| Gore Fund-Raiser Convicted In 1996 Donation Scheme The New York Times | March 5, 2000
A federal jury convicted Maria Hsia, a longtime political fund-raiser for Vice President Al Gore, on charges that she masterminded a 1996 scheme to conceal illegal donations to the Democratic Party, especially to the vice president. Some donations came from Mr. Gore's much-criticized visit to a Buddhist temple in California. The verdict made Ms. Hsia, a previously obscure immigration counselor from Los Angeles, the major catch in the Justice Department's investigation of campaign finance abuses. Republicans quickly denounced the Department for going after ''small-fry'' like Ms. Hsia and not prosecuting any senior Democratic officials. |