It was the right move. It's not like she can't make the money back.

"Moreover, she didn't change her story about how much he'd donated. He ALWAYS claimed that he'd directly donated $45,000. However, he BUNDLED an additional $850,000. After taking two weeks to ascertain that that money was probably laundered — NOT an unreasonable time period considering the amount of money and number of donors involved — she returned that money as well.
I don't see questionable behavior here"

How does one "bundle" and additional $850,000 to a political campaign? And how does that political campaign not fully vett where and who that money came from? Ridiculous to think the American Public will believe that anymore than a "wide-stance" theory…

I think Sen Clinton should withdraw from the presidential race. Anyone who has to return $850K in political contributions must have mud on their feet.

If this was a Republican, this would be story one on all the MSM for two weeks (print, TV etc, etc) until the Republicans were smart and asked them to get out of the race.

Not the Queen though, where is 60 minutes and that stalwart Dan Rather when you need him to do a truthful piece on a candidate running for President?

Never mind, we'll just add this to the list of "right-wing conspiracy" ads that will be run during the general election to defeat her.

Go anybody but Shrillary 08.

Here I go, trying reason, logic, and facts yet again. Sen. Clinton didn't return the money after being caught with a red-hand in the cookie jar or whatever other metaphor anybody out there might care to employ. She got up, read the paper, learned that Hsu was wanted on an outstanding warrant, and immediately donated to charity the $45,000 he admitted giving to her campaign.
Moreover, she didn't change her story about how much he'd donated. He ALWAYS claimed that he'd directly donated $45,000. However, he BUNDLED an additional $850,000. After taking two weeks to ascertain that that money was probably laundered — NOT an unreasonable time period considering the amount of money and number of donors involved — she returned that money as well.
I don't see questionable behavior here, much less an ethical lapse or crime of any sort. More to the point, none of Sen. Clinton's critics has even begun to articulate one.

CNN (Clinton News Network), you are not slick. I see you are trying to get this issue off the ticker as quickly as possible. Shame on you!! Your bias is showing bright like the noonday sun.

Posted By Claude, Mesa AZ : September 11, 2007 12:09 pm
Claude, the Clinton-Hsu connection makes up 2 of the 12 stories from today. How much coverage would you like? Would you prefer that the Petraeus related stories get buried to make room? Or more about Fred Thompson, who seems to get 1/3 of all the topics now that he's finally declared what everyone knew 6 months ago.

Actually, you probably would like the Petraeus stories buried, since the topic in itself highlights what is approaching 5 years of Republican controlled failure to quell the violence in Iraq due to a lack of political gains, all while our military succeeds on it's side of the effort, to no avail.

so, because this man is a fugitive and Hillary per say had no clue he was, until after his warrant became public, and she returning $850,000 from her campaign funds, she is a criminal too? I hardly see how any of this is her fault, and his fugitive actions should not reflect her as a candiate, because I'm sure there are plenty of fundraisers out there for all likes of politicians, who have not completely abided the law, yet remains out of the public eye. And what proof does anyone have that she has ever been convicted or edited for any criminal action?

The photo shows that birds of a feather flock together.

leopard doesn't change it's spots.
she was dirty then and is dirty now

CNN (Clinton News Network), you are not slick. I see you are trying to get this issue off the ticker as quickly as possible. Shame on you!! Your bias is showing bright like the noonday sun.

This really makes me pine for the simpler days of the ninties and "Whitewater". Back then, Hilary knew better how to deal with scandal.

I don't know what to do with this new superficially ethical Hillary. She'll confuse me yet!

I am a Democrat and agree with the comments above, i find it unfair that everytime a Republican Senator is affiliated with corruption it is reported ad nauseum, but when a Democratic Senator, specifically one who's last name is Clinton, is caught doing the same, the story is buried..makes you think who really is running our media?

More of the same from Hillary. She is so dirty. I will bet the farm there is lots more than the $850,000 she has to claim. She really needs to go. She is back room old boy polotics and as corrupt as the rest of them,GOP inculded.
We need a change Obama/Edwards 08. Lets clean up our act and throw her to the wloves, even if she does eat the pack.

What a joke, he got the earmark he wanted AND got his donations returned! Looks like ol 'Hill was hoodwinked by the apparel magnate. How would she do trying to deal with foreign governments? Probably about as well as the "Agreed Framework" deal hubby made with North Korea, they got tons of goodies, and still built their nuke!

Please, look at the other candidates and don't blindly pledge allegiance to her because the media likes her more than the others.

I thought this "person" only had $23,000 to give to "charity" from this guy?

Now it is almost a milion bucks?

Come on Clintonista's, this guy was not a simple donor, he is photographed with her . was a "Shrillraiser" and this is no small amount of dough.

More lies from this crook, I am waiting for her to lose the election so she can do infomercials on how to turn $1000 (wink, wink) into $100,000 overnight, just send $19.99 and Bill and I ………………..

In other more important news that known Republican loser Craig burped today, story at 11:00.

And don't forget to return that $50,000 in interest you've collected of that political blood money too!

Have you seen Hsu lately Hillary? As if you knew nothing about his squirrely dealings. Riiiiight..

