NYT: Prosecutor Says Fund-Raiser for Clinton Took Secret Gifts -- the price of access to Clinton

New York Times ^ | May 26, 2005 | LESLIE EATON

[OESY]

As the trial of Hillary Rodham Clinton's former chief fund-raiser drew to a close, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday that the defendant, David F. Rosen, had accepted lavish, secret gifts that were "clearly meant to buy influence and access."

That contention came during the prosecution's closing arguments at the trial of Mr. Rosen, the national finance director for Mrs. Clinton's 2000 Senate campaign, who faces two counts of causing false filings to be made to the Federal Election Commission. If convicted, Mr. Rosen, 38, could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.

Much of the trial has focused on technical campaign-finance reporting matters, and on who knew what about the costs of a fund-raiser for Mrs. Clinton, called the Hollywood Gala Salute to President William Jefferson Clinton.

The prosecution said that the event cost more than $1.1 million, and that Mr. Rosen told compliance officers in Washington that the expenses were at most about $400,000. Mr. Rosen has said that he was misled about the costs by its promoters; in testimony on Wednesday, he said that if he had "exercised poor judgment," he had not intended to deceive anyone.

But a lawyer for the Justice Department, Daniel A. Schwager, said more bluntly than before in the two-and-a-half-week trial that an organizer of the event, Aaron Tonken, had tried to buy access to the Clintons through Mr. Rosen. Mr. Tonken allowed Mr. Rosen to use his $80,000 Porsche 911 convertible and arranged and paid for his stay at the Beverly Hills Hotel, which Mr. Schwager called "one of the swankiest hotels in L.A."

"David Rosen knew that Aaron Tonken was getting invitations to the White House," Mr. Schwager said. Mr. Tonken is currently serving 63 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud in connection with his fund-raising....

[OESY]

Mr. Rosen has said that he was misled about the costs by its promoters; in testimony on Wednesday, he said that if he had "exercised poor judgment," he had not intended to deceive anyone.

That's rich, and a major reason why campaign finance laws simply don't work, can't be enforced in timely fashion, are unfairly administered, and abridge the freedom of speech in violation of the First Amendment, IMHO.

Meanwhile, the New York Times leads the media in burying this story on page B4 of the NY Metro section, despite the fact the trial is taking place in Los Angeles and has serious national implications for the lead Democrat candidate in the 2008 presidential primaries, a person who has repeatedly shown she has legal and ethical difficulties.

[Peach]

Ping

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Rosen trial ping!

[sarasotarepublican]

So what, she will still come out of this unscathed. The demcorats will still support her no matter what. Look, they elected her Senator.

Her husband, Slick Willy, rapped his way to the White House. And still they condemn Nixon. The democrats are a corrupt enterprise.

[Mikey_1962]

Just more of the collateral damage the Clintons ALWAYS leave in their wake.

[Gay State Conservative]

Message to Mr Rosen...Google the phrases "Arkansas Amnesia" and "out of control prosecutor".Once completed,embrace at least one of those phrases as your own.Doing so will ensure that you get 10 years at Leavenworth.Not doing so will ensure much harsher consequences.

[WorkingClassFilth]

There is nothing in the world that is going to rectify this problem except principled men that bring consequences home to evil doers. At this time, few, if any, exist even in the Republican Party. The immediate deals and make-peace efforts on behalf of the Bush administration towards the krinton regime signaled the complete lack of will that will plague us until catastrophic events demand change or destroy us.

The media, of course, have nothing to gain and everything to lose in exposing and pursuing this corruption since they greedily licked up the excrescence oozing from the krinton White House. With their already flabby credibility in sharp decline, they would be the last ones to reveal the fact that they have been little more than sleepy bisexual whores leaving the East wing for the press room everyday of X42's reign and simple camp followers since.

This flap - and that is exactly what propaganda has determined it is - will quietly go away and be nothing more than another footnote in small type and unread. The establishment in Washington is not interested in anything except bold headlines and, of course, the press controls that.

[truthkeeper]

The trail of bodies grows yet the Teflon Princess remains untouchable.

[truthkeeper]

The immediate deals and make-peace efforts on behalf of the Bush administration towards the krinton regime signaled the complete lack of will that will plague us until catastrophic events demand change or destroy us.

Damn straight. This whole "new tone" thing made me queasy from the get-go.

[The Electrician]

Remember how the NY Times drew up an elaborate diagram purporting to illustrate the links between the key players in the Swift Boat Veterans group and influential Republicans and Bush supporters? Don't hold your breath waiting for a similar diagram showing links between the Clintons and the accused, or between Raymond Reggie and Ted Kennedy...

[The Electrician]

BTW, that chart may be seen here.

[johnny7]

When doing the 'money-thing' for the Clinton's, it's only a matter of time before you become another 'tragic-story'.

Web Hubbell, Susan McDougal, Vince Foster, Ron Brown, Johnny Chung... even Dick Morris, in a way, had their lives affected by this despicable laisson from hell.

Morris, it seems, now makes his living crying about the screwing he recieved from the evil duo. Countless others have been bruised, battered and... murdered(?) on their dirt-road to high-office.

As the Bonny & Clyde of American politics continue on merry way... David Rosen scratches his head on the side of the road and mutters

'Wha happened?!

[longfellow]

Bill Klinton, the cumback kid.

[sarasotarepublican]

Bill Klinton, the cumback kid.

LOL! A great play on words to descript this disgusting human being.

[longfellow]

There's a poster I would like to see at a book signing for "my lies."

[sarasotarepublican]

Wouldn't that be refreshing. My Lies would have been the proper name for his book.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Thanks for the ping!

BUMP!

[doug from upland]

Rosen has tried to put on a happy face, but his lips were clenched on the stand. While sitting next to Sandler, he was rubbing his hands and fingers very nervously. I think he knows that he and Melissa will have separate residences for awhile.

[Peach]

I wish this was on Court TV for all of us to follow so closely. Despite your good reporting, there's just nothing like seeing it all unfold on television or in person.

[doug from upland]

Yep. You have to be there in person to really get a feel for it.