Whom apparently can’t be located. This one also comes at you from the LA Times. Apparently some of these poor busboys living in dingy apartment buildings donated large sums just to be able to meet her. Pardon me if I’m suspicious just on that. But it gets better:
Dishwashers, waiters and others whose jobs and dilapidated home addresses seem to make them unpromising targets for political fundraisers are pouring $1,000 and $2,000 contributions into Clinton’s campaign treasury. In April, a single fundraiser in an area long known for its gritty urban poverty yielded a whopping $380,000. When Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) ran for president in 2004, he received $24,000 from Chinatown…
Clinton’s success in gathering money from Chinatown’s least-affluent residents stems from a two-pronged strategy: mutually beneficial alliances with powerful groups, and appeals to the hopes and dreams of people now consigned to the margins…
Many of Clinton’s Chinatown donors said they had contributed because leaders in neighborhood associations told them to. In some cases, donors said they felt pressure to give…
The Times examined the cases of more than 150 donors who provided checks to Clinton after fundraising events geared to the Chinese community. One-third of those donors could not be found using property, telephone or business records. Most have not registered to vote, according to public records.
And several dozen were described in financial reports as holding jobs — including dishwasher, server or chef — that would normally make it difficult to donate amounts ranging from $500 to the legal maximum of $2,300 per election.
There are several issues with these donations. First, there are the cases where the donors can’t actually be located. Then there’s donors claiming they were pressured into the donations. Many of Hsu’s donors claimed the same. But if you keep reading on in the story, you’ll find the third issue. At least one donation came from a non-U.S. citizen, whom are not allowed to make contributions to political races.
Allah notes that the LA Times has assigned no fewer that 8 people to this story, so we can expect to to hear more on this.
Maybe Hillary has a closet full of Hsus?
MORE: A few points I forgot to mention, via Michelle. Later on in the LA Times article:
Like many who traveled this path, most of the Chinese reported as contributing to Clinton’s campaign have never voted. Many speak little or no English. Some seem to lead such ephemeral lives that neighbors say they’ve never heard of them.
Never voted. Speak no English. Living ephemerally. Does that sound like a typical donor giving away over $1,000 to a candidate?
by Stephan Tawney on Fri, Oct 19, 2007