speaking of old Al, I see his friends are still staying guilty and taking the rap for him....
reuters.com
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court rejected on Tuesday an appeal by Maria Hsia, a Democratic fund-raiser convicted of hiding more than $100,000 in illegal contributions to the 1996 Clinton-Gore re-election effort and other campaigns.
Without comment, the justices let stand a federal appeals court ruling that upheld the conviction of Hsia, a Los Angeles-based immigration consultant, who was sentenced to three years probation, 250 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine.
Hsia arranged a visit on April 29, 1996, by Vice President Al Gore to the Hsi Lai Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the United States, near Los Angeles. Gore attended the event, but said he did not know it was for fund raising.
She was convicted on five felony counts for causing false statements to be filed with federal regulators about money she raised from the temple and others for Democratic candidates.
Prosecutors said the $109,000 in illegal contributions went to the Clinton-Gore re-election effort, the Democratic Party and the campaign of Rep. Patrick Kennedy, a Rhode Island Democrat.
In appealing to the Supreme Court, Hsia's lawyers argued that a prosecution for causing political committees to submit false statements to the Federal Election Commission requires proof that the defendant knew her conduct was unlawful.
Hsia's lawyers also challenged the trial judge's instruction to the jury that the government did not have to prove that Hsia knew of the specific reporting requirements or the Federal Election Commission's prohibitions.
In refusing to hear the case, the high court sided with the U.S. Justice Department, which argued that review of the narrow legal issue presented in Hsia's appeal was not justified. |
