Donor, After Missing California Court Date, Is Found Ill on Train in Colorado

NY Times ^ | September 8, 2007 | ROBERT D. McFADDEN

[neverdem]

Norman Hsu, the Democratic fund-raiser whose 15-year fugitive odyssey began and ended with skipped court dates and cut a trail of fraud, tainted donations and blindsided candidates, seemed to be at the end of his rope yesterday, hospitalized under guard in Colorado after his latest vanishing act failed.

Mr. Hsu, a 56-year-old Hong Kong businessman born Yung Yuen Hsu, who raised large sums for presidential races and many major political figures, who reveled in circles of power and even became a university trustee (with a scholarship in his name) — all while on the run from a three-year prison term — was at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction after being taken ill off a Denver-bound Amtrak train on Thursday, federal officials said.

In federal custody and under guard by Mesa County sheriff’s deputies, Mr. Hsu, who was listed in fair condition with an unspecified ailment, faced new charges and extradition to California. He was to have appeared in court there on Wednesday to surrender his passport and seek a reduction in $2 million bail he posted last week when he turned himself in for running away from a 1992 felony sentencing.

After he failed to show up at Wednesday’s hearing, a new warrant was issued. Federal officials said Mr. Hsu had arrived at Oakland International Airport on a charter flight from New York. But instead of heading for the hearing in San Mateo County Superior Court in Redwood City, south of San Francisco, he boarded an eastbound Amtrak train in Emeryville, near Oakland, the officials said.

He had his passport and a berth in a sleeper, but his trip was cut short when he fell ill. Amtrak notified the authorities, an ambulance met the train at Grand Junction and federal agents arrested Mr. Hsu at the hospital, ending what...

[crazyshrink]

Subpoena this phone call list anyone?

[ChildOfThe60s]

That’s not the loyalty I meant. I was thinking more of the devotion that the minions and confidants show when they are apprehended. Why are these people so willing to rot in jail and/or fall on their swords? Is it the loyalty of fanatics, freely given, or is it loyalty driven by fear? As to the former, it tells me how demented they must be to be so unswervingly loyal to such an unlikeable person.

[Freee-dame]

Why are these people so willing to rot in jail and/or fall on their swords?

...because what will happen to them if they turn against the Clintons is worse than going to jail??

[taxesareforever]

I believe it to be a case of being scared of upsetting the clintonistas.

[archy]

Mr. Hsu . ... . was at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction after being taken ill off a Denver-bound Amtrak train on Thursday, federal officials said.

No wonder he was late for his appointment....