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Who Is Hsu? Captured Fundraiser Didn't Vote
September 07, 2007 12:25 PM
Mysterious Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu is in custody again, after a brief return to a fugitive lifestyle he maintained for 15 years. But new questions are cropping up about his past.
The latest puzzle: Despite funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars into Democratic coffers, Norman Hsu is not a member of the Democratic party. In fact, records appear to reflect he isn't even registered to vote.
Hsu's name does not appear on voter rolls in either California, where Hsu lived in the 1980s and early 1990s, or in New York, where he lived more recently, according to documents and state officials.
THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDS
After news accounts last month exposed the criminal past of the tireless fundraiser, who had donated and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Hillary Clinton and a host of other Democratic candidates, Hsu turned himself in -- only to skip out on $2 million bail.
He was nabbed by the FBI in Colorado last night and is being held in federal custody. Officials say he will be returned to California for sentencing.
Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.
Hsu, reportedly a naturalized U.S. citizen, would have been eligible to vote, say experts, even after his 1992 conviction on a fraud-related felony charge.
While California and New York state laws bar imprisoned and paroled felons from voting, Hsu was never sentenced for his 1992 felony conviction. Hsu skipped out on his sentencing hearing, returning to court only last week -- before skipping out again.
For those 15 years, "he was in a gray area," said Ryan King, a policy analyst with the nonprofit Sentencing Project, which studies state and federal incarceration policies. According to the laws, "he was eligible to vote until the moment he's sentenced to prison or parole."
Strange details abound in Hsu's biography. Before his trial, Hsu was the victim of a kidnapping reportedly tied to a Chinese gang in the San Francisco bay area. After dodging his 1992 hearing, Hsu is believed to have returned to his native Hong Kong for several years.
Details of his businesses remain sketchy. Upon investigation, many of his recent business addresses appear to be little more than mail drops, despite the thousands of dollars those companies reportedly helped generate for Hsu that bankrolled his donations.
Many donations Hsu harvested for his Democratic politician friends came from people who, like himself, were not registered to vote. Some political finance experts have noted the families did not appear wealthy enough to afford the big-money checks they reportedly wrote to Clinton and others.
Hsu's spokesman did not respond to a request for comment from the Blotter on ABCNews.com. Hsu and the donors have denied wrongdoing and say the donations were all legal. Clinton's campaign said it has donated to charity the money it received directly from Hsu. Many other campaigns have followed suit.
Now in custody, Hsu is being held without bail and facing years behind bars. Once he's sentenced to prison, California will take away his right to the ballot which he apparently never exercised.
In perhaps an ironic twist, the state won't take away his right to make political donations, Ryan said. State law does not prohibit felons from contributing to political campaigns, leaving Hsu free to continue funneling thousands of dollars to candidates and groups of his choice.
"If a candidate wants to accept it, that's a different story," Ryan noted.
Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?
September 7, 2007 in Norman Hsu, Clinton Fundraiser | Permalink | User Comments (43)
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Why aren't reporters doing their jobs on this story? What textile company is Hsu involved in? IF he's a businessman then what do we know about his companies. This is a big story with a lot of questions. Why can't we learn the facts behind this story? Why aren't we hearing about the bundled money, who did it come from, why isn't Hillary returning the bundled money? I've read that Hsu is here illegally and that the majority of the people Hsu bundled money from are here illegally and like Hsu most have never even voted.
Posted by: cr42ct | Sep 8, 2007 8:33:08 PM
I guess reporting on a coed's clothing is more important than knowing if a communist country is trying to influence our elections. This isn't different than state run media only it's based on media bias. All I'm asking for is one network channel to thoroughly investigate and report what they find and it doesn't matter to me what political party it affects. We need news options!!!
Posted by: casey | Sep 8, 2007 8:54:14 PM
I would be more worried about Hillary's activities.
Attorneys for each side will also debate the inclusion of a videotape as evidence -- a video in which Clinton can be heard apparently agreeing to plan a fundraiser, which was later determined to be illegal by the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). "
Posted by: Patriot 2007 | Sep 8, 2007 10:22:15 PM
Let's look at the Clinton "BODY COUNT" so far and then let's all take odds on Hsu's chances of still breathing by Christmas 07.... maybe 10 to 1 he will be gone..
Posted by: Dirtbag | Sep 9, 2007 12:11:10 AM
Hsu gave huge amounts of money himself or thru bundling to Hillary. He also gave huge amounts (by Hsu and bundling)to Tennessee and Harold Fords campaign. Why did Hsu that? Why did Hsu give or raise money to the amendment in Ohio that raised the minumim wage? Why did Hsu do that? We need to know these facts. Brian Ross is the best investigative reporter out there. I hope that we will learn the facts from ABC soon.
