Clinton: Campaign to vet major donors

Clinton: Campaign to vet major donors

	Published : Thu, 30 Aug 2007 18:16 By : Agencies Print this Story

NEW YORK (AP) - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton Thursday defended her campaign's efforts to investigate the backgrounds of its fundraisers after it was disclosed that one of her top money-raisers is wanted on a felony fraud charge in California.

Clinton also sidestepped questions of whether she would return the money the fundraiser, Norman Hsu, brought in, saying the campaign would analyze the contributions and 'take action if that's warranted.'

At a press conference with New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer to promote the re-authorization of the State Children's Health Program, Clinton said she and her campaign had been 'surprised' by the news first reported in the Los Angeles Times that Hsu appeared to be a fugitive from justice in California. In 1991, Hsu pleaded no contest to a single felony count of grand theft but failed to appear in court for sentencing.

'I wish Mr. Hsu well in dealing with the problems he's confronting,' Clinton said. 'When you have as many contributors as I'm fortunate enough to have, we do the very best job we can based on the information available to us to make appropriate vetting decisions.'

Her campaign announced Wednesday it was donating $23,000 Hsu had directly contributed to her Senate and presidential campaigns and her political action committee to charity.

Clinton also rejected comparisons to the 1996 fundraising controversy in which Asian businessmen were accused of directing illegal contributions to former President Clinton's re-election effort.

'I don't think it's analogous at all,' she said.

Spitzer, New York's former attorney general, also came to Clinton's defense, questioning why California officials hadn't apprehended Hsu, a successful apparel executive who has been living openly in New York.

Is 'Sen. Clinton's campaign or any campaign supposed to be doing better than the authorities in California ... who had an open warrant for this guy and they didn't do anything? Come on guys, let's get real,' Spitzer said.