NEWSWEEK: Cash and Kerry

Newsweek ^ | Feb. 9th issue | Michael Isikoff

[counterpunch]

Feb. 9 issue - John Kerry needed cash, and soon. In July 1996 the Massachusetts senator was locked in a tough re-election fight, so he was more than happy to help when he heard that a generous potential contributor wanted to visit his Capitol Hill office. The donor was Johnny Chung, a glad-handing Taiwanese-American entrepreneur. Chung brought along some friends, including a Hong Kong businesswoman named Liu Chaoying.

Told that Liu was interested in getting one of her companies listed on the U.S. Stock Exchange, Kerry's aides immediately faxed over a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The next day, Liu and Chung were ushered into a private briefing with a senior SEC official. Within weeks, Chung returned the favor: On Sept. 9 he threw Kerry a fund-raiser at a Beverly Hills hotel, raking in $10,000 for the senator's re-election campaign.

In a 30-year career untainted by scandal, Kerry's encounter with Chung and Liu would turn into a political embarrassment. Federal investigators later discovered that Liu was in fact a lieutenant colonel in China's People's Liberation Army and vice president of a Chinese-government-owned aerospace firm. And Chung, who visited the Clinton White House 49 times, went on to become a central figure in the foreign-money scandals of 1996. Chung eventually pleaded guilty to funneling $28,000 in illegal contributions to the campaigns of Bill Clinton and Kerry. According to bank records and Chung's congressional testimony, the contributions came out of $300,000 in overseas wire transfers sent on orders from the chief of Chinese military intelligence—and routed through a Hong Kong bank account controlled by Liu.

[ConservativeMan55]

By the way. I was just watching Foxnews and they were playing a video feed of a John Kerry rally.

Someone was holding a sign directly behind Kerry holding a sign that said "IWAF Prosecutors for Kerry"

THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A PROSECUTORS UNION???

And they support Kerry?

[Jewels1091]

This should make a nice commercial.

[ladtx]

In a 30-year career untainted by scandal, Kerry's encounter with Chung and Liu would turn into a political embarrassment. Federal investigators later discovered that Liu was in fact a lieutenant colonel in China's People's Liberation Army and vice president of a Chinese-government-owned aerospace firm.

Deja-vu all over again.

[July 4th]

Future Bush campaign commercial premise: "John Kerry touts his military experience. We'd like to talk about his military experience too. In 1996, a lieutenant colonel in the Chinese military..."

[mewzilla]

Spikey's story wasn't spiked. Go figure....

[OldFriend]

So Newsweak is doing the grifter's business.

[bandleader]

Well,well,well,our "old friend",Johnny Chung!Didn't he say something like The White House(BeelzeBubba's,that is)was"Like A Subway Turnstile.You Deposit The Money And The Doors Open"(or words to that effect)!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bandleader]

Right On!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GeronL]

did they steal their title from FrontPagemag??

[eyespysomething]

Good one!

[eyespysomething]

You should send that to the RNC.

[freedom1st]

Can't believe Newsweak published this story. I guess they want the 'Rats primaries to continue for awhile.

[mass55th]

"Told that Liu was interested in getting one of her companies listed on the U.S. Stock Exchange, Kerry's aides immediately faxed over a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The next day, Liu and Chung were ushered into a private briefing with a senior SEC official. Within weeks, Chung returned the favor: On Sept. 9 he threw Kerry a fund-raiser at a Beverly Hills hotel, raking in $10,000 for the senator's re-election campaign."

If this isn't a prime example of Quid Pro Quo (something Kerry claims he's never done), I don't know what is.

[mass55th]

"Spikey's story wasn't spiked. Go figure..."

Must be the Clintons asked them to run it.

[Paul_B]

Apparently. Hard to keep one's hands off such a catchy title, eh? :)

[linn37]

bump

[RetiredArmy]

Charger Member:

VIETNAM VETERANS AGAINST JOHN KERRY!!!

[kayak]

fyi