Posted by: Susan | Sep 9, 2007 11:58:52 AM
Bobc..then it's time to kick their ****right out into the street where they belong...
Posted by: Ramage100 | Sep 9, 2007 3:05:24 PM
By-the-by, Hsu is an American, if it were illegal to take "foreign contributions", both parties would have to give back money from "The Catholic Chrurch", stationed in ITALY, VATACAN CITY. Have you ever heard of that sndpaper?
Posted by: able | Sep 9, 2007 3:11:08 PM
You're all pathetic, there's nothing illegal since 1992, there's nothing about "Chinese Inflence"here. There's not even a hint of illegal donations. I've got a good grip, you ought to look at yourself, sndpaper. Hypothesizing about "Bad Democrats" from the basis of THIS ARTICLE is GOOFY. I think you all are trying to justify DeLay, Ney, Noe, Gingrich.....now there's some CROOKS.
Posted by: able | Sep 9, 2007 6:26:25 PM
This was written for me......Hey, ABLE!!!!! Get a grip on sanity, how about it?
Ever hear of statutes that bar "foreign" contributions to political campaigns? Can you point me to the exclusion, IN LAW, that lets democrats skate on this crap?
Ever hear of "limits" per donor? Again, I've never heard of limits on "Republicans only".
Posted by: sndpaper | Sep 8, 2007 6:03:41 PM
.................................According to THIS ARTICLE, Hsu is an American, if he registers, he can vote. But, here's the kicker, he's NOT a Democrat. WOW, now, who should get a grip on SANITY?
Posted by: able | Sep 9, 2007 6:47:06 PM
China funded Hsu to buy a US president. It will delay a US response to the upcoming war.
Posted by: kong | Sep 10, 2007 9:49:52 AM
"Ever hear of statutes that bar "foreign" contributions to political campaigns? Can you point me to the exclusion, IN LAW, that lets democrats skate on this crap?
Ever hear of "limits" per donor? Again, I've never heard of limits on "Republicans only"."
And what does the above have to do with anything.
Posted by: bobby stickers | Sep 10, 2007 10:38:35 AM
"China funded Hsu to buy a US president. It will delay a US response to the upcoming war."
Other than Right Wing fantasies, do you have anything to back this up?
Posted by: bobby stickers | Sep 10, 2007 10:39:16 AM
Hsu has funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to Conniving Calculating Clinton through third parties, including the residents of the infamous Daly City house. Hsu is just the tip of the stench iceberg supporting Conniving.
Wake up Dems - don't let your LOSER faction give the nomination to somebody who has more than 50% DISAPPROVAL in every poll! You can and must do better.
Posted by: ALEX H. | Sep 10, 2007 1:49:06 PM
I don't know bobby. Let's look
at the dual use technology Clinton let
slide out of export during the 90's.
No Quid pro quo there huh?
Posted by: bobby socks | Sep 10, 2007 1:51:01 PM
How many more "Hsu Bundler's" are out there?
Posted by: mrrocker | Sep 10, 2007 5:31:09 PM
able, I know you are an expert at the point the finger in the other direction as a liberal I am sure you have been doing it all your life. But, if it walks and quakes like a duck it is probably a duck, not moose as liberals would have us believe.
Posted by: Watchman | Sep 10, 2007 9:50:06 PM
I listen to the enemy like HUSH BIMBO, BILL OHREALLY, SHUN Hannity, and the nervous little Mikey the savage weiner, spewing out nonsense that their listeners pick up and bring to posts like this. The comedy of the republicans and their bathroom encounters with strangers should endear them to the american soul for eons.
Posted by: daddy | Sep 11, 2007 10:54:06 AM
You see a US Senator taking what is obviously illegal money, and you bring up Sen. Craig. What image comes to your mind when you see Barney Frank?Do you recall Rep. Fred Richmond? He was a lulu, who makes Sen., Craig look like a saint.
Worry about democrat crooks who will take (and can get) money from any source, however illegal or contrary to American interests; Chinese money buying a US President for the second time, and one with the same last name as the first. I guess the Clintons' daughter will be next.
Posted by: TheOldTrooper | Sep 11, 2007 1:45:16 PM
I think ABC mwill follow this one with the same vigor it did the Vince Foster murder.
Posted by: TheOldTrooper | Sep 11, 2007 1:47:03 PM
Dear ABC News,
I don't think it's too puzzling. What I find puzzling is that this article doesn't even suggest the obvious suspicion one might have that this man was hired to funnel money into a political campain. How unbiased. And by the same reporter who wrote "Are GOP Leaders Leaking State Secrets?" last month. That article is SO biased, it couldn't possibly be written by the same person. Plagiarism, perhaps? I don't like being talked to like I'm stupid. Stop it.
Posted by: Melissa | Sep 11, 2007 4:50:45 PM
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