper]

I'm stunned, and just can't understand how such a thing could happen.

Then my advice is to not accept the report at face value and continue reading other articles to get a true handle on what's going on in that courtroom.

[Mark Hamilton]

So far I have read NOTHING that justifies the prosecutorial conduct. These facts speak for themselves:

1) A tape can be used over and over in any trial - no read to exclude it.

2) The prosecutor, after filing charges, is now willing to risk his case in order to protect the Clintons, he said as much.

3) Even the JUDGE is shocked, and nearly ordered the moron to use it...leaving a quip that "I'll leave room for the Prosecutors pithy arguement".

4) Rosen is HAPPY, no doubt. Why should he turn state's witness? He may beat the rap, without blaming Hillary.

HOW STUPID DO YOU THINK WE ARE? I have never believed in power elite conspiracies, and laughed when other rightwingers promoted it. Now what do we have:

Hillary and McCain Chummy
Hillary and Newt Chummy
The Clintons and Bush family Chummy
The Bush's dealing lightly with Clinton related crimes

Fool me once (twice, three times) shame on you. Fool me four times, I'm an idiot.

It must be power elites...no other reason.

[doug from upland]

This smells like the Black Sox scandal.

[jeremiah]

What people do instead of debating around here anymore, is call you a newbie, tell you to go back to DU, or stick their heads back in the sand. There is no way to hold a President accountable, unless his base will scrutinize his actions just like he was a member of the opposition. Once upon a time, Presidents, Congressman and Senators acted within the confines of their conscience between elections, now they run for re-election 24/7/365, and seldom consider the good of the nation.

[JoeV1]

"I simply asked you a question. No need to resort to name calling."

You did not "simply" ask me a question. You accused me of being a know it all. It was I who simply asked the question. And believe me, you can be called a lot worse the 'brain trust'.

[Lancey Howard]

News that the Bush Justice Department has decided to deep-six it's best evidence against Rosen improves his chances for acquittal - and dramatically lessens the pressure on him to implicate higher-ups in additional crimes.

Either somebody cut a deal or somebody has some really good dirt.

[WillRain]

ditto