"dang, dang, dang. everybody found out about this money. ok, here's your money back (sigh). ok, now have him give it to Babs and she can get it back to me"

It's wonderful that Hillary is returning the tainted funds now that she has been caught red-handed, but it would have been even better if (a) she had done so publicly when she received the funds and before the story broke, and (b) the mainstream media had been as focused on this corruption as they were on why Gonzales fired some of his subordinates.

What about those contriutions from the other disgraced Democratic fundraiser, MoveOn.org?

Shouldn't we be holding our elected officials to a higher standard Hillary??

Right! Hillary is giving back the money, AFTER getting caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

CNN continues to be laugable in its coverage of newsworthy events. It is more significant that there is verbal battling between House members than the fact that the leading Democratic candidate is going to finally return almost $1M from a criminal-turned-fugitive-turned-fugitive Dem fundraiser? If this were the leading Republican candidate it would be your lead story. No credibility, CNN!

The article would have been more honestly worded as "after being exposed for receiving almost $1 million in donations from discredited Democratic fundraiser, Hillary was forced to return it". We all know, had it not been made public, it would still be in her election funds!

Probably would be more clearly written as "since being exposed for accepting money from a disgraced Democratic Fundraiser, Hillary was forced to give the money back"… if the world didn't know about it, it would still be in her campaign account!

I wonder how many people will see this picture, and because they don't like Hillary Clinton and aren't planning on voting for her, will assume that she is closely associated with the guy just because of the picture.

Unless she was involved with something illegal, I am willing to giver her a "pass" on this one, in spite of the picture.

ThirstyJon
freedomthirst.com

This is not the only controversy about Hillary. CNN seems to have overlooked it but the Demoines Register thinks it is a serious matter. This is about Hillary breaking democratic party rules of not campaigning in Florida and her campaign giving a disingenuious and legalistic explanation. I hope CNN will get on top of this.
http://blogs.dmregister.com/?cat=33

The Clinton legacy of retaining power no matter the cost will damage her run for office. She is representing more of the same business as usual in the halls of power. Integrity and morals aren't principles, just words. The political morass America has sunken to is disheartening. Pray for the USA

And one more thing strikes me as odd about this story…

Hillary is supposedly so smart. Blinding intellect, I'm told. In fact, she's the smartest woman in the room. Just ask her, she'll tell you.

She's so darned smart, but she's clueless when huge sums of money are raised for her campaign from shady foreigners… she's clueless and "shocked" when her husband is caught lying under oath about doing the hokey-pokey with the hired help… she's clueless as to where her subpoened legal records were, only for them to magically appear in her office, and true to form, she was clueless as to how they got there.

If the smartest woman in the room is truly as clueless as she claims, she's hardly a good candidate for president.

If this is the best the dems have to offer, ehhh…

She really is scum and of course, even though caught again…just like hubby and his illegal contributions in exchange for military secrets to chinese, will smile and "donate" it to charity.She is quite a two faced thief and without any morals…they deserve each other. slimy and disgusting

Can anyone tell me why this isn't a front page story? Ten guesses and the first nine don't count.

All last week, it was Larry Craig's misdemeanor "potty-gate" 24-7, but when the Clinton's typical shady Chinese campaign financing rears it head (yes, AGAIN!) CNN is typically out-to-lunch.

But what do we expect from the self-appointed "most trusted name in news?"

Well, I think she handled this as well as could be expected. What a nightmare; you can't do background checks on all your donors.

Wow. Anyone outraged over this or are we all just going to accept the fact that our system is truly corrupt and we need a third party to keep the Dims and Reps in check?

Why is CNN hiding this on the Ticker? Seems like if it was Dick Cheney or Obama…it would be really big news.

It is amazing how Hillary is front page news when there is something good to say about her, but news is hidden when there is somethoing bad associated with her. I find it remarcable how she has accepted nearly $1 million from Hsu but claims she had no idea his background. She is from New York, you would think she would know the address for the New York Public Library? After all, she is running for president! I find it disgraceful how the news organizations, like CNN are not investigating this more seriously. I hope its not just because she is a Democrat?

more back-tracking
1. take his money
2. return his money, but adamantly keep the 800k he raised through others
3. give back all the money he raised.
whichever way the wind blows.
we can only hope step 4 is to withdraw from race.

"An abundance of Caution?" don't make me laugh

Were those returned contributions for primary only or for the general also? Just wondering. Thanks.

Illegal investment scheme, where have we heard this before from this "person"?

She should do those infomercials where you can turn $1000 into $100,000 almost overnight.

Martha Stewart goes to jail for this, but not the "Queen".

Good, that's the right decision.

How long has this Hsu bogus campaign donation stuff been going on? I would think Clinton would know (if she kept good books) exactly how much this Hsu had contributed to her campaigns and should have immediately returned it. For the last 15 years or so, I have questioned how the government spends its money, now I am even more worried if she becomes president — its as if you had to pull teeth to eventually get the illegal $850,000 out of her, $23,000 at a time.

I thought that Mr Hsu was a "Hillraiser" - - meaning he raised $1 million for the Clinton campaign

First it was $23,000… NOW it was $850,000?? Was the $827,000 just an oversight, Hillary?

Also, are you going to give THAT money to charity or will you do the RIGHT thing and insure it is available to compensate Hsu's victims in his stock fraud scheme?