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AP: Kerry Took Money From Arrested Figure
=20
WASHINGTON (AP) - John Kerry's campaign collected a maximum $2,000 check =
from the recently arrested son of South Korea's disgraced former =
president, and some of its fund-raisers met several times with a South =
Korean government official who was trying to organize a Korean-American =
political group.=20
The Kerry campaign said it did not know about the $2,000 donation from =
Chun Jae-yong or his background until informed by The Associated Press =
and has decided to return the money to avoid any appearance of =
impropriety.=20
"We are sending the check back," spokesman Michael Meehan said.=20
South Korean government officials told the AP that a top official in its =
Los Angeles consulate office returned home last month amid "speculation" =
he had engaged in Democratic politics, but they do not believe any laws =
were broken.=20
Chun Jae-yong was arrested in February by South Korean authorities on =
charges of evading taxes on $14 million in inheritance money. His =
father, former president Chun Dooh-hwan, was convicted in 1997 on =
bribery charges.=20
Chun Jae-yong was business partners last year with Rick Yi, one of =
Kerry's major fund-raisers in the Asian-American community. Yi =
acknowledged soliciting the donation from Chun last summer before =
learning of his legal problems.=20
"I didn't think anything wrong of it," said Yi, who has raised more than =
$500,000 for Kerry, the Democratic presidential challenger, and =
Democratic causes. Yi is listed as one of the campaign's fund-raising =
vice chairmen. "If I had known who he was at the time I probably would =
not have taken the money," he said.=20
Yi, a former military attache in the Clinton White House, said he was =
business partners with Chun for about six months last year in a Duluth, =
Ga., company called OR Solutions Inc. When making his donation Aug. 11, =
Chun listed himself as the company's president and chief operating =
officer.=20
The same day, Yi also made a $2,000 contribution to Kerry, listing =
himself as chairman and chief executive of OR Solutions. Yi said Chun =
had asked him to help set up the company and that he ended his =
affiliation late last fall.=20
Yi said Chun showed him a Social Security card before making the =
donation to prove he was a legal U.S. resident allowed to donate to =
political campaigns. By law, the maximum individual donation is $2,000.=20
Yi also confirmed that while on Kerry fund-raising trips to California =
he met at least three times with Chung Byung-man, the South Korean =
government's vice consulate in Los Angeles and that they discussed =
forming a political group to organize influential Korean-Americans that =
would be called The Korean-American Leadership Council.=20
"It generically was being called a political action committee for the =
Korean-American community," Yi said. "He (Chung) asked me to spearhead =
this council. I rejected his proposal. I don't have time."=20
South Korean-U.S. relations have been strained over the North Korean =
nuclear weapons program and the Bush administration's decision to reduce =
the number of U.S. troops in Seoul.=20
Yi said his conversations with Chung never centered on fund raising and =
that many of the people Chung was suggesting for the group were =
Republicans. He said, however, that he found it odd that a South Korean =
diplomat was trying to organize an American political group.=20
"I asked him that, 'Is this appropriate for a diplomat to do?' He said =
he was only starting this up because there was no Korean-Americans to do =
it. Once two or three candidates were identified, he would hand it =
over."=20
Yi said he and Chung never discussed using the group to help Kerry and =
that he never solicited donations for Kerry in Chung's presence. But he =
acknowledged that Chung introduced him to some in California as one of =
Kerry's main fund-raisers.=20
"I don't doubt somewhere down the line, Chung said, 'This is Rick Yi, he =
is one of the persons helping John Kerry.' That is normal in their =
culture, but that never led to Chung or I asking for money."=20
Yi wasn't the only Kerry fund-raiser approached by Chung.=20
California lawyer David K. Lee said he was asked to dinner by one of =
Yi's fund-raising deputies and was surprised when Chung showed up. He =
said Chung talked to him and others present about creating a group =
modeled after the Group 100, which has become a strong political voice =
for Chinese-Americans.=20
"Whatever agenda that he had, whether it was political or personal or =
governmental, I really don't know," Lee said. "I just thought the most =
basic assumption for me was that he was doing something good for the =
community."=20
The South Korean government said Friday that Chung had returned home on =
May 16 as part of a regular rotation.=20
The Los Angeles consulate's office has heard "speculation" that Chung =
was supporting the Democratic Party and Kerry but hasn't investigated =
and doesn't believe Chung violated the Geneva Convention's prohibition =
