Campaign Finance Reform: Part I. The Way It Was
Other campaign finance laws language bans fund raising at places of worship such as temples and churches. At a 1996 fund raiser at a Buddhist temple in Los Angeles, the DNC reportedly raised USD50,000 from Buddhist monks whose religion requires that they take a vow of life long poverty. When the scandal broke, the DNC returned USD5,000, but many questions remained. The DNC kept silent, and Mr. Gore tried to plead ignorance of campaign finance laws that he had supported when he was in the Senate.
But the saga continued. During his first term Mr. Clinton invited more than 871 people to visit him at the White House and spend at least one night in the Lincoln bedroom. Mr. Clinton admitted to having "relationships" with these people and that the guests had contributed at least USD50,000 to USD100,000 to the DNC. Mr. Clinton also distributed a handwritten memo to his staff that they would be "ready to start over-nights right away".
The precise nature of the "relationships" Mr. Clinton and his 871 overnight guests enjoyed was of a most peculiar fashion for a US President. Mr. Clinton negated the Secret Service security checks to allow Chinese arms traders, convicted drug dealers, and Russian Maffia bosses to gain access to the White House. Not all these guests received a night in the Lincoln bedroom. The drug dealer attended a White House Christmas party. The Chinese arms trader and the Russian Maffia boss attended a "coffee klatch" in the White House map room.
Another Chinese connection Mr. Clinton enjoyed was the extensive contributions to the Clinton legal defense fund by Little Rock businessman Charlie Tree. Mr. Tree gave the fund more than USD640,000. The corrupt contributions were discovered only when the fund directors noticed similarities in the signatures. The entire USD640,000 was returned to Mr. Tree, who had used similar tactics to fill the DNC coffers.
Mr. Gore kept himself quietly in the background of all this and quietly commenced more DNC fund raising activities from his White House offices. He raised more than USD$50,000 in this ill way and earned himself the title of "Solicitor in Chief". His counsel assured him nothing improper was done by placing such calls which were charged to a DNC credit card. Mr. Gore also was advised that "no controlling legal authority" existed that could deem his fund raising tactics in violation of any laws. When Mr. Gore held a press conference
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