Posted on 05/26/2005 2:13:19 PM PDT by Libloather
Hillary Clinton's ex-aide no criminal, attorney says
By Laura Wides, Associated Press
The former national finance director for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton may have made a mistake underreporting hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses for a Hollywood fundraiser, but he committed no crime, his attorneys told jurors in closing remarks Wednesday. But prosecutors said David Rosen "was no babe in the woods" and willfully deflated the cost of the fundraiser for Clinton's 2000 New York Senate campaign to skirt federal election laws so the campaign would have more money to spend.
Prosecutors have said Clinton was unaware of any wrongdoing.
They said Rosen should have known that he needed to report things such as the cost of office space, expensive hotels and the use of a Porsche borrowed from a donor. They also said he knew -- or should have known -- that the event, with its professional light and sound system, 30,000 invitations, and performers like Cher, Melissa Ethridge and Toni Braxton would cost more than the $400,000 in "in-kind" contributions reported to the Federal Election Commission.
Rosen, 38, is charged with two counts of causing false statements to be made to the FEC, which oversees campaign contributions. Each count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. His trial is unusual because most FEC allegations are settled out of court.
Earlier Wednesday, Rosen testified that he thought the Porsche he used while in Los Angeles organizing the event was a personal gift.
"I didn't think there was any campaign expense," he testified. "If I executed poor judgment in that decision, I made a mistake, but I certainly didn't intend to hide anything."
Rosen's use of the car and hotel expenses were covered by Aaron Tonken, another fundraiser organizer who is now serving a 63-month prison sentence for separate charges of defrauding charities of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Zeidenberg asked Rosen whether it occurred to him that if someone like Tonken gave him a large gift, he might want something in return.
"No," Rosen replied.
The charges against Rosen don't specifically mention use of the Porsche, but it was one of many allegedly unreported donations detailed during the trial.
It is not illegal for campaigns to accept such in-kind donations, but election law requires such gifts be reported so the public knows who is helping candidates.
Rosen's attorney noted in his closing that at least two of the government's witnesses had received plea deals and said they were not being truthful in their testimony. He lauded his client for testifying and urged jurors to believe Rosen.
"He looked you in the eyes," attorney Paul Sandler said, "You can tell when people lie."
Prosecutors contend Rosen arranged to underreport the roughly $1.1 million cost of the lavish August 2000 dinner and concert to avoid having to repay the expenses with coveted "hard money." The event, held at a 112-acre Brentwood estate, attracted such celebrities as John Travolta, Diana Ross and Muhammad Ali.
Prosecutors said Rosen also feared for his job because of a disastrous fundraising event the previous month that was attended by then-President Clinton and cost about $500,000 more than it brought in.
"This man was not a babe in the woods," Zeidenberg said during his closing. "He's an expert finance director."
Rosen testified that he was focused on speaking with potential donors and generally overseeing the Brentwood event. He denied telling anyone to hide $700,000 in costs and portrayed himself as the victim of others.
He also said he relied on an outside group run by Tonken and Peter Paul that was organizing the event to calculate and document the costs. The figures were then reported to the federal government, he said.
Paul, a three-time convicted felon, pleaded guilty in March to securities fraud charges in a separate case.
Lets say David Rosen is 100% guilty and gets 10 years. Lets say Hillary Rodman Clinton is 100 % guilty. Does she get 10 years - or does she, at least, get treated the same way Tom Delay has been for the past few months?
Little people commit crimes. Clintonistas just make mistakes.
LOL.
The media bias is amazing... a short whitewash on this crime of the century (from a campaign reform perspective) was on page 38 at the bottom in Newsday last week.
Prosecutors have said Clinton was unaware of any wrongdoing.
------
Yeah, like she was/is UNAWARE that her so-called husband spends more time with other women, than he ever did with her. Like she was UNAWARE that her "husband" was selling classified missle control technology to the Chicoms (ChinaGate) for campaign money...like she was UNAWARE (yadda, yadda)....I guess it boils down to what the definition of UNAWARE, is, but I am UNAWARE of that...
Now see, it was all just a big misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about. Move along folks, move along.
Clerical error. Happens to me at least a few times every week.
ABC CBS NBC CNN its all the SAME, Propaganda.
Might as well call them all AmeriJazerra.
Show them how much Gravitas Hugh Bris has. Vote with your remote! Shut down the Alphabet channels.
