Democrats in 1996 Fund-Raising Scandals Face Record Fines by FEC

Associated Press ^ | Published: Sep 21, 2002 | Associated Press

[tomball]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Election Commission has imposed record fines totaling at least $719,000 against Democrats involved in the party's 1996 fund-raising scandals, according to published reports.

FEC documents described how Democratic fund-raisers demanded illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals in China and other countries in exchange for meetings with then-President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore.

Among those who were penalized by the FEC were the Democratic National Committee, $115,000; the Clinton-Gore campaign, $2,000; and the Buddhist Progressive Society, $120,000, The Washington Post and The New York Times reported Saturday.

They said the DNC also agreed to surrender an additional $128,000 representing illegal campaign donations that were not returned.

More than 20 people and corporations acting as conduits for the illegal contributions also were fined, the newspapers said, citing FEC documents.

They've all agreed to pay, according to the records.

The total amount of fines would have been much higher except some of the companies have shut down and others were dummy operations used as conduits for money from Canada, China, Venezuela and other countries, the Post said.

The FEC dropped the cases involving another $3 million in illegal campaign contributions to the Democratic National Committee because the respondents either "are out of the country and beyond our reach, or (are) corporations that are defunct," according to FEC papers cited by the Post.

Kent Cooper, a former elections commission official, told the Times the commission limited the fines to some people who said they could not afford to pay more. He said the total assessed appeared to have been surprisingly low.

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On the Net: Federal Election Commission: http://www.fec.gov

AP-ES-09-21-02 0955EDT

 

[Lazamataz]

FEC documents described how Democratic fund-raisers demanded illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals in China and other countries in exchange for meetings with then-President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore.

Bill Clinton sold the store to the Chinese.

[hellinahandcart]

Gee, that only took six years.

[cactusSharp]

wel ain't that special.....this equates a dime for
a million as to rate of fine to rate of collection.

more tho.this is proof Democrats took WILLINGLY,
communist money.

[linn37]

shmucks,just remember bubba clinton said it was more important to defeat the evil republicans then turn down money from illegal sources

[Free_at_last_-2001]

They've all agreed to pay.. - yea but will they?

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

shmucks,just remember bubba clinton said it was more important to defeat the evil republicans then turn down money from illegal sources

America's worst traitors..........

Benedict Arnold..........the Rosenbergs..........the Clintons..........

[blam]

They should be in prison.

[I still care]

I'm waiting to see this lead on ABCCBSNBCCNN.

If it was the Republicans it would, wouldn't it? "Massive Campaign Fundraising Fraud"

[NormsRevenge]

the Buddhist "Progressive" Society :-?

OHHH!!! Gore's Little Buddhies .. Sweet!!!

Spin This, MacAullifffe

[jimkress]

Fines are irrelevent. They are pocket change to these miscreants or will be paid from matching funds provided by the taxpayers (us).

These people should have been sent to prison. That is the only punishment that will stop these kinds of abuses.

[1john2 3and4]

Might this "news" inspire the RATS to target a tylenol factory this time?
(I'd LOVE to see Ann Coulter's next column dissect this one)

[dubyagee]

The total amount of fines would have been much higher except some of the companies have shut down and others were dummy operations used as conduits for money from Canada, China, Venezuela and other countries, the Post said.

Don't guess we should hold our breath as we wait for those who set up the dummy corporations to be prosecuted.

[SoggyBottomBoy]

Well, like most of the lies and cheating from the Clinton admin. THEY GOT AWAY WITH IT.
Paying fines now, big deal! They already used the money and won the election!

[Tom Bombadil]

It still isn't enough compared to the crime.

[TC Rider]

The total amount of fines would have been much higher except some of the companies have shut down and others were dummy operations used as conduits for money from Canada, China, Venezuela and other countries, the Post said.

I always wondered where Enron got the idea.

[John Jorsett]

The timing of this release reminds me of the start of my favorite Wall Street Journal editorial:

It was hard to see, but a week ago Friday the Clinton administration, while driving a large black sedan at high speed across the 14th street bridge, opened the door and shoved out their revised downward GDP estimate for this year, to 2.5% from 3.1%.

[FlyVet]

the Clinton-Gore campaign, $2,000

The ones driving the engine pay pocket change. This stinks.

Democrats = Organized Crime

[Bogey78O]

Of course.

6 years late and on a Friday. Will wonders ever cease?

[austingirl]

The real cost to our country is immeasureable - The Cole, 911, the Chi-Coms new technology. Sure, a $2000 fine sounds about right (sarcasm).