Clinton's New Campaign Strategy: In with the Old
Hillary Clinton has called Maggie Williams back to action. But she brings baggage from Clinton scandals past.
Fri Feb. 15, 2008 12:00 AM PST
Maggie Williams brings back memories—and baggage. The new campaign manager for Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, who replaced Patti Solis Doyle earlier this week, was chief of staff for First Lady Clinton. In that role, she became a bit player in two major Clinton War battles of the 1990s: Whitewater and the campaign-fundraising scandal, which included allegations that China had tried to illegally funnel donations to the Democratic Party. In each case, Williams was the target of conservative suspicions about the Clinton gang—some overheated—but she escaped any real trouble. Her involvement in the White House fundraising caper, though, did raise questions about her credibility.
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Continued From Above
Whitewater was a mess of a scandal. It began with allegations about a real-estate partnership the Clintons incorporated in Arkansas in 1979 with a dodgy banker named James McDougal, and spread to include the suicide of deputy White House counsel Vince Foster, and, later, Bill Clinton's extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky. After Foster's body was found on July 20, 1993 in Fort Marcy Park above the Potomac River, right-wing journalists and agitators cooked up and promoted wild theories connecting his death—or murder!—with the Whitewater scandal. The allegation was rubbish. But one part of the scandal centered on the charge that high-ranking Clinton officials, after hearing of Foster's death, quickly cleared his office of supposedly incriminating documents related to Whitewater. Williams, Clinton antagonists claimed, was part of this conspiracy.
During the Republican-led Whitewater hearings held in the Senate in 1995, GOP senators tried to nail Williams. Pointing to phone records that showed dozens of phone calls among Williams, Hillary Clinton, White House counsel Bernard Nussbaum, and Susan Thomases, a Hillary pal, Republican senators suggested this group had conspired to remove documents from Foster's office before investigators probing his death could examine them. Yet the investigation produced no solid evidence. A Secret Service agent did testify that he saw Williams leaving with files, but she denied doing so and submitted to two lie detector tests, which registered no deception on her part. (She maintained that she had transferred files out of the office only after investigators were done with them.)
The whole Whitewater/Foster to-do was a blur of allegations. Foster's death was repeatedly ruled a suicide. And in the end, neither the Clintons nor their aides (including Williams) were charged with any wrongdoing.
During the campaign-finance investigation, plenty of sleazy fundraising practices (of both Democrats and Republicans) were probed by House and Senate committees. Williams, for her part, became ensnared in an episode involving Johnny Chung, a Taiwan-born businessman and prominent contributor to the Democratic National Committee. A frequent White House visitor, Chung often hung out in the First Lady's office staring—literally—at pictures of Hillary Clinton. Williams' assistant, Evan Ryan, testified that that the First Lady's staff found Chung's visits "disturbing." But Williams told Senate investigators that because Chung was a "contributor," she instructed her office to treat him with respect, like "any other irritable jerk who would show up."
On December 19, 1994 the DNC received a $40,000 donation from Chung, and the next day he was allowed to bring a delegation of Chinese businessmen to the White House residence for a holiday reception, where Chung and the gang had their pictures taken with Bill and Hillary Clinton. Several months later, Chung asked Hillary Clinton's office for help on several fronts. He wanted a photo with Hillary, a tour of the premises, lunch in the White House mess, and an invitation to bring another delegation of Chinese business associates to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to attend the President's weekly radio address. Ryan, Williams' assistant, testified that she had told her boss about these requests and informed Williams that Chung intended to make a contribution to the Democratic Party. According to Ryan, Williams instructed her to help Chung and mentioned that perhaps the Democratic Party could use a donation from Chung to pay the White House money it was owed by the party. (The DNC, like other organizations, had to pay for expenses related to events it held at the White House.)
Chung's request was granted, and on March 9, 1995, he and his business pals were escorted by Ryan to the White House for lunch, given a private tour, and were taken to the Map Room for a photo op with the First Lady. Afterwards, Chung handed Williams a donation to the DNC, this time for $50,000. That weekend, he and his business associates attended the President's radio address.
A key issue was whether Williams and the First Lady's office had traded favors at the White House for campaign cash. In testimony before the Senate governmental affairs committee, Williams denied she had asked for the donation and said there had been no quid pro quo. She insisted that Chung had essentially shoved an unsolicited check into her hand and that she immediately dropped it in her outbox for forwarding to the DNC—without even looking at the amount. She said that it was not unusual for Hillary Clinton's office to receive unsolicited contributions for the Democratic Party in the mail and that her aides routinely sent them on to the DNC. Chung told a different story, claiming Williams and Ryan had requested the donation.