against foreign involvement in politics or any U.S. law, spokesman Min =
Ryu said.=20
Lee said there is heightened sensitivity in the Asian-American community =
after the 1996 fund-raising scandal involving it and the Clinton White =
House.=20
"I think the people who are experienced in this field know the =
repercussions and the impact that that had on the Chinese-American =
community and overall on the Asian-American community and they don't =
want to repeat that mistake," Lee said.=20
Bruce Lee, a top Democratic National Committee fund-raiser who helped =
organize a major Asian-American fund-raising event Friday night for =
Kerry, said he, too, began to hear concerns in the community, looked =
into them and concluded nothing wrong had occurred.=20
Bruce Lee dismissed the allegations as rumors among rival camps of =
fund-raisers. "I treated it as gossip. And I didn't think much more of =
it," he said.=20
The Democratic Party markedly increased its vetting of fund-raisers and =
donors in the late 1990s after the fund-raising scandal centered mostly =
on Asian Americans. More than a dozen Democratic fund-raisers or donors =
were convicted of federal crimes, and the Clintons were forced to =
acknowledged they used White House coffees and overnight stays in the =
Lincoln bedroom as rewards to lure large donations.=20
Kerry has been raising record amounts of money for his presidential =
campaign as he tries to level the playing field with President Bush, who =
has collected an unprecedented $218 million for his re-election. Kerry's =
campaign checks the backgrounds of all fund-raisers and requires =
non-citizen donors to show proof they are legal residents allowed to =
donate.=20
Kerry has been forced on several occasions to answer questions or return =
donations after media reports that he accepted money from donors with =
unsavory backgrounds.=20
For instance, Kerry received $10,000 in donations in the 1990s through =
controversial Democratic fund-raiser Johnny Chung after his Senate =
office arranged a tour for Chung at the Securities and Exchange =
Commission. Johnny Chung later pleaded guilty to making illegal straw =
donations, including some to Kerry.=20
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><STRONG>AP: Kerry Took Money From =
Arrested=20
Figure</STRONG><FONT size=3D1><BR></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT size=3D1><FONT =
size=3D2> </FONT>
<P>WASHINGTON (AP) - John Kerry's campaign collected a maximum $2,000 =
check from=20
the recently arrested son of South Korea's disgraced former president, =
and some=20
of its fund-raisers met several times with a South Korean government =
official=20
who was trying to organize a Korean-American political group.=20
<P>The Kerry campaign said it did not know about the $2,000 donation =
from Chun=20
Jae-yong or his background until informed by The Associated Press and =
has=20
decided to return the money to avoid any appearance of impropriety.=20
<P>"We are sending the check back," spokesman Michael Meehan said.=20
<P>South Korean government officials told the AP that a top official in =
its Los=20
Angeles consulate office returned home last month amid "speculation" he =
had=20
engaged in Democratic politics, but they do not believe any laws were =
broken.=20
<P>Chun Jae-yong was arrested in February by South Korean authorities on =
charges=20
of evading taxes on $14 million in inheritance money. His father, former =
president Chun Dooh-hwan, was convicted in 1997 on bribery charges.=20
<P>Chun Jae-yong was business partners last year with Rick Yi, one of =
Kerry's=20
major fund-raisers in the Asian-American community. Yi acknowledged =
soliciting=20
the donation from Chun last summer before learning of his legal =
problems.=20
<P>"I didn't think anything wrong of it," said Yi, who has raised more =
than=20
$500,000 for Kerry, the Democratic presidential challenger, and =
Democratic=20
causes. Yi is listed as one of the campaign's fund-raising vice =
chairmen. "If I=20
had known who he was at the time I probably would not have taken the =
money," he=20
said.=20
<P>Yi, a former military attache in the Clinton White House, said he was =
business partners with Chun for about six months last year in a Duluth, =
Ga.,=20
company called OR Solutions Inc. When making his donation Aug. 11, Chun =
listed=20
himself as the company's president and chief operating officer.=20
<P>The same day, Yi also made a $2,000 contribution to Kerry, listing =
himself as=20
chairman and chief executive of OR Solutions. Yi said Chun had asked him =
to help=20
set up the company and that he ended his affiliation late last fall.=20
<P>Yi said Chun showed him a Social Security card before making the =
donation to=20
prove he was a legal U.S. resident allowed to donate to political =
campaigns. By=20
law, the maximum individual donation is $2,000.=20
<P>Yi also confirmed that while on Kerry fund-raising trips to =
California he met=20
at least three times with Chung Byung-man, the South Korean government's =
vice=20
consulate in Los Angeles and that they discussed forming a political =
