The 1996 fundraising scandal

In January 2001 the Justice Department announced James Riady of Indonesia’s Lippo Group would plead guilty to conspiracy, and he and LippoBank would pay $8.61 million, for reimbursing political donations with foreign corporate money. [1]

John Huang, a former Lippo executive who became a Commerce official and then a DNC fundraiser, pleaded guilty in August 1999 to conspiring to disguise the sources of contributions. The FEC’s file on the DNC, matter 4547, ran for years and ended in conciliation agreements. [2][3]

The Senate investigation documented White House coffees for donors and overnight stays, including in the Lincoln Bedroom. The Republican majority read it as selling access. The Democratic minority agreed the fundraising system was broken but disputed several of the legal conclusions drawn from the coffees and overnight visits. [1][2]