| For Immediate Release Jan 17, 2001 |
Contact: Press Office 202-646-5172 |
Kennedy, Torricelli Should be Investigated by an Ashcroft Justice Department Kennedy Took At Least $6,000 from John Huang (Washington, D.C.) Judicial Watch, the non-partisan public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, said today that many of the Senators on the Judicial Committee grilling John Ashcroft have a severe conflict of interest because of their personal involvement in the ongoing Chinagate scandal, which would have to be investigated by an Ashcroft Justice Department. Federal Election Commission records show that John Huang, the accused Chinese spy and Democrat fundraiser, gave at least $6,000 in political donations to Ted Kennedy and at least $2,000 to Robert Torricelli since 1992. Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle also received $5,000 from Huang and Barbara Boxer received $2,000. In addition, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which benefits all Democratic Senators received over $11,000 from Huang. Huang has admitted that all these monies came from illegal overseas accounts through the Lippo Group. According to an U.S. Senate Report, the Lippo Group is alleged to be a front operation for Communist Chinese intelligence. �In 1997, Bill Clinton reportedly torpedoed support from Democratic senators for a special counsel to investigate Chinagate by reminding Tom Daschle in an angry late night phone call that the money at issue had benefitted Senate Democrats. Indeed, Huang gave Senate Democrats (and some Republicans) thousands of dollars in illegal contributions. Ted Kennedy, Bob Torricelli and other senators who would face possible investigation by an Ashcroft Justice Department ought to at least recuse themselves from the process, for they have an obvious interest in sabotaging an incoming Attorney General who might actually prosecute them,� stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman. | |