Overall, Chung contributed $366,000 to the DNC between 1994 and 1996 (and eventually there were questions about whether this was his own money or whether he was fronting for other sources, including the Chinese government). It was pretty obvious at the time that he was looking to impress his business associates with the access those gifts won him. And that was a central part of the Clinton fundraising scandal: the selling (or renting) of access to whomever would donate big bucks to the DNC. Those who did so could brag to friends, clients, and business connections that they were well-wired into the Clinton White House—and perhaps that helped them grease their own business deals. This sort of quasi-scam was not a Democratic or Clintonian sin. But the Clinton White House did perfect the art. (It is illegal to solicit or receive political contributions in government offices, but it was not clear if taking a check and placing it in an outbox—as Williams said she did with Chung's donation—was a violation of the law.) In 1997, the DNC returned Chung's contributions.
In testimony before the Senate government affairs committee—then chaired by Republican Fred Thompson—Williams downplayed the Chung episode. But on a few key points Ryan, her assistant, contradicted her. Years later, it's not unreasonable to look at the record and conclude that Williams was part of a shifty system in which the Clinton White House would hand out favors (maybe just small ones) for anyone brandishing a check—and that she might have stepped over the line in following this standard operating procedure.
After leaving the White House in 1997, Williams, who'd previously worked for the Children's Defense Fund, spent several years in Paris as a communications consultant. She later returned to the U.S. and became president of Fenton Communications, a public relations firm that represents many progressive outfits and causes. Back in Hillary's employ since January, she's a reminder that the Clinton administration—beyond the trumped-up Whitewater matter and the much-exploited Lewinsky affair—had its share of legitimate ethics troubles. In 1997, Chung famously said, "I see the White House is like a subway: You have to put in coins to open the gates." Williams, according to Chung, was one of the collectors. Now she's Hillary Clinton's conductor.
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THIS IS MY CONCERN AND WHY IT IS REPORTED???
Saturday, February 16, 2008
- By: C. Wijeyawickrema, LL.B., Ph.D. ........
Last modified on: 12/14/2007 8:10:18 AM LTTE Heavily Involved In Fund Raising For Hilary Clinton In New Jersey (By Walter Jayawardhana)
Well known activists of a banned terrorist group in the United States are involved in the fund raising activities of the US Democratic candidate Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton.
According to a fundraising web site for the Senator, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) activists are involved in raising funds from 100 Dollars to 2300 Dollars to help elect Senator Clinton as the next United States President. The website could be reached at: https://contribute.hillaryclinton.com/events/nj1212.html
New Jersey residents have expressed the fear, that LTTE or the Tamil Tigers could flush supporters with millions of dollars, to buy influence over the next possible President of the United States of America by infiltrating into democratic fund raising machine.
An email distributed by a female activist, Pat Pathmakumar for the group under the name “Tamils for Clinton” has appealed to contribute for the Clinton fund by sending checks to her or a man named Ram Ranjan, a man who organized the LTTE Heroes day meeting in New Jersey last year. Ranjan has publicly admitted he raised funds for LTTE front, the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO).
The terrorist group, that introduced innovative methods like suicide jackets to many terrorist groups in the world, is listed as a foreign terrorist group by the State Department and the US Federal police , the FBI has alleged that the group had offered to them millions of dollars as bribes to lift the ban. The group is alleged to be using bribes to buy influence in India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The money is being earned mostly by fraudulent business, credit card scams, drug running, voluntary fund raising and extortions of the Tamil Diaspora, according to a recent report of the Jane’s Defense weekly.
According to the Clinton website, a leading LTTE activist, who came to live in New Jersey in 1994, called Ram Ranjan is one of the fund raisers of the Clinton campaign. Several others who are connected with him are also listed among the fund raisers.
Ram Ranjan has earlier admitted that he had raised funds for the Tamil Tigers front organization called Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) which had raised funds purportedly for humanitarian purposes but actually diverted those funds for terrorist activities from many countries in the world.
A year ago he told a New Jersey newspaper called Star Ledger that although he supported the TRO; it is not connected with the terrorist group LTTE.
The Star Ledger reported, “… ......... he serves as state coordinator of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization, which raises money for medical services, schools and orphanages and the victims of the LTTE, not the LTTE, Ranjan said.”
The US State Department has identified the TRO as a front organization of the LTTE and it is banned in many countries in the world.
The Star Ledger newspaper interviewed Ranjan an year ago after he was involved in organizing a LTTE hero’s day commemorating meeting with accepted leaders of the LTTE in the US as speakers, local residents said. Pro LTTE website the Tamil Net said that the function started by hoisting LTTE separatist flag. The meeting was organized by a front organization of the LTTE, the South Asian Community Association.
