From: http://www.stlnet.com/postnet/news/wires.nsf/National/ Jun. 23, 2000 | 7:15 p.m. Excerpts from Vice President Al Gore's April 18 testimony to the Justice Department's Campaign Finance Task Force released Friday. Gore was being questioned about a 1996 fund-raising event at a Buddhist temple in California where $60,000 in illegal donations were funneled to the Democratic National Committee. Gore was also asked about fund-raising coffees. Q: ... Knowing that you're under oath today, can you tell me what you knew about the Hsi Lai Temple event and when you knew it? A: ... We had a lunch. I made a speech. Bob Matsui, who is a close friend of mine, a congressman from California, who also played a role with the DNC finance operation, was also present. And he suggested to me -- I asked him for advice about my remarks. And he said that, he said the, something to the effect that this community wants to know that it's accepted in the United States. And I gave a speech that never mentioned anything to do with fund-raising or finance, because I did not understand it to be a fund-raising event. And then, and then I left. And subsequent disclosures in the press and subsequent production of memoranda that I never saw at the time showed that -- showed what they showed. And the very fact, for me, the very fact that the members of a finance-related event were present at the event was the only connection that I had to the possibility that it was finance-related. But I did not know that it was a fund-raiser. And I do not to this day know that it was a fund-raiser. ------ Q: I'm trying to figure out whether prior to arriving -- you've just testified that when you arrived, you noticed some finance people there, and that was your only connection to the fact that it might have been a finance-related event. Is that a fair characterization of your testimony? A: I looked at a briefing paper immediately prior to going into the event. It was not the major event of the day. I gave a speech to ten or 15,000 people at the National Cable Television Association... Typically, the day was so cram-packed that I did not have a chance at the beginning of the day to read completely through the briefing memos for every event. And after I caught my breath from making this speech, which was with slides and multi-media and one of the largest audiences I've ever addressed, after I caught my breath in the car I flipped, took out my notebook and flipped to the next event, and my immediate impression was good, they finally, they were able to work out this visit to the Hsi Lai Temple; this ought to be interesting. Little did I know. -------- Q: Do you recall having any conversations with anybody about attending (the temple event)? A: I sure as hell don't recall having -- I sure as hell did not have any conversations with anybody saying, this is a fundraising event. As to whether or not I had any follow up conversations that said, were we able to set up this event or not, I don't think I did. But I may have. The reason I don't think I did is because I recall the feeling I had, when I looked at the briefing book, and saw, oh, great, I'm going to be able to go see this, this temple. ------ Q: Do you know when you were first informed by the DNC of problems related to the Temple visit? A: No, I don't, but I believe that it was the day when I first found out that, that it was a fund-raiser and that it was -- that it had become public and that the DNC was embarrassed by having done this and that they were sending back the contributions. I had a conversation with -- I was on my plane, still on the campaign trail, and I believe David Strauss (then Gore's chief of staff) told me. And I said to him, David, you told me this was a community outreach event. He said it was. And I gave the interview to (National Public Radio reporter) Nina Totenberg that you quoted earlier on the plane a few hours after that. Q: So that would have been the date that you first learned -- A: I believe so. I believe so. Q: Well, you said that you learned it was a fund-raiser. I thought you just said -- A: No, he asked me if it was the first time I learned that they had reimbursed the expenses and the contributors, and I believe that's the first time I learned that. Q: Well, I still want to go back. You said you learned it was a fund-raiser. A: That was also the first time I learned it was a -- Q: I thought you said previously you didn't, you still don't know whether it was a fund-raiser. A: Well, that's right. That is more accurate. Let me, let me amend that. That was the first time that I learned it was alleged to be, to have been a fund-raiser. And, again, I still do not know that any funds that any money changed hands there. And I asked you earlier if you knew, but that's probably not your role to say. So. ------ Q: What is your recollection of any conversation you had with Ms. Maria Hsia (a veteran Democratic fund-raiser recently convicted of arranging more than $100,000 in illegal donations) at the event? A: I have none. Q: Do you recall being seated at her table? A: No, I don't, but I would have been glad to see her and would have said, hello, how are you. But I don't have any specific recollection of it. Q: Do you have any knowledge that Maria Hsia had solicited illegal contributions in connection with that event? A: No, of course not. No, I don't. Q: Did you know that the price for attending that event was $12,500 per person? A: No. ------ Q: What was the purpose of the coffees? A: Well, they were for the president to meet with people who were interested in supporting his polices and his politics. But that was more or less on his side of the house and I'm not the best source of information on that. Q: In terms of a fund-raising tool, what was the purpose of the coffees? A: I don't know. They were on his side of the house. And I will give you my understanding of what I thought they were. I thought they were events that allowed the president to spend time with influential people who wanted to talk about policy, who would at some later time possibly be asked to financially support the DNC. It was certainly not my understanding that they did fund-raising events. Q: Did you have any understanding or do you have any understanding that there was a price tag associated with the coffees? A: No, I do not and did not. Q: With respect to raising the $108 million, did you have discussions with anybody concerning the role coffees would play in raising that type of money? A: Well, let me define the term ``raising,'' if I could, because if you mean by it, would they be events at which money was raised, the answer is no. But it is, it was then and has been for a long time been the common practice to have meetings with people who are interested in various subjects, spend time with them, cultivate the relationship, show them the respect that the time signifies, and then, on the basis of the relationship that is built up then and in other ways, ask them to support the DNC, or if you are in the Senate or the House, your campaign fund. AP-CS-06-23-00 1957EDT ================================================================= Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT FROM THE DESK OF: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *Mike Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ~~~~~~~~ <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day. ================================================================= <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. 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