Campaign Notebook
Clinton gala for Senate investigated

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive

LOS ANGELES — The Federal Election Commission is investigating a Hollywood gala that raised more than $1 million for Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2000 Senate campaign, sources said.

The investigation, launched several weeks ago, comes atop a Justice Department inquiry that has focused in recent months on the event and former Clinton finance executive David Rosen.

In addition, documents reviewed by the Los Angeles Times indicate that a federal grand jury has been examining evidence of wrongdoing by a number of people in connection with the activities of Aaron Tonken, the fund-raising impresario behind the event.

The scope of the grand-jury inquiry and the identity of its targets remained unclear. The Justice Department is thought to be focusing on false statements about how contributions were collected and disbursed.

Tonken, who has pleaded guilty to two fraud counts in connection with his high-profile charity galas, has been cooperating with authorities, sources said.

Sen. John Edwards wins North Carolina caucus

RALEIGH, N.C. — Sen. John Edwards won North Carolina's first-ever presidential caucus yesterday, a reward from faithful supporters looking to boost their senator's standing at the Democratic National Convention.

Unofficial results from all 100 counties gave Edwards 51 percent of the total vote among five candidates. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the presumptive party nominee, was second at 27 percent.

Edwards stopped campaigning last month shortly before Kerry clinched the nomination, but many party members said they hoped a strong showing could make him more appealing as a potential vice-presidential choice.

Democrats usually hold a presidential preference primary, but it was scrapped this year because litigation over legislative redistricting. The ballot was set before Kerry sewed up the nomination.
 
Also ...

Sen. John Kerry took yesterday off from campaigning to prepare for a television interview with Tim Russert today on NBC's "Meet the Press." ... A Maricopa County judge accepted a new map of Arizona's legislative districts Friday, three months after rejecting an earlier version because it did not have enough districts deemed winnable by either major party.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company