Iowa Attorney General Investigates Senior Scam (CNN Pollster/Hillary Supporter Vinod Gupta)

ABC News (excerpt) ^ | August 15, 2007 | Jake Tapper

[HAL9000]

Excerpt -

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., expressed concern about older Americans being "scammed" in a Des Moines, Iowa, speech Wednesday morning, even though her campaign has benefited from the largesse of a Democratic donor whose company is being investigated by the Iowa attorney general for its role in the very same issue -- defrauding seniors.

"Fraudsters prey on seniors," Clinton told more than 300 Iowans at Waukee High School. "They offer prizes and sweepstakes and lotteries that lure people into a web of deception."

Clinton warned the crowd, "We've got to send out the alarm: seniors should be extremely careful in buying anything that someone tries to sell you over the telephone."

One of Clinton's biggest financial supporters, however, is the multimillionaire owner of a data-mining company currently being investigated for its role in selling data lists of vulnerable seniors in Iowa to criminals specifically preying on lottery-seekers.

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller launched the investigation against telemarketers defrauding the elderly in 2005, including an exploration as to what role infoUSA and its subsidiary Walter Karl Inc. played in selling their telemarketing lists to the very same kinds of "fraudsters" Clinton lambasted Wednesday.

Clinton Supporter Investigated

Vinod Gupta, founder, chairman & chief executive officer of infoUSA, has contributed more than $14,000 to Clinton and her various campaign committees, federal election records show.

For her presidential race, Gupta has given the maximum allowable contribution, $2,300, and by serving as vice chair of a June Manhattan fundraiser for Clinton featuring Christina Aguilera, Gupta committed to raising $50,000 for her campaign.

infoUSA has also paid former President Bill Clinton hundreds of thousands of dollars for speeches and more than $3 million for consulting.

~ snip ~

[rocksblues]

Clinton warned the crowd, "We've got to send out the alarm: seniors should be extremely careful in buying anything that someone tries to sell you over the telephone."

Thanks Hillary! I guess I shouldn't respond to that email that told me I won the British lottery?

Puhlease!

[GovernmentShrinker]

Clinton warned the crowd, "We've got to send out the alarm: seniors should be extremely careful in buying anything that someone tries to sell you over the telephone."

Much better advice would be "NEVER buy anything that someone tries to sell you over the telephone". But of course Hillary wouldn't want to offend her senior-scamming donor-fundraiser.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Well, that does it for me. I’m soooo happy that Hillary is against senior citizens being victimized by a scam. Gee, she has such a sharp mind, maybe I should vote for her!!

And then, it stands to reason, that since Hillary is a good Democrat and against scamming senior citizens, that those bad Republicans must be in favor of scamming the elderly!!!

[Pappy Smear]

The AG in Iowa is an attention grabbing (word withheld to protect innocent eyes). But I do believe he has come out in support of Obama. Don’t know whether it is related or not, but nice when the Dems eat their own.

[GitmoSailor]

Hillary is everywhere I tell yeh!!!!!....Just everywhere!!...

[vetsvette]

“Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., expressed concern about older Americans being “scammed”

This is one Senior that won’t be scammed into voting for you Hillary!

[doug from upland]

I wonder if Gupta could do CNN’s polling from jail.

Gupta and CNN exposed -— http://youtube.com/watch?v=hFXgpG0R83U

[AnimalLover]

Thanks Hillary! I guess I shouldn’t respond to that email that told me I won the British lottery?

....Or the one from China offering me a tremendous job at a
tremendous salary!

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping.

[mimaw]

That Gupta dude has to be the father or uncle of CNN’s Dr. Gupta. Great now one even has to question the voracity of medical reports from that channel.

[HAL9000]

Vinod Gupta is not related to Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

[mimaw]

When you watch the video they look so much alike through the eyes and forehead.

[niteowl77]

The AG in Iowa is an attention grabbing (word withheld to protect innocent eyes).

He also pulls crackdowns on "scams against the elderly" and "the scourge of tobacco" out of his magic hat with the regularity of Old Faithful (always near election time, in what can only be called an amazing - nay, ASTOUNDING - coincidence). One might be forgiven the notion that Iowans would catch on.

Nonetheless, "we" keep returning him to office. More and more, I do feel like I'm surrounded by Idiots Out Walking Around.

Mr. niteowl77

[tcrlaf]

She’s AGAINST the scams, but FOR the Private Jets, money, and biased push-polling he provides....

All I can say is:

IMAGINE THAT...