Investigators find proof linking Clinton to Riady
Investigators find proof linking Clinton to Riady
WASHINGTON (AP): In the earliest evidence linking United
States President Bill Clinton to a foreign donation,
investigators have unearthed a 1992 memo indicating James Riady
took a coveted private car ride with Clinton just before the
Indonesian banker began writing checks that totaled half a
million dollars.
Riady "will be giving US$100,000 to this event and has the
potential to give much more," Clinton was told in a memo dated
Aug. 14, 1992, that advised he would share a car ride that day
with the Indonesian billionaire after a fund-raiser. Clinton was
then the Democratic presidential nominee.
The memo, obtained by the Associated Press, was written by
Melinda Yee, the Democratic Party's outreach director for Asian-
Americans.
It said Riady, whose family controls the Lippo banking and
industrial empire, wanted to talk to Clinton "about banking
issues and international business" and the car ride was "a
courtesy call."
Bank statements and memos reviewed by investigators show one
of the 1992 donations from a Riady company was directly covered
by foreign money and the rest were drawn on a personal account
that appears to have been replenished -- before and after the
donations -- with foreign funds. Some of the donations went to
the Democratic Party's accounts that directly help federal
candidates.
Clinton's schedule for that day says Riady greeted Clinton at
the door of an Arkansas restaurant where the two attended a
Democratic fund-raiser and then took a five-minute car ride.
In political circles, the one-on-one access of a car ride, no
matter how brief, is a plum privilege.
The memo, schedule and checks were brought to the attention of
the Justice Department months ago by congressional investigators.
Riady had a permanent green card and was a Clinton
acquaintance from the 1980s when Riady worked in Arkansas. After
Clinton's election, Riady was an occasional visitor to the White
House, where he got direct access to Clinton.
White House officials said Clinton had no reason to suspect
the donations.
"Mr. Riady... owned and continues to own American financial
institutions that generate U.S. income," White House spokesman
Jim Kennedy said. "In 1992, he was a lawful permanent resident
and eligible to contribute to any political party.
Federal law forbids U.S. candidates and parties from accepting
foreign money. The law allows foreigners who are legally and
permanently residing in the United States to make donations.
U.S. subsidiaries of foreign companies can only donate if they
use funds generated inside the United States.