Sri Lankan Tamil group held the memorial meeting to eulogize dead Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters including suicide bombers as heroes but told the New Jersey newspaper “Star-Ledger” they did not have any connections with a terrorist group.
The group South Asian Community Association or SACA with Ranjan as an organizer caught attention after it rented an auditorium of the south Brunswick middle School in New Jersey, USA for a memorial to eulogize the dead LTTE fighters including those suicide bombers who targeted unarmed civilians and raised the flag of the LTTE and sang the anthem of the group on December 02 2006.
The meeting was addressed by known leaders of the LTTE in the United States, Visuvanadan Rudrakumaran and Dr. Naglingam Jeyalingam. .
The Star-Ledger newspaper of New Jersey who published two consecutive news articles about the group who rented the Brunswick school reported that, “ South Brunswick police officials said last week investigators were looking into allegations that the Princeton Junction-based South Asian Community Association is linked to the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department.”
The police investigations started after some residents of Brunswick reported to the police that the organizers of the meeting were actually a front organization for the LTTE.
This brings back lots of bad memories. What surprises me, considering all the sleazy financial dealings of the Clintons is that she has the gall to "decline" to release their tax returns (as Obama has already done). The thought that the media (and the Democratic party, at all levels) would not be clamoring for this document to be released is amzing to me. I can't understand why every debate moderater has not asked what she is trying to hide.
A glimpse into what we can expect from another Clinton Administration? It's the same old politics as usual - where money buys influence. HRC's campaign contributions bear this out, as does her refusal to reveal her taxes. Deep Throat said it best,"Follow the money..."
I'd like to see a different style of politics in Washington - one in which the people actually have a say-so. It's doubtful that HRC, who took more corporate money than any other candidate - Republican or Democratic - is going to deliver anything new.
This post is for David Corn, as I can't find a direct email address for Mr. Corn. My wife has relatives in NC by that name. I have no reservations about what David said on the Washington Journal this morning (2.19.08), but I do have a hang up on how he stated his positions. He is definitel a 'You Know' speaker that drives me nutty. Why a well know and effective journalist inserts the 'You Know' metaphor into their verbal prestations is beyond me. I counted the words David said between the 'You Know' inserts and it appears that on the average he used the metaphor about ever 35-40 words in his replies or statements on the Journal. Why? Of course, David isn't the only journalist or 'politians' or many others that insert this nonsense metaphor into their verbal presentations. I hardly ever see it in their written work. Why?
Bill Tedrick
Rove tactics aside, Clinton's new strategy seems clear and that is to win by any means necessary. Her grasping at nonexistent MI and FL delegates, after SHE agreed and one of her advisers voted FOR the DNCs ruling, show that she acknowledges that her only ways of winning are A) use Bill's influence to sway superdelegates away from the popular vote or B) to instate delegates from MI and FL that do not exist and in which the voters there had no exposure to an alternative other than Clinton. These are the only ways Clinton thinks she can win... beg, borrow AND steal. If MI and FL are to be reinstated, they should either have a democratic Democratic primary or those delegates must be uncommitted. There is no other democratic solution. Anything else is elite-driven Clintonista style politics. In fact I would go as far to say that this was the Clinton tactic from the beginning since it was adviser who voted for the DNC ruling.
You dont need a weather man to predict the direction the wind is blowing. Obama is highly admired. All the Clintons of this world know this fact and they are scarred. You and me know it also. All roads now lead to barackobama.com. The whole world wants to know who is this guy who will not let the Clintons have their sleep. So they keep coming. And this has made the website to become the most visited official presidential campaign website of any aspirant ever since the invention of the internet. If there is any doubting Clinton finding this claim difficult to believe, try to use Google's Page Rank, sitting on your browser, to check it out by yourself. This is a world record worth documenting.
Cheers, we can!
Babala from Kentucky
How much victorious tactical strategy for taking the Presidency can some first lady office administrator actually provide this struggling campaign? Shouldn't Maggie have gotten in a few practice swings from running a campaign for alderman or dog catcher or something before Hillary trusted her with the keys to the family Cadillac?
Where is the outrage over the bias against women in the news media and the campaigns? Only in these times mentions the bias against female candidates. When MSNBC said hillary was pimping out chelsea, where was the outrage and outcry. Why didn't the democratic party say something? Why didn't obama or his wife say how disgusting that was right away instead of waiting several days to issue a lukewarm comment. no one said romney's boys were pimping for him when they were campaigning. Democrats need women and if some of us sit home, they lose.
Why does Sen McClean insist that he respects ALL veterans? Why does he refuse to help co-sponsor S961, "A Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of WW II Act of 2007"?
Clinton and Obama are both co-sponsers
I would be willing to debate the merits of that bill with anyone. ohb@toast.net
