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Donor Hsu projected wealth, likability
LATimes ^ | September 16, 2007 | Claudia Blume and Mike Saccone and Janet Lundblad

Posted on 09/16/2007 1:24:07 AM PDT by CutePuppy

Associates describe the disgraced Democratic fundraiser as charming and self-effacing, but deceptive.

Last year, to celebrate New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's reelection victory, Norman Hsu capped an amazingly successful year as a Democratic fundraiser by treating members of her campaign staff to several days at the glitzy Mandalay Bay hotel and casino in Las Vegas, complete with free show tickets and dinners at posh restaurants.

.....

For all who did business with Hsu, the pattern is remarkably consistent: an initial attraction to a likable individual who offered the moon, followed by disillusionment and feelings of betrayal -- sometimes tinged with embarrassment at having been gullible.

Many questions remain about Hsu's often murky career. How could he rise to such heights, given that he had been a fugitive on a felony grand-theft charge since 1992? Why did no one ever dig into the background of a benefactor who seemed to emerge from nowhere? Exactly where did the hundreds of thousands of dollars that he showered on politicians come from?

And how was Hsu able to continue organizing multimillion-dollar financial schemes despite a trail of business failures and disappointed, often accusatory, investors? After all, he had no obvious source of income and had gone bankrupt twice.

.....

Even as he was ingratiating himself, Hsu used his ready access to the world of celebrity politics to enhance his credibility with potential business investors. And some investors said he or his associates pressured them to make campaign contributions, further cementing Hsu's standing in the political world.

Several investors admitted they were agog when Hsu took them to fundraising parties with the likes of Barbra Streisand and Steven Spielberg.

.....

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: clintons; donors; elections; hillary; hsu; ratcrime
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To: Calpernia

Probably the deal with trafficers is the human cargo can board the boat.......after they sign up to vote Democrat.


81 posted on 09/16/2007 10:41:40 AM PDT by Liz (It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong. Voltaire)
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To: Eroteme

From your lips to God’s ears!


82 posted on 09/16/2007 10:50:52 AM PDT by Suzy Quzy (Hillary '08...Her PHONINESS is REAL!!!)
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To: Liz

That’s one of my thoughts, yes.


83 posted on 09/16/2007 11:02:20 AM PDT by Calpernia (Hunters Rangers - Raising the Bar of Integrity http://www.barofintegrity.us)
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To: Liz

LOL!

It may....ah Hsu! : )


84 posted on 09/16/2007 11:03:49 AM PDT by nicmarlo
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To: CutePuppy

Follow the money.


85 posted on 09/16/2007 11:09:33 AM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham (Elections have consequences.)
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To: Liz; Calpernia; Enchante

Sorry for circular reference, was in a rush, about to leave.

Should be : http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1896917/posts


86 posted on 09/16/2007 11:11:34 AM PDT by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
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To: CutePuppy
["He was arrested Sept. 6 in Grand Junction, Colo., after he became ill on an eastbound train and was taken to a hospital."

"A letter Hsu sent by FedEx the day he disappeared suggested he may have planned to commit suicide."]

He's lucky to be alive. My advice would be for him to stay out of Ft. Marcy Park.

87 posted on 09/16/2007 11:17:26 AM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham (Elections have consequences.)
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To: Eroteme

That’s what impressed me as well - the scope of number of people and amounts of money involved, all somehow generated and recirculated within short period of time by one guy, Norman Hsu.

This is not just one laundry machine, it’s a laundromat where Hsu’s (and those like him) get the money as “investments” or “loans” from rich “donors” (who themselves may be getting them through business transactions from foreign interests or “Soros”-type interests) and launder them into political campaigns through small donations from “little people”.

And to top it off, “investors” can write off the “investment” or “bad debt” on the loans, and Hsu (the intermediary) is at arm’s length from whoever (person, organization or country) financed the “investor” in the first place, so he can be a scapegoat in case something went wrong, and everybody else is the victim. So everybody gets what they want - campaign gets the laundered money, and layers of “investors” and intermediaries get some money and political influence in the process.

How many other laundromats are out there?


88 posted on 09/16/2007 11:31:53 AM PDT by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
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To: Calpernia

Anybody seen the Paw Family lately? They apparently donated their entire annual income to Mrs. Clinton (via Hsu).