group to=20
organize influential Korean-Americans that would be called The =
Korean-American=20
Leadership Council.=20
<P>"It generically was being called a political action committee for the =
Korean-American community," Yi said. "He (Chung) asked me to spearhead =
this=20
council. I rejected his proposal. I don't have time."=20
<P>South Korean-U.S. relations have been strained over the North Korean =
nuclear=20
weapons program and the Bush administration's decision to reduce the =
number of=20
U.S. troops in Seoul.=20
<P>Yi said his conversations with Chung never centered on fund raising =
and that=20
many of the people Chung was suggesting for the group were Republicans. =
He said,=20
however, that he found it odd that a South Korean diplomat was trying to =
organize an American political group.=20
<P>"I asked him that, 'Is this appropriate for a diplomat to do?' He =
said he was=20
only starting this up because there was no Korean-Americans to do it. =
Once two=20
or three candidates were identified, he would hand it over."=20
<P>Yi said he and Chung never discussed using the group to help Kerry =
and that=20
he never solicited donations for Kerry in Chung's presence. But he =
acknowledged=20
that Chung introduced him to some in California as one of Kerry's main=20
fund-raisers.=20
<P>"I don't doubt somewhere down the line, Chung said, 'This is Rick Yi, =
he is=20
one of the persons helping John Kerry.' That is normal in their culture, =
but=20
that never led to Chung or I asking for money."=20
<P>Yi wasn't the only Kerry fund-raiser approached by Chung.=20
<P>California lawyer David K. Lee said he was asked to dinner by one of =
Yi's=20
fund-raising deputies and was surprised when Chung showed up. He said =
Chung=20
talked to him and others present about creating a group modeled after =
the Group=20
100, which has become a strong political voice for Chinese-Americans.=20
<P>"Whatever agenda that he had, whether it was political or personal or =
governmental, I really don't know," Lee said. "I just thought the most =
basic=20
assumption for me was that he was doing something good for the =
community."=20
<P>The South Korean government said Friday that Chung had returned home =
on May=20
16 as part of a regular rotation.=20
<P>The Los Angeles consulate's office has heard "speculation" that Chung =
was=20
supporting the Democratic Party and Kerry but hasn't investigated and =
doesn't=20
believe Chung violated the Geneva Convention's prohibition against =
foreign=20
involvement in politics or any U.S. law, spokesman Min Ryu said.=20
<P>Lee said there is heightened sensitivity in the Asian-American =
community=20
after the 1996 fund-raising scandal involving it and the Clinton White =
House.=20
<P>"I think the people who are experienced in this field know the =
repercussions=20
and the impact that that had on the Chinese-American community and =
overall on=20
the Asian-American community and they don't want to repeat that =
mistake," Lee=20
said.=20
<P>Bruce Lee, a top Democratic National Committee fund-raiser who helped =
organize a major Asian-American fund-raising event Friday night for =
Kerry, said=20
he, too, began to hear concerns in the community, looked into them and =
concluded=20
nothing wrong had occurred.=20
<P>Bruce Lee dismissed the allegations as rumors among rival camps of=20
fund-raisers. "I treated it as gossip. And I didn't think much more of =
it," he=20
said.=20
<P>The Democratic Party markedly increased its vetting of fund-raisers =
and=20
donors in the late 1990s after the fund-raising scandal centered mostly =
on Asian=20
Americans. More than a dozen Democratic fund-raisers or donors were =
convicted of=20
federal crimes, and the Clintons were forced to acknowledged they used =
White=20
House coffees and overnight stays in the Lincoln bedroom as rewards to =
lure=20
large donations.=20
<P>Kerry has been raising record amounts of money for his presidential =
campaign=20
as he tries to level the playing field with President Bush, who has =
collected an=20
unprecedented $218 million for his re-election. Kerry's campaign checks =
the=20
backgrounds of all fund-raisers and requires non-citizen donors to show =
proof=20
they are legal residents allowed to donate.=20
<P>Kerry has been forced on several occasions to answer questions or =
return=20
donations after media reports that he accepted money from donors with =
unsavory=20
backgrounds.=20
<P>For instance, Kerry received $10,000 in donations in the 1990s =
through=20
controversial Democratic fund-raiser Johnny Chung after his Senate =
office=20
arranged a tour for Chung at the Securities and Exchange Commission. =
Johnny=20
Chung later pleaded guilty to making illegal straw donations, including =
some to=20
Kerry. <BR><!-- Subject: Kerry Fund Raising --><FONT =
size=3D1><BR></FONT>
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| User: "Su Zanne" |
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| Title: Re: Kerry's campaign funded by crooks. |
21 Jun 2004 12:49:04 AM |
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Feeling DESPERATE? lololol!
