Is the sky blue?
Is Torch a Democrat?
Kinda reminds me of another congressional "probe". 
Posted on 07/26/2002 6:37:59 AM PDT by mrs9x
WASHINGTON -- The Senate ethics panel investigating Sen. Robert Torricelli is nearing the end of its work, and will not interview the New Jersey Democrat's chief accuser, its chairman said.
The ethics committee -- three Republican and three Democratic senators -- met with Torricelli and his lawyer for nearly three hours before adjourning for the night.
"We're too tired -- I'll be honest with you -- to make any decisions tonight," the committee chairman, Democratic Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, said Thursday as the meeting broke up.
Earlier in the week, Torricelli spent more than four hours testifying before ethics committee staff.
The committee is exploring allegations that Torricelli accepted gifts and cash from a campaign contributor, David Chang, and, in return, helped Chang with business dealings overseas.
Inouye said a conclusion could come next week, before the Senate breaks for its August recess. The committee's options include disciplining Torricelli or closing the case with no action.
Inouye said the committee does not plan to call any other witnesses, including Chang, who has indicated he wants to present his case to the panel.
NewsChannel 4's Jonathan Dienst reported Thursday evening that WNBC-TV had found an invoice indicating a $1,695 big screen television that was purchased by Chang at a store in Englewood, N.J., was delivered to Torricelli's home in 1998.
Those records, which are now in the hands of the Justice Department and the Senate Ethics Committee, show that Chang paid for the television on Nov. 4, 1998 - and that the expensive TV was delivered to the then-home of Sen. Robert Torricelli, the records show.
However, Torricelli insists he never took any gifts from Chang. In a statement, Torricelli said: "We have said from the beginning that when this concludes it will answer these questions and we remain confident that this is the case... We will not respond to unfounded and irresponsible leaks and rumors."
The ethics committee also has financial records and witness testimony suggesting Chang gave Torricelli cash to pay for a $3,816 Scottish grandfather clock, NewsChannel 4 also reported.
Torricelli denies taking anything from Chang and says the assistance he gave Chang was within the normal boundaries of what a lawmaker does for a constituent.
So who should the investigators believe?
"Could Sen. Torricelli explain how he paid $3,600 in cash for an antique clock in Lambertville, N.J., with Mr. Chang present, when Torricelli had not made a cash withdrawal from his own accounts totaling that amount for the last six months?" asks a Justice Department official who insisted on anonymity. "But Mr. Chang made that exact withdrawal that very Wednesday."
At the New Jersey stores where some of the gifts in question were bought, merchants said they have not heard from the ethics panel. One store owner said Chang bought a $450 diamond pendant at his shop. The owner said that he cooperated with the Federal Bureau of Investigations a couple of years ago, but he does not know if Chang's purchase wound up going to Torricelli or any of his girlfriends.
"It's definitely not something that you give a senator to bribe him or turn his opinion in your favor," the storeowner said.
Chang is serving a prison sentence for making illegal donations to Torricelli in 1996. He has said Torricelli demanded donations and expensive gifts in exchange for assisting him in business ventures in North and South Korea.
Chang's lawyer, Bradley Simon, wrote Inouye this week to urge that the committee seek his client's testimony.
"It is impossible to conduct a thorough probe of this matter without hearing from David Chang, who is the one witness with firsthand knowledge of these matters," Simon said Thursday night.
"Sadly, it appears the ethics committee is determined to sweep the matter under the rug."
After the hearing, Torricelli said he remains confident the case will end in his favor.
"I want this process to end with a complete understanding that Mr. Chang's allegations are false," he said.
He denied taking any gifts and said he is guilty only of bad judgment in making friends with Chang.
The case has become an issue in Torricelli's effort to win a second term. The campaign manager of his Republican opponent, businessman Douglas Forrester, renewed his call Thursday for Torricelli to release the transcript of his testimony to the committee. Torricelli has said that is a decision for the committee.
The Justice Department spent three years investigating Torricelli's relationship with Chang. No charges were brought against Torricelli, but the lead prosecutor, Mary Jo White, referred materials to the ethics committee for review.
Did Toricelli Accept Gifts from Chang?
If he didn't, how can Chang be in prison for giving them?
Depends on what the meaning of "is" is.
"The Justice Department spent three years investigating Torricelli's relationship with Chang. No charges were brought against Torricelli, but the lead prosecutor, MARY JO WHITE, referred materials to the ethics committee for review."
No further questions, your honor.
Sad, isn't it.
I especially pity the three grinning Eunechs on the panel called 'Republicans'.
Its great to be a corrupt Democrat, isn't it.
Ah, Democrats.....HYPOCRACY is they name!
It is sad indeed. I have totally lost respect for the Senate. They are supposed to be statesmen and decision makers looking out for the interests of the American people. Instead they are a bunch of corrupt, power hungry, childish, gutless wonders who can't see past the next election. They are only looking out for their own self-interests and I for one am sick of it. TERM LIMITS.
1.) If a taxpayer had received income equivalent to a $1,600 - $1,800 TV and a $3,500+ clock, which totalled in the aggregate more than $5,000, would he or she be expected to declare that money as income for income tax purposes?
Answer = of course
2.) If this wsere a Republican, would the Dems be all over him or her?
Answer of course!
This whole process is a joke. Toricelli accepted this and probably more and all the Dems really want is to preserve their majority in the Senate
toricelli should be a poster boy for honest-to-goodness campaign finance reform. again, don't expect the prisoners to reform the prison, as in doing the right and honorable thing. they are as phony as three dollar bills.
remember this cast of characters in the senate are, for the most part, the same beltway boys and girls that let clinton off the hook during his impeachment trial.
toricelli must practice his phony smile in front of a mirror for hours a day -- just to get that 20 second tv news shot!
how dumb are nj voters anyway??
"steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king"
Is the sky blue?
Is Torch a Democrat?
Kinda reminds me of another congressional "probe".
Not sure about this instance but in most hearings where a senator "testifies", as a "courtesy" he/she is not required to take an oath to tell the truth. Sigh.
Does the Pope wear a pinkie ring? Do bears tinkle in the forest?
Of course Toricelli accepted ILLEGAL gifts from Chang. Why else would Chang be in prison? Democrat senators on the Ethics Committee will hurt themselves more than Toricelli when they give him a gentle, barely reported, wrist slap.
Take your thought process one step farther: Should the Torch have claimed the value as income on his tax return? If some un-related stranger looking for something in return gave me things of value, the IRS would be all over my ass! If this clown walks, there should be a massive taxpayer revolt.
By the way - hope ND finds a running back for the upcoming season.
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