89 posted on 09/16/2007 11:40:35 AM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham (Elections have consequences.)
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Humor break. This guy is funny:

http://www.azconservative.org/Semmens1.htm
Democratic Presidential Candidates to Conduct Criminal Background Checks of Major Donors

The scandal surrounding the illegal campaign donations to Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) by suicidal fugitive Norman Hsu has stirred action in several campaigns. Senator Clinton reversed her original decision to donate only Hsu’s personal $23,000 contribution to charity and agreed to return the entire $850,000 she received from Hsu-linked donors. In addition, Clinton campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson said the campaign would be seeking assurances from donors that they’re not criminals before accepting their future contributions.

The Edwards and Obama campaigns have said they will conduct similar rigorous measures to ensure that “dirty money” doesn’t affect the outcome of the race.

“The decision to tighten the scrutiny of donors did not come easily,” said Wolfson. “As Democrats we take pride in representing all the people. Up to now, this has included criminals. We’re not entirely comfortable with an exclusionary policy. This is what the Republican Party does. It’s ugly and it’s not the kind of America we want to live in. But to avoid being smeared for our ‘open-arms, open-palms’ policy, we’re going to have to live by their rules, at least for now.”

In related news, Senator Clinton expressed her disapproval of the $5 million bail set for Hsu. “This exorbitant bail will keep Mr. Hsu safely behind bars,” Clinton complained. “It’s like he’s being punished before he’s had a fair trial. He shouldn’t have to suffer like this. What he really needs is someone to help him relieve his pain.


90 posted on 09/16/2007 11:42:07 AM PDT by Calpernia (Hunters Rangers - Raising the Bar of Integrity http://www.barofintegrity.us)
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To: CutePuppy

>>>How many other laundromats are out there?

Take a walk into the grant foundation financials one day. Pack a lunch, you will be in there a while.


91 posted on 09/16/2007 11:43:33 AM PDT by Calpernia (Hunters Rangers - Raising the Bar of Integrity http://www.barofintegrity.us)
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To: CutePuppy

Nothing will come of this. The MSM will protect the Clintons till their dying day.


92 posted on 09/16/2007 11:46:39 AM PDT by CaptainK (...please make it stop. Shake a can of pennies at it.)
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To: All; John Semmens

Hey! Post 90 is a freeper here!


93 posted on 09/16/2007 12:05:22 PM PDT by Calpernia (Hunters Rangers - Raising the Bar of Integrity http://www.barofintegrity.us)
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To: Liz

For what it is worth, I think that ameritrade idea is a stretch. You can buy any list you can dream up from brokers, no questions asked, in my experience.


94 posted on 09/16/2007 12:39:15 PM PDT by ClaireSolt (Have you have gotten mixed up in a mish-masher?)
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To: Calpernia
Sen Clinton expressed her disapproval of the $5 million bail set for Hsu. " He shouldn’t have to suffer like this. What he really needs is someone to help him relieve his pain."

"Hi there, Mr Hsu. Hillary sent me. I'm your universal health
care specialist. Let me help you into the back of my van....."

95 posted on 09/16/2007 12:47:30 PM PDT by Liz (It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong. Voltaire)
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To: John Semmens; Liz

You would add great commentary to John Semmens columns!


96 posted on 09/16/2007 12:52:13 PM PDT by Calpernia (Hunters Rangers - Raising the Bar of Integrity http://www.barofintegrity.us)
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To: Roccus

The software program itself is not a big issue, it’s a relatively simple data mining and patter matching technique, done commercially by several public companies and usually sold for BI (business intelligence) purposes.

The real value is in databases from which the data is gathered and derived.


97 posted on 09/16/2007 12:52:37 PM PDT by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
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To: nicmarlo
"Clinton's campaign spokesman, Howard Wolfson, emphasized that Hsu never asked for any legislative favors from the senator in return."

Yes, again 40 million in donations so that Hsu can rub shoulders with Mrs. Clinton. He didn't want anything in return. how stupid do they think people are? I just can't even IMAGINE the stink this would be causing if this was the republican frontrunner getting $ from some right wing country's agents.

98 posted on 09/16/2007 1:40:21 PM PDT by boop (Trunk Monkey. Is there anything he can't do?)
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To: boop
40 million in donations so that Hsu can rub shoulders with Mrs. Clinton. He didn't want anything in return. how stupid do they think people are?

I guess "unbelievably" stupid!

99 posted on 09/16/2007 1:41:50 PM PDT by nicmarlo
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To: boop

Howard Wolfson is a HATEFUman....perfect for a Hillary Liarman.


100 posted on 09/16/2007 1:44:44 PM PDT by Suzy Quzy (Hillary '08...Her PHONINESS is REAL!!!)
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