Democrat fundraiser (Norman Hsu) is a fugitive in plain sight

Update: Clinton to Give Away Fundraiser's Cash
ARRA Editor: California authorities have sought Norman Hsu for 15 years. Since 2004, he has carved out a reoutation raising cash for candidates like Hillary Rodham Clinton. And he is still at it. A convicted fugitive allowed to roam free in the U.S. Why? Do the Clinton's still carry enough power to protect a Democrat fundraiser convicted and wanted in California? Why would they want to do so? There are more questions than answers. Considering other recent headline news, is a convicted grant theft felon fleeing for 15 years of less importance? Should fugitive felons be allowed to raise money for any political party or campaign? Here is the background from today's news stories - you decide and comment:

by Chuck Neubauer and Robin Fields, Los Angeles Times: For the last 15 years, California authorities have been trying to figure out what happened to a businessman named Norman Hsu, who pleaded no contest to grand theft, agreed to serve up to three years in prison and then seemed to vanish." He is a fugitive," Ronald Smetana, who handled the case for the state attorney general, said in an interview. "Do you know where he is?" . . . Since 2004, Norman Hsu has been carving out a prominent place of honor among Democrat fundraisers. He has funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions into party coffers, much of it earmarked for presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. In addition to making his own contributions, Hsu has honed the practice of assembling packets of checks from contributors who bear little resemblance to the usual Democrat deep pockets. A self-described apparel executive with a variety of business interests, Hsu has focused on delivering hefty contributions from citizens who live modest lives and are neophytes in the world of campaign giving.

. . . Lawrence Barcella Jr. - a Washington lawyer . . . confirmed that Hsu was the same man who was involved in the California case. Barcella said his client did not remember pleading to a criminal charge and facing the prospect of jail time. Hsu remembers the episode as part of a settlement with creditors when he also went through bankruptcy, Barcella said. . . . As a Democrat rainmaker, Hsu - who graduated from UC Berkeley and the Wharton School of Business - is credited with donating nearly $500,000 to national and local party candidates and their political committees in the last three years. He earned a place in the Clinton campaign's "HillRaiser" group by pledging to raise more than $100,000 for her presidential bid.Records show that Hsu helped raise an additional $500,000 from other sources for Clinton and other Democrats.

"Norman Hsu is a longtime and generous supporter of the Democrat Party and its candidates, including Sen. Clinton," Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for the campaign, said Tuesday. "During Mr. Hsu's many years of active participation in the political process, there has been no question about his integrity or his commitment to playing by the rules, and we have absolutely no reason to call his contributions into question or to return them." . . . [Read More]

by Ianthe Jeanne Dugan & Brody Mullins, The Wall Street Journal: Norman Hsu is one of the leading political fund-raisers in the country this year. In fact, many fund-raisers say he is one of a small handful of people capable of raising more than $1 million - a major feat considering the maximum donation allowed by an individual for 2008 races is $4,600 per candidate. . . . Several people involved in Democrat presidential fund-raising say Mr. Hsu, an apparel executive, has raised well over $1 million for the New York senator's presidential campaign, making him one of the top 20 Democrat fund-raisers in the country. The Clinton campaign . . . declined to comment for this story.

Mr. Hsu supports other Democrats besides Mrs. Clinton. On June 23, he helped throw a "6th Anniversary of his 60th Birthday fund-raiser" for Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA). A few days later, he joined Blackstone Group Chairman Stephen Schwarzman and lawyer David Boies to host a $1,000-a-plate 40th-birthday bash for Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI). In the email to the Journal, Mr. Hsu listed several Democratic politicians to whom he has given money, and said he has never asked any for favors. They include Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell; New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine; Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA); Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA); and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). Representatives for each of the Democrats declined to comment . . . . [Read More]

by Brody Mullins, The Wall Street Journal: The Los Angeles Times reported in today's editions that Norman Hsu agreed in 1991 to accept three years in prison for allegedly swindling $1 million out of investors who had backed his plan to resell latex gloves. Ronald Smetana, who handled the case for the California state attorney general, told the Times that Hsu failed to appear at his sentencing hearing. Bench warrants were issued for his arrest, but he wasn't found . . . Hsu's donations to Clinton and other Democrat candidates track with donations made by a handful of his business associates and the extended members of the Paw family, who live in a tiny house in Daly City, California. In all, the Paw family, Hsu and his associates have donated about $800,000 to Democrats since late 2004. The six members of the Paw family who live in Daly City have contributed a total of $55,000 to Clinton's various political arms in the last three years. That makes the household one of the single biggest sources of campaign cash for Sen. Clinton. William Paw, the 64-year old head of the household, is a mail carrier earning about $49,000 a year, according to a union representative. His wife is a homemaker. The family's top giver, Winkle Paw, 36, lists as his employer several companies owned by Hsu. . . . [Read More] See details on political donations from the Paw family, Norman Hsu and a handful of Mr. Hsu's business associates in New York.

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Tags: California, Democrat, fugitive, fund raiser, grand theft, Hillary Clinton, New York, Norman Hsu, 2007, 2008 election To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!