Been There, Done That, No Thanks

Been There, Done That, No Thanks
by Linda A. Prussen-Razzano

When the campaign finance scandal broke nearly three years ago, important tidbits were exposed on a weekly basis. To sift the biased wheat from the unbiased chaff, I reviewed the information from a purely factual standpoint. In the case of one Johnny Chung, the facts were as follows:

Johnny Chung began making large donations of soft money to the DNC in 1994. "By April 1995, California records show, Chung had created the first two of at least seven export-import or real-estate companies that he... formed with foreign citizens."1 "Federal Election Commission records show several of [Chung’s] largest political donations were made as he created shell corporations."2

In 1995, "while the National Security Council staff [worried] about Chung portraying himself as being sanctioned by Clinton to negotiate the release of human-rights activist Harry Wu from a Chinese gulag, Chung set up meetings with then-Democratic National Committee, or DNC, chairman Don Fowler."3 "They met on March 9, 1995, at about the same time Chung was providing Hillary Clinton's top aide, Margaret Williams, with a $50,000 political donation."4

After the DNC meeting, "Fowler arranged for Chung and COSCO [China Ocean Shipping Company] representatives to attend a Clinton radio address. Chung and six Chinese ‘business executives’ listened to the radio address and, shortly afterward, Chung dropped $50,000 to the DNC."5 He also donated $25,000 to Africare, a charity supported by Hazel O’Leary, in return for access to the Labs.

"Chung visited the White House 49 times between 1994 and 1996 and attended numerous Democratic fund-raising events, sometimes accompanying Chinese business executives who were photographed with President Clinton or first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. He donated $366,000 to the Democratic National Committee for the 1996 election, all of which has since been returned."6

The most notorious aspect of Chung’s story was his 1996 contact with General Ji Shengde, a senior official in China’s People’s Liberation Army. Ji reportedly told Chung, "We really like your president. We hope he will get re-elected... I will give you 300,000 U.S. dollars. You can give it to... your president and Democrat Party."7

"Chung gave only $ 35,000 to the Democratic National Committee. A Senate committee said most of the funds ‘went for Chung's personal use, including mortgage payments.’"8

Once the scandal broke, the White House portrayed Chung as a hustler who "victimized" them. After Chung plead guilty to two campaign finance violations, the DNC urged the Judge to "throw the book" at him.

What did not receive accurate media attention was Chung’s complete compliance and cooperation with the Department of Justice and the FBI. He opened up all his banking and business records, wore wire taps which recorded Chinese operatives threatening him to remain silent, and provided a mountain of photographic evidence to prove that high level DNC officials were where he claimed they were. During one wiretap session, Chung’s contact urged him to "delay, delay, delay" because individuals within China and the White House would protect him.

To be perfectly honest, before this year I had little or no regard for Mr. Chung. I saw him as nothing more than a step-and-fetch boy for the Chicoms; however, after seeing his speech at the Judicial Watch 5 Year Anniversary dinner, I will be honest enough to admit that I may have been wrong.

When he stated that Chinese officials promised him lucrative business contracts in exchange for assistance, his words, demeanor, and reasoning seemed credible. With believable resolution, he confessed that these promises were merely lies; the contracts never came. When he claimed he did not know his actions were illegal, that this was his first heavy foray into the political arena, his words resonated with truth.

Ultimately, his "explanations" did not sway my thinking, his actions did. If Johnny Chung was merely a servant for the Chicoms, he would not have confessed his mistakes, plead guilty to the charges, and accepted the ruling of the court. He would not have cooperated with the Department of Justice and the FBI. He would not have risked three separate attempts on his life, the health of his family, or financial ruin. The fact remains he did all that, and more; he offered information beyond the questions posed and is now bringing his side of the story to the public. He doesn’t just want to clear his name; he wants the people who accepted his dollars for access to be brought to justice, as well.

Johnny Chung is naming names, including Bill Richardson, members of Hillary’s personal staff, and Hazel O’Leary. He has provided whatever evidence he had in his possession to substantiate his claims, claims that people within the Clinton Administration knew he was paying huge sums of cash for foreign Chinese access. Janet Reno, who has long been complicit in covering for the Clintons, ignored his evidence and dismissed his accusations. The FBI found him credible, Charles LaBella found him credible, and now others hearing his side of the story are also finding him credible.

Four days before he made his speech, he received a solicitation letter from the DNC. He had just a few words for them: "Been there, done that, no thanks."

Chung’s troubles are far from over.

"In an exclusive interview with Lucianne Goldberg on her Saturday afternoon radio show, key Chinagate witness Johnny Chung revealed that the Clinton IRS Department filed a tax lien against all his property just days ago. ’One day after I spoke at Judicial Watch dinner, I got notice of IRS lien against my property. This is the first time I publicly talk about this.’"9

A word of advice, Mr. Chung. Keep on talking, remain visible and vocal. Oh, and don’t take any single engine airplanes over Arkansas.

Sources:

1. The New York Times, "Asian Links of a Donor Put Gifts to Democrats in Doubt," by Christopher Drew, February 22, 1997.

2. Insight Magazine, "China’s Military May Get U.S. Base," by Timothy W. Maier, May 17, 1999.

3. Ibid, Maier.

4. Ibid, Maier.

5. Ibid, Maier.

6. Washington Post, "Chung Ties Funds To DNC, " by Roberto Suro and Bob Woodward, May 16, 1998.

7. Los Angeles Times, "Beijing Insists Move Is Not A Demotion," Henry Chu and Jim Mann, July 3, 1999.

8. Ibid, Chu and Mann.

9. NewsMax.com, "Chung Hit With New Tax Charges After Judicial Watch Speech," Carl Limbacher, October 30, 1999.