News You Can Hsuse
Matt Jerzyk of Rhode Island’s Future and Tim Raymond of Rhode Island’s newest news aggregator StartRI (see comment #3 here) {UPDATE: the earliest source on this appears to be a Projo Political Scene item from last Friday} are reporting that Senator Jack Reed will return the $2,500 in campaign money he received from Norman Hsu, the Democratic fundraiser convicted of running an investment scam in the early 1990’s that took over a million dollars from unsuspecting investors.
However, the Associated Press is reporting that Congressman Patrick Kennedy has publicly announced that he intends to keep his contributions from Mr. Hsu…
Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy said Tuesday he’s not returning $6,600 in donations he got from Norman Hsu, a prominent Democratic donor whose criminal past was recently revealed.And there has been no official word from the Rhode Island’s State Democratic Party on whether they intend to take any action with regard to the $11,000 in donations they’ve accepted from Mr. Hsu…
Several top Democrats, including 2008 presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and Kennedy’s father, Sen. Edward Kennedy, have said they will return Hsu’s donations or give them to charity.
Rep. Kennedy will keep the money because there is no indication that Hsu’s contributions to him were illegal, according to his chief of staff, Adam Brand.
Contributions from Norman Hsu
| 08/10/2006 | RI Democratic State Committee | $1,000 |
| 08/10/2006 | RI Democratic State Committee | $10,000 |
Will the state Democratic leadership follow the example of Senator Reed’s or the example of Congressman Kennedy, saying that they see no problem taking money from scam-artists and fugitives from justice, as long as it serves their political purposes?
“… saying that they see no problem taking money from scam-artists and fugitives from justice, as long as it serves their political purposes?”
The state legislature is full of our scam artists and fugitives from justice. Why would we have a problem accepting contributions from one?
Bill Lynch
I caught the story in the AP last night about Patches not wanting to part with his hard earned” money. Now, pray tell, why was Mr. Hsu so interested in Rhode Island politics? The longer that Patches and the RI Dems hold onto his dirty money, the better it is for us.
Can you tell a Clinton is running for President? lol Mr. Hsu is their buddy. Why are the Clinton’s constantly found in the company of the dirty and corrupt?? Birds of a feather…
Someone needs to take a close look at Mark the Clinton’s ATM here in Rhode Island Weiner. Birds of a feather…
Hsu failed to appear in court today and there is now a warrant for his arrest.
from Forbes.com: ”
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Disgraced Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu was a wanted man again after he failed to show up for a court date Wednesday and a judge issued a new warrant for his arrest.” He also failed to turn over his passport. Patches defense of keeping the $ is that Hsu is innocent until proven guilty. However, if the gvernment does not have the oppurtunity to prove their case, Patched should not be able to use that explanation.
Patrick Kennedy refuses to return donations given to him from scam artists and fugitives from the law. What? Is he crazy?
This kind of arrogance (and his pimping of the Mollis campaign) is why this liberal decided last year he’s done with Patches.
And if you read Froma Harrop’s op-ed on Cape Wind today, I’m getting close to that point with his father, too.
“… saying that they see no problem taking money from scam-artists and fugitives from justice, as long as it serves their political purposes?”
You say that like its a bad thing — Puzzled Democrat
“Patrick Kennedy refuses to return donations given to him from scam artists and fugitives from the law. What? Is he crazy?”
Yes, he is crazy! But apparently enough Rhode Islanders are okay with being “represented” by a nut.
Patrick Kennedy – er, ah – has changed his mind.
http://www.turnto10.com/northeast/jar/news.apx.-content-articles-JAR-2007-09-05-0014.html