How many votes do you suppose Kerry has lost because of YOU?
You're insignificant in this race........get it?
;)
-IIII- -IIII-
.
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| User: "TonyZ2001" |
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| Title: Re: Kerry's campaign funded by crooks. |
21 Jun 2004 06:38:26 AM |
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tugbertswife@webtv.net (Su Zanne)
wrote:
You're insignificant in this race........get >it?
And so is Kerry. ;-)
Tony
.
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| User: " John F Lemke" |
|
| Title: Re: Kerry's campaign funded by crooks. |
21 Jun 2004 07:11:17 PM |
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|
"TonyZ2001" <tonyz2001@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040621073826.03925.00000267@mb-m19.aol.com...
tugbertswife@webtv.net (Su Zanne)
wrote:
You're insignificant in this race........get >it?
And so is Kerry. ;-)
Tony
By the way, Tony, who is Enron supporting THIS election?
.
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| User: "Marvin The Paranoid Android" |
|
| Title: Re: Kerry's campaign funded by crooks. |
21 Jun 2004 08:00:43 PM |
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|
On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 20:11:17 -0400, John F Lemke overjoyed me with this
news:
"TonyZ2001" <tonyz2001@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040621073826.03925.00000267@mb-m19.aol.com...
tugbertswife@webtv.net (Su Zanne)
wrote:
You're insignificant in this race........get >it?
And so is Kerry. ;-)
Tony
By the way, Tony, who is Enron supporting THIS election?
Their defence lawyers ...
.
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| User: " John F Lemke" |
|
| Title: Re: Kerry's campaign funded by crooks. |
21 Jun 2004 10:46:33 PM |
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|
"Marvin The Paranoid Android" <marv@HeartOfGold.com> wrote in message
news:cb80c90170l@news2.newsguy.com...
On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 20:11:17 -0400, John F Lemke overjoyed me with this
news:
"TonyZ2001" <tonyz2001@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040621073826.03925.00000267@mb-m19.aol.com...
tugbertswife@webtv.net (Su Zanne)
wrote:
You're insignificant in this race........get >it?
And so is Kerry. ;-)
Tony
By the way, Tony, who is Enron supporting THIS election?
Their defence lawyers ...
HA!!!!
.
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| User: "Su Zanne" |
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| Title: Re: Kerry's campaign funded by crooks. |
22 Jun 2004 12:37:31 AM |
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Convicted felons *still* can't vote as I post this. You never know just
*what* he may try to pass before November!
Convicted felonious Mexicans with Florida drivers licenses driving to
the voting precincts in stolen Tanker trucks.......all perfectly legal!
;)
SuZanna-Bandana
.
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| User: "Woodswun" |
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| Title: Re: Kerry's campaign funded by crooks. |
21 Jun 2004 06:55:41 PM |
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In article <20040621073826.03925.00000267@mb-m19.aol.com>, (TonyZ2001) wrote:
tugbertswife@webtv.net (Su Zanne)
wrote:
You're insignificant in this race........get >it?
And so is Kerry. ;-)
Yup, because he's the Anti-Bush.
Woods
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