HILL PAL IS CASH COWED (Harold Ickes and Stan Lee testify)

May 21, 2005 -- LOS ANGELES — Prosecutors in the trial of Hillary Rodham Clinton's former top fund-raiser David Rosen closed their case yesterday by driving home the point that an extravagant Hollywood gala cost three times as much as was reported to the Federal Election Commission.

After the prosecution rested, Rosen's attorney, Paul Sandler, quickly filed a motion to dismiss each of the counts in the case.

Judge A. Harold Matz said he would rule on the motion when the case resumes on Tuesday. Matz said he expected the jury could begin deliberating as early as Wednesday.

The defense led off their case in the afternoon by calling Harold Ickes, who was the mastermind behind Clinton's Senate victory and hired Rosen to raise funds for the campaign.

"We all thought David did a very good job in what he was doing," Ickes testified.

Ickes, who described himself as keeping a close eye on the campaign's coffers, said he held Rosen in "high regard" and called him a "good worker."

Ickes wrapped up by defending the gala, which netted a paltry $57,820, describing it as a grand event requiring elaborate planning.

"It was a big deal out here," he said. "It involved Hollywood and stars and people who wanted to be stars and people who used to be stars."

Sandler then called Stan Lee, the comic book creator behind such superheroes as Spider-Man and The Hulk. Lee testified he lent one of Rosen's partners, Peter Paul, $225,000 for the event, and had expected to be paid back shortly afterwards. He said that five years later, he has not received a penny.

From Hillcap.org -

Latest News

May 20, 2005 — Tony Snow will interview Peter Paul this morning at about 11:00 am Eastern.

May 19, 2005 — Rick Madden, former General Counsel for Stan Lee Media, testified today that he and SLM CEO Ken Williams met with Peter Paul and defendent David Rosen before the Hollywood Gala, and that they specifically told Rosen that SLM would not be contributing to Hillary Clinton's campaign and that Peter Paul would cover the expenses personally. Nevertheless, campaign treasurer Andrew Grossman supposedly relied on Rosen's unsupported statement to attribute Hillary's largest reported contribution of more than $400,000 to SLM -- this despite the complete absence of invoices to or checks from SLM.

Stan Lee and the controller of SLM also told the FBI and stated in depositions that no one from Hillary's campaign ever contacted them for any information about the contribution.

May 18, 2005 — Former Aide to Sen. Clinton Tried in Campaign Funds Case on NPR's All Things Considered does a good job of getting the story right. Listen to the 3:27 segment here.

Hillary Clinton event planner Gretta Nock testified today that David Rosen, former director of Clinton's Senate campaign, told her to obtain a fake invoice of $200,000 for the concert portion of the Hollywood Gala, knowing that the actual cost of the event was much higher.

May 17, 2005 — Here's the transcript of Peter Paul's May 3rd Hannity & Colmes interview.

May 15, 2005 — Liberal papers such as the LA Times have been quick to characterize remarks by federal prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg as exonerating Hillary Clinton from wrongdoing. The Times would like its readers to believe that Senator Clinton "had nothing to do with a scheme to conceal hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions."

What Peter Zeidenberg said during his opening statement at former Hillary Clinton finance director David Rosen's fraud trial was this: "You will hear no evidence that Hillary Clinton was involved in any way, shape or form. In fact, it's just the opposite. The evidence will show that David Rosen was trying to keep this evidence from the campaign." and "Whatever your feelings about Hillary Clinton — good, bad or indifferent — they should have nothing to do with how you decide this case."

Hillary Clinton is not on trial this week in California. David Rosen is. That being the case, this trial will focus on evidence regarding the activities of Rosen, not those of Hillary Clinton or anyone else.

May 14, 2005 — Andrew Grossman, treasurer for Hillary Clinton's Senate committeea, testified Thursday that he had never before heard of a fundraising event costing more than $1 million, that he still doesn't know much the Hollywood Gala cost, and that he hasn't filed any amended reports to the Federal Election Commission.

This testimony, given under oath, fails to square with the facts. Grossman was served on July 19, 2001 with Peter Paul's civil suit detailing the costs of the event. Nevertheless, he submitted this letter to the FEC on July 30, 2001.

May 13, 2005 — Newsmax has more on Jim Levin, the former topless club owner and major contributor to the Clinton Library who is now cooperating with federal authorities in the trial of David Rosen for campaign finance fraud.

May 12, 2005 — Yep, it's the "Devil made me do it" defense. David Rosen's attorney claimed today that the former Clinton campaign finance director knew nothing about the true cost of the Clinton Gala. However, as AP reports, prosecution witness Jim Levin, who helped Peter Paul and Aaron Tonken organize the celebrity-studded event, testified that Rosen was well aware of the spiraling expenses, and intentionally lied to federal regulators.

May 10, 2005 — Former Clinton advisor Dick Morris offers his views on the current situation in Steak Dinner Could Cook Hill.

Now there's a classic NY Post headline.

Morris said today that he sees a "significant chance" that David Rosen will provide details to federal investigators about Hillary's involvement in underreporting donations. Fox News' Hannity & Colmes will have Morris on this evening to explain.

May 9, 2005 — Peter Paul will be interviewed by Tony Snow this morning at 9:20am Eastern.

A major new article on the Hillary Clinton Accountability Project and the Clintons' legal woes appears in today's New York Times.

And here's another one by CBS News: Hillary's Hollywood Headache.

The trial of Hillary Clinton campaign finance director David Rosen begins tomorrow in L.A.

May 7, 2005 — In today's New Orleans Times Picayune article, Sex, lies, secret tape at center of trial, Clinton attorney David Kendall attempts to disparage Peter Paul's civil suit against his clients. Peter Paul responds in this letter.

Interestingly, in light of yesterday's report on Rosen's defense plans, the Times Picayune article notes a recent filing by federal prosecutors stating that Rosen told a confidante there was "no way" he could truthfully report the gala's costs, and that if questioned, he would blame the errors on organizers Peter Paul and Aaron Tonken.

May 6, 2005 — The New York Sun reported today that legal representatives for David Rosen, the former Hillary Clinton campaign finance chief now facing three felony counts of fraud regarding Hillary's 2000 Senate donations, will claim that he was "tricked" by Peter Paul and Aaron Tonken into underreporting their fundraising expenses.

It appears that the Rosen team sees little benefit in pretending the Clinton campaign reports were accurate, and is opting instead for the "Devil Made Me Do It" defense...

May 5, 2005 — "Once dismissed as yet another anti-Clinton gadfly, Mr. Paul has suddenly become a major source of problems for the Clintons and their political associates." See Tuesday's New York Times article, Anti-Clinton Group Joins With Former Clinton Donor for more.

May 4, 2005 — Peter Paul will appear on two national radio shows today: Tony Snow at 9:00am Eastern, and Sean Hannity at 4:30pm Eastern.

Check out these excellent writeups of the HillCAP.org launch: Web Sites Target Hillary Clinton's Ambitions at FoxNews.com, Peter Paul Questions Hillary Election 'Fraud' at NewsMax.com, and The Hillary Clinton Accountability Project at MichelleMalkin.com.

A detailed analysis of Peter Paul's civil case is now up at the Blogger News Network.

If you missed Peter last night on Hannity & Colmes, the clip is available at Jackson's Junction.

May 3, 2005 — site launched.

Welcome to HillCAP.org, home of the Hillary Clinton Accountability Project. Our purpose is to investigate, document and explain America's biggest campaign finance scandal. With your support, we will pursue civil litigation against the Clintons and other principals in the scandal until we have exposed the truth. We will also assist federal authorities as they continue their own investigations.

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