'20/20' INVESTIGATION FINDS UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF DEMOCRATIC CONTRIBUTORS ATTENDING STATE DINNERS
A '20/20' investigation by ABC NEWS' Brian Ross found an unprecedented number of Democratic contributors being invited to what were once small, intimate affairs. A computer analysis of the four state dinners hosted by President and Mrs. Clinton this year revealed a total of 390 Democratic donors on the guest lists, representing more than $10 million in contributions. Of the non-governmental guests invited, nearly half -- 47 percent -- were contributors to the Democratic Party.
Ross also found that the list of state dinner guests has included David Chang of New Jersey, a businessman who attended two state dinners and has since pleaded guilty to felony charges of illegal campaign contributions.
State dinners are organized by the Office of the First Lady. Brian Ross speaks with Letitia Baldrige, who was Jackie Kennedy's social secretary. The guest list for state dinners, she told Ross, 'was supposed to represent people of quality, people of excellence, people who'd contributed a lot to this country or to the world.'
The White House denies the Clinton guest list is tied to political contributions and earlier this week Hillary Clinton told '20/20,'
'I think contributing to the Democratic Party is a contribution to the country in my view.'
The report will air on '20/20,' Friday October 6 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on ABC.
drudgereport.com |
