May 27, 2005
NEXT CAUSE, HIL-HATERS:
Ex-Clinton Aide Acquitted in Fund-Raising Case (LESLIE EATON, 5/27/05, NY Times)
A federal jury today acquitted Hillary Rodham Clinton's former chief fund-raiser of charges that he underreported the costs of a glittery fund-raising event in 2000 to the Federal Election Commission.In closing arguments on Wednesday, prosecutors accused the defendant, David F. Rosen, of accepting lavish, secret gifts that were "clearly meant to buy influence and access." Mr. Rosen, who was tried on two counts of causing false filings to be made, was the national finance director for Mrs. Clinton's 2000 Senate campaign. If convicted, Mr. Rosen, 38, could have received up to 10 years in prison.
Presumably we all have those idle moments where we imagine what we'd do if were president? How about: issue a blanket pardon for anyone accused of violating campaign finance laws? Posted by Orrin Judd at May 27, 2005 5:45 PM
Or issue an executive order directing the Dept. of Justice to not enforce such laws as they are, in the opinion of the Executive, a violation of the First Amendment's protections for political speech.
Posted by: Raoul Ortega at May 27, 2005 6:38 PMRosen was found innocent.
Posted by: erp at May 27, 2005 7:27 PMI'm old enough to remember Maurice Stans, and his acquittal on campaign finance charges (for the younger generation of the Judd audience, Stans was Nixon's chief fund raiser -- $60 million in the early '70s when a million meant something). The abysmal prosecution of these campaign finance cases has a long history.
Posted by: Fred Jacobsen (San Fran) at May 27, 2005 9:52 PMwhere are you bebe, when america needs you ?
Posted by: cjm at May 27, 2005 10:50 PMWhat would John McCain say about that?
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at May 28, 2005 11:01 AM