Rendell Fundraising Questions Might Not End With Hsu
Norman Hsu has provoked an abundance of unflattering questions about the fundraising scruples of Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey and a host of other high-profile Democrats. And, at least for Rendell and Clinton, questions about another may lie ahead.
Hsu's past hasn't exactly enhanced his beneficiaries' reputations. In 1991, Hsu fled California as authorities prepared to jail him for soliciting money from investors while maintaining no legitimate business operation.
Likewise, Peter F. Paul's background didn't make him the kind of man with whom a national political figure would normally want to associate. He had been convicted of a cocaine possession charge in the 1970s and a securities fraud charge in 2005, among other guilty verdicts.
Paul filed a lawsuit in February 2004 alleging that Sen. Clinton and husband, former President Bill Clinton, gave Paul assurances that if he helped to bankroll a Hollywood fundraiser the Clintons held in August 2000, Bill would act as a "global goodwill ambassador" for his effort to market the brand-name products of comic-book maagnate Stan Lee. The Clintons, Paul's complain states, did not deliver on their alleged promise.
In the complaint, Paul claims to have amassed a net worth of $60 million, in part due to his business partnership with Lee. His considerable wealth came in handy for the Clintons as they received $1.9 million from him for the fundraiser. His court complaint bristles with anger that not a dime accrued to him as a result.
"Plaintiff reasonably relied on the false promises and representations made by defendants Hillary Rodham Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton for U.S. Senate Committee, Inc., acting by and through their agent, defendant David Rosen, by expending in excess of $1.9 million to underwrite and serve as executive producer of the Hollywood tribute and my making substantial additional contributions to defendant Hillary Rodham Clinton's U.S. Senate campaign," the complain asserted. "Had [the defendants] not made these false promises and representations to Plaintiff, Plaintiff would not have expended any funds to underwrite and serve as executive producer of the event, nor would he have made substantial additional contributions to [Clinton's] U.S. Senate campaign."
The Clintons have dismissed any charges of deal making.
The allegations Paul makes in his case before the California Superior Court against the Clintons include a claim that Rendell asked Paul to lie about his criminal record. Rendell has categorically insisted he did not know of Paul's earlier criminal charges until they had appeared in the press.
"He never told Mr. Paul to lie or to take any other specific action," said Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo. "The governor has no idea why Mr. Paul would make such an outrageous accusation."
Paul is currently seeking an order from the court forcing Rendell to testify in the case.
As to the $23,000 the governor has received from Hsu, he has identified a number of charities to whom the felon's donations will go. Clinton and Casey have done the same with the funds they have received.
Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, who represents Bucks County and parts of Montgomery County and Philadelphia in Congress, also received $3,000 from Hsu and his associates and has donated those funds to charity.
Bradley Vasoli can be reached at bvasoli@thebulletin.us. |
