Big Source of Clinton's Cash Is an Unlikely Address (Caught!)

Wall Street Journal ^ | 8/28/07 | BRODY MULLINS

[BurbankKarl]

DALY CITY, Calif. -- One of the biggest sources of political donations to Hillary Rodham Clinton is a tiny, lime-green bungalow that lies under the flight path from San Francisco International Airport.

Six members of the Paw family, each listing the house at 41 Shelbourne Ave. as their residence, have donated a combined $45,000 to the Democratic senator from New York since 2005, for her presidential campaign, her Senate re-election last year and her political action committee. In all, the six Paws have donated a total of $200,000 to Democratic candidates since 2005, election records show.

That total ranks the house with residences in Greenwich, Conn., and Manhattan's Upper East Side among the top addresses to donate to the Democratic presidential front-runner over the past two years, according to an analysis by The Wall Street Journal of donations listed with the Federal Election Commission.

It isn't obvious how the Paw family is able to afford such political largess. Records show they own a gift shop and live in a 1,280-square-foot house that they recently refinanced for $270,000. William Paw, the 64-year-old head of the household, is a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service who earns about $49,000 a year, according to a union representative. Alice Paw, also 64, is a homemaker. The couple's grown children have jobs ranging from account manager at a software company to "attendance liaison" at a local public high school. One is listed on campaign records as an executive at a mutual fund.

The Paws' political donations closely track donations made by Norman Hsu, a wealthy New York businessman in the apparel industry who once listed the Paw home as his address, according to public records. Mr. Hsu is one of the top fund-raisers for Mrs. Clinton's presidential campaign.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Mr. Barcello said that the Paws and Mr. Hsu have known each other for at least a decade, after Mr. Hsu began to shop at a store in a Burlingame, Calif., hotel run by Alice Paw, the family matriarch. The attorney said that, despite the family’s modest house, they have the financial wherewithal to make large contributions. Mr. Hsu had also become close to one of the Paws’ sons, Winkle, and the two have done business deals together, according to Mr. Barcello.

Notice Tan Enterprises has no address...

Here are the gift shops listed in Burlingame, CA, according to InsiderPages.com

The Gift Carte
1433 Broadway, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.1 miles

The Gourmet Gift Horse
1309 N Carolan Ave, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.3 miles

Smith W H
1333 Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.5 miles

My Favorite City Gifts
980 David Rd, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.6 miles

Tan Enterprises
Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.6 miles

Something Elegant
827 California Dr, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.7 miles

Oritz Gift
1555 Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.9 miles

Here are the hotels listed in Burlingame, CA, according to InsiderPages.com

Bay Landing Hotel
2 reviews | 1550 Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.9 miles

Doubletree Hotel San Francisco Airport
3 reviews | 835 Airport Blvd, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.8 miles

Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
4 reviews | 1333 Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.6 miles

Vagabond Inn
1 review | 1640 Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 1.0 miles

Crowne Plaza San Francisco International Airport Hotel
1 review | 1177 Airport Blvd # 650, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.5 miles

Holiday Inn
1250 Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.5 miles

Michaels Hair Styling Crowne Plaza
1177 Airport Blvd, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.5 miles

Mercy Center
2300 Adeline Dr, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 0.8 miles

American Motel Hotel Brokers
1633 Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010 - 1.0 miles

[lainie]

Oh, that can’t possibly be true. This is just the new and improved Vast Right Wing Conspiracy talking!

[JennysCool]

It’s streamlined now, so it’s the Half-Vast Right Wing Conspiracy!

How’s by Hsu?

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

HEG, do you have a link list for Hillary’s campaign cash scandal?

[Grim FReeper]

I know of MANY Chinese restaurants that serve maybe 20 people per day at most and yet manage to stay in business year after year. I have often said that I think all they do is launder money.

[hsrazorback1]

If I were the Hsu’s, I would hide before I got swept under the rug.

[ravingnutter]

Was perusing a report and found the statement that "Norman Hsu--a $7,500 check was written on Sioeng San Wong's account to Friends of Norman Hsu on March 11, 1995. Hsu is a former president of the Chinese-American Association."