He's Got A Plan
Zippo Hero
Seven Dead Monkeys Page O Tunes
It's a simple rule really. I think they teach it in Journalism 101:
If a Democrat commits a crime...it's really just a mistake and that needs to be explained to the unwashed masses. If a Republican makes a mistake...it must be a crime and needs to be placed on the top of the front page immediately.
Rosen must have been drinkin Gore's iced tea.
Rosen has been in this business a long time. For some pretty big hitters.
It doesn't pass the smell/laff/giggle test.
The Hildabeaste is an anal sociopath.
I feel certain she knew exactly what was happening. Truth be told (when He11 freezes over :), she probably approved it.
Some of my favs (found these on a Google SNAFU search) -
"If a President of the United States ever lied to the American people he should resign." - Bill Clinton in 1974.
"The most ethical administration in the history of the Republic." - Bill Clinton.
"Nearly everyone will lie to you given the right circumstances." - Bill Clinton.
"If a President of the United States ever lied to the American people he should resign." - Bill Clinton running for US Representative in 1974.
"No question that an admission of making false statements to government officials and interfering with the FBI is an impeachable offense." - Bill Clinton, 1974 quoted in the Arkansas Gazette.
"I'm just trying to suppress my natural impulses and get back to work." - Bill Clinton commenting on the Lewinsky scandal.
"For four years we've been cooperating exhaustively" - Bill Clinton.
"I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky" - Bill Clinton.
"I'm not going to parse the statement. You've got the statement I made earlier and the statement speaks for itself." - Mike McCurry explaining how the president defines improper in 'improper relation'.
"I don't remember" - Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton.
"I'm sorry. I don't recall" - Hillary Clinton.
"It is inconceivable that anyone could say we have tried to hide anything" - Bill Clinton.
"I didn't realize I was in a Buddhist temple." - Algore
"$100,000 donors buy access to Congress and the White House. We believe it's long past time to clean up Washington." - Bill Clinton.
"He has denied what has happened. His sworn statements have denied what has happened." - Patricia Schroeder.
"Seeing the interview was even more compelling than seeing the words on paper. I have to say she has a great deal of credibility'' - Patricia Ireland commenting on the Kathleen Willey '60 Mintutes' interview.
"Maybe there'll be a simple, innocent explanation. I don't think so, because I think we would have offered that up already." - Mike McCurry.
"For anybody willing to find it, and write about it, and explain it, is this vast right-wing conspiracy that has been conspiring against my husband since the day he announced for President." - Hillary Clinton.
"An innocent bureaucratic snafu" - Bill Clinton attempting to explain what 900 GOP FBI files were doing in the White House.
"When you get asked hundreds of questions, it's not possible to remember the answer to every one." - Bill Clinton.
The Lewinsky matter "constituted a critical lapse in judgment and a personal failure on my part for which I am solely responsible" - Bill Clinton.
"I misled people, including even my wife" - Bill Clinton explaining the Lewinsky scandal. Clinton revealed the relationship to Hillary only days before testifying.
"I was also very concerned about protecting my family" - Bill Clinton in the Lewinsky address.
"In addition I had real and serious questions about an independent counsel investigation that began with private business dealings twenty years ago" - Bill Clinton in the Lewinsky address.
"It is time to stop personal destruction and prying into private lives" - Bill Clinton in the Lewinsky address.
"It depends on what the meaning of the word is is. If the...if he...if is means is and never has been, that is not - that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement" - Bill Clinton.
"I have never had sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky. I've never had an affair with her." - Bill Clinton under oath in the Paula Jones deposition.
Given the court definition, her testimony indicated that what they did met the test of the definition of sex.
Too bad reporter Wides left out the prosecutor's statement that, had Reggie and Levin committed perjury, their plea deals would be vacated and they would serve more time. They had no incentive to lie. Rosen did.
Apparently Wides has her "eyes Wides shut" to what has really been going on here. I can safely state that she has never read the civil complaint.
Is the creation of a phony receipt at a fraction of the real cost a crime or a mistake?
Is lying about a meeting with Stan Lee Media general counsel David Madden and Peter Paul, in which it was made absolutely clear that the underwrite of the event was Paul and not SLM, perjury or a mistake? Rosen lied when he testified that the meeting never took place. What motive did the general counsel have to lie?
But you did show at least one Big Media co-conspirator the 50 page civil suit. Nice job. Keep up the good work! (And I'm not kidding...)
"Little people commit crimes. Clintonistas just make mistakes."
Yep, and the rotten leftist MSM keep protecting their darlings. ...actually, it may be Satan himself that's protecting them.
How about an update Doug. Is it at all likely that Hillary will face any legal jeopardy at all, or is it too early to say?
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