7/13/2001 CRIMES BY THE CLINTONS AND OTHERS TO BE REVEALED TONIGHT ON ABC’S “20/20"

DATE: Friday, July 13, 2001

NETWORK: ABC TIME: 10:00 pm ET

(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes public abuse and corruption, will “watch” with interest as its client, Peter Paul, and others detail perhaps the biggest campaign finance crime in the history of American politics on ABC’s “20/20" tonight.

Peter Paul, who now resides in Brazil, donated $2 million in “in kind” campaign contributions to finance the Hollywood Tribute to Bill Clinton, which netted $1.5 million for Hillary Clinton’s Senate campaign. ABC’s “20/20" will reveal hard evidence that Mrs. Clinton did not report these contributions as she was required to do under law to the Federal Election Commission.

In addition, former Democratic National Committee Chairman Ed Rendell (now a candidate for governor of Pennsylvania) will be implicated in the Pardongate scandal, along with other high-level Democratic Party officials.

Peter Paul has already filed a civil complaint in the Superior Court of Los Angeles against the Clintons and others to recoup his $2 million in campaign contributions. Hollywood stars such as Barbra Streisand, Cher, Brad Pitt and John Travolta will be material witnesses in the case since they have knowledge of Peter Paul’s involvement in the Hollywood Tribute for Bill Clinton. Monday, prior to Judicial Watch’s press conference at 12:00 noon ED at the National Press Club, Peter Paul will also file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Hillary Clinton and her campaign.

The ABC “20/20" piece has been in the works for over six weeks, and Brian Ross and his staff traveled to Brazil to interview Peter Paul, as well as conducted other interviews of actors in this scandal. ABC News was able to verify Peter Paul’s story.

“Typically, Peter Paul, as the ‘givee,’ has been indicted by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, while no action has been taken by federal authorities in New York against the Clintons. ABC’s ‘20/20' piece should change this equation, once the hard evidence that the Clintons have committed egregious criminal acts becomes known to the American people,” stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Answers

Thanks for posting the heads-up on that show. I managed to catch the presentation. This is possibly the most startling revelation of the Clinton shenanigans yet, with an amusing twist of fate. Reminds me of the many stories of people who make "deals with devil" so to speak.

I think it's funny that the Clintons got involved with Peter Paul who is now coming back at them for being doublecrossed. Just like a white collar Mafia deal gone sour. Such is the fruit of harvest from the "negative" tree. And look at all the big "stars" who were hitched to that same wagon. Something to think about with these performers.

We all get to make choices (free will) and can make our deals and bargains with either the positive forces or negative forces. Deals with the negative forces seem to go sour in the most spectacular way sometimes. Both of the Clintons are now mired in the rotting muck of all the things they were doing. And it's far from over, I'm betting. Once it goes beyond the critical point and they start down the slippery slope in full public view, all sorts of folks will feel free to come forward with their own stories without fear of backlash.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

But, like Jesse Jackson's accountant said, "Oh, that was just a little mistake. Here, let us re-submit the forms."

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

Yep, there was the narrator, quoting the Clintons who said they never had conversation with that man, and all the while numerous videos showed them being ve--ree friendly with Paul and his wife at several functions!

By the way, how many fugitives from US justice ensconced in foreign countries do they know? And did I miss it, or was there absolutely no mention of Denise Rich, Mark Rich and the similarities? Does this mean another 20/20, I wonder?

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

Newsday

07/14/2001 - Saturday - Page A 8 'Hustled' by Clintons by Craig Gordon Washington Bureau

Washington - A California businessman is charging that he spent nearly $2 million to throw a Hollywood fund-raiser for Hillary Rodham Clinton last summer as part of an effort to win President Bill Clinton's help for his Internet company and possibly a presidential pardon.

Peter Paul, who is in Brazil after being indicted last month on stock fraud charges, told ABC's "20/20" program that he was "hustled" by the Clintons and their associates after Clinton fund-raisers led him to believe the president was agreeable to helping him.

"They took the money. They knew that it had a value to them. They promised to do certain things. They reneged on their promise," Paul said in the interview set to air last night.

Paul outlined the charges in a lawsuit filed last month in California. In seeking to avoid the stock fraud indictment, Paul presented the same allegations to four U.S. attorney's offices, and all declined to investigate.

Paul also charges that his $2 million of in-kind contributions was never reported by Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign or Democratic officials. He plans to file a complaint Monday calling on the Federal Election Commission to investigate.

Paul served 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in 1979 to possessing cocaine and trying to swindle $8.7 million from the Cuban government. When Paul's criminal record came to light after the fund-raiser, a Hillary Clinton spokesman said Paul had made only a $2,000 contribution to the campaign, which was returned.

Hillary Clinton's office refused to comment on the charges by Paul, who is being represented by a longtime nemesis of the Clintons, Larry Klayman of the law firm Judicial Watch. "We generally don't comment on Judicial Watch activities," said Clinton spokesman Jim Kennedy.

Democratic officials have denied Paul's charges of unreported contributions. They said they recorded an in-kind contribution of $500,000 from the Aug. 12 event from Stan Lee Media, a now-bankrupt Internet company that Paul co-founded, saying they had gotten that figure from Paul.

Paul was indicted last month on charges that he cost investors more than $25 million by manipulating Stan Lee Media stock. Klayman said at the time that $2 million of that money went into Clinton's Senate campaign.

Paul also said in the interview that a Japanese businessman, Tendo Oto, gave him $27,000 to attend the fund-raiser and that Hillary Clinton's staff did not protest when he told them the money came from a Japanese citizen. Foreign nationals are prohibited from contributing to U.S. political campaigns. Oto later attended a state dinner at the White House.

Elaine S. Povich contributed to this story.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001