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John Kerry's Implicated In Fundraising Scandals, JW Investigates While John Kerry has earned political points for attacking President Bush's ties to big dollar donors, recent media reports have raised serious questions about Senator Kerry's fundraising ethics, prompting Judicial Watch to launch an investigation of the Democrat presidential frontrunner. "Judicial Watch is in the process of filing Freedom of Information Act requests and compiling evidence so that we can get to the truth in this matter," said JW President Tom Fitton. "The Charges made against Senator Kerry are serious and merit a complete and thorough investigation." Locked in a tight battle for the Senate in 1996 with former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, John Kerry was desperately in need of funds, Newsweek magazine recently reported. Fortunately for Senator Kerry, the Communist Chinese were equally desperate to purchase influence from U.S. government officials. According to Newsweek, in 1996 Senator Kerry met with Liu Chaoying, a Hong Kong business woman who wished to have her company listed on the U.S. Stock Exchange. Kerry lobbied on her behalf by helping to organize a meeting between Chaoying and a senior Securities and Exchange Commission official. In return, Kerry accepted a $10,000 contribution in the form of a Beverly Hills Fundraiser on September 9, 1996, less than a month before Election Day. It would later be established that Liu Chaoying was not simply a profit-motivated business woman, but rather a lieutenant colonel in China's People's Liberation Army. Newsweek reports that more than $28,000 in illegal contributions was funneled into the campaigns of Bill Clinton and Kerry, and that "the contributions came out of $300,000 in overseas wire transfers sent on orders from the chief of Chinese military intelligence - and routed through a Hong Kong bank account controlled by Liu." In a somewhat related story, The Los Angeles Time reports that Senator Kerry sent 28 letters on behalf of San Diego defense contractor Parthasarathi "Bob" Majumder between 1996 and 1999 in order to "free up federal funds" for a guided missile system designed by Majumder. In return, court documents show, Majumder induced his employees to contribute approximately $25,000 to Senator Kerry's campaign, while paying them proceeds from the government contracts in return. Parthasarathi pleaded guilty in early February to illegally funneling campaign contributions to the Massachusetts senator and four other congressmen. "Judicial Watch takes no positions on candidates or legislation. John Kerry is free to run for any office of his choosing. But Judicial Watch has a responsibility to maker sure that every politician is held accountable for his or her action, and that includes Senator Kerry," continued Fitton.
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