Then something caught my eye...it is footnote #1: Letter from Steven R. Ross and Mark J. MacDougall to The Honorable Fred Thompson, September 17, 1997. (Ex. 1).

Wow...what are the odds? Thompson was investigating these same types of shenanigans back then and now will be running against Hillary, more than likely in the general election.

From Thompson's Wiki entry:

While in the Senate, Thompson served as the chairman of the Committee on Governmental Affairs from 1997 to 2001. The committee investigated alleged Chinese attempts to influence American politics prior to the 1996 elections. However, Thompson was "largely stymied" during those investigations, with witnesses declining to testify, claiming the right not to incriminate themselves, or simply leaving the United States' jurisdiction.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping to donations.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Wow, just wow.

There is a chain of Mexican restaurants in Phoenix (well here in Fresno too) that does the same thing. A lot of food (no pun intended) for thought there...

[dragnet2]

William Paw, the 64-year-old head of the household, is a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service who earns about $49,000 a year

The mailman makes $50,000.00 per year????

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Picking up steam:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1888562/posts

[SteamShovel]

presidental campaigns receive tax-payer-funded matching funds.

So a candidate could (if so inclined) take donations, receive matching funds, then take the donations plus the matching funds and give the total to others to be redonated as new money to receive double matching funds....?

In essense, the money grows by a 2^n factor. If anyone is doing this, I hope they are prosecuted to the maximum extent.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Fred!

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl

[Designer]

"So a candidate could (if so inclined) take donations, receive matching funds, then take the donations plus the matching funds and give the total to others to be redonated as new money to receive double matching funds....?

In essense, the money grows by a 2^n factor. If anyone is doing this, I hope they are prosecuted to the maximum extent."

Yes, that is how it could work. Easiest would be to gather all the smaller individual donations, as they are the hardest to trace, then enlist some folks such as the Paws to send in the larger checks. The trace would then have to jump from the Paws back to the campaign, and I doubt if that would be easy.

This will likely turn out to be simply another unsubstantiated rumor of the campaign trail. No self-respecting Attorney General of these here United States of America is ever going to try to prosecute Hitlery. That will never happen.

[Republican Extremist]

Not a fotoshop...

[Fawnn]

That house looks like somebody put siding around a mobile home and then added a garage.

Somehow that probably explains the trailer design for the Clinton library.

[Master of Orion]

Like this?
02/14/2007 Hsu sends money to candidate 1.
05/21/2007 Candidate 1 sends donations to Presidential candidate.
06/06/2007 Hsu agent sends next installment to canidate 1.
09/2007 Candidate 1 sends donations to Presidential candidate.

Let’s see what happens in Sept.

HSU, NORMAN
NEW YORK,NY 10012
NEXT COMPONENTS LTD./DIRECTOR
2/14/2007
$2,300
Gillibrand, Kirsten E

HSU, NORMAN
NEW YORK,NY 10012
NEXT COMPONENTS LTD./DIRECTOR
2/14/2007
$2,300
Gillibrand, Kirsten E

GILLIBRAND, KIRSTEN E
HUDSON,NY 12534
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES/U.S.
5/21/2007
$2,300
Clinton, Hillary

GILLIBRAND, KIRSTEN E
HUDSON,NY 12534
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES/U.S.
5/21/2007
$2,300
Clinton, Hillary

PAW, MARINA J
DALE CITY,CA 94105
ACTUATE CORP/FINANCE
6/6/2007
$2,300
Gillibrand, Kirsten E

PAW, WINKLE
DALY CITY,CA 94015
NEXT COMPONENTS LTD./MANAGING DIREC
6/6/2007
$2,300
Gillibrand, Kirsten E

[Designer]

Candidate 1 sends donations to Presidential candidate.

ad infinitum

All the while qualifying for matching funds with each turn.

I am not holding my breath to see if any federal prosecutor picks up this ball and runs with it.

[the invisib1e hand]

The Paws should seek the witness protection program immediately.