An ongoing FBI investigation into campaign donations to New York City Comptroller
An ongoing FBI investigation into campaign donations to New York City Comptroller John Liu has caused a reassessment of his candidacy for mayor among his strongest supporters. While the Asian-American community has not given up on Liu, many say they are nervous about the probe’s impact both on Liu’s prospects and on rising political stars in the various Asian communities.
Behind the scenes, Liu’s damaged reputation has led to lengthy discussions in New York’s Chinese and Korean communities about the next generation of political leaders.
Recently, a group of young Korean, Chinese and South Asian professionals gathered recently at a Manhattan restaurant, discussing the scandal that has engulfed the first Asian-American elected to city-wide office.
“Did Liu come under increased scrutiny because of perceptions of foreign money? Will there be heightened suspicion of untoward behavior by other Asian American candidates or of Asian money in American politics? These topics are on the mind of every Asian-American,” said Bright Limm, president of Korean Americans for Political Advancement, a group that mobilized a large turnout of Korean voters in State Senate District 11, contributing to the victory of Senator Tony Avella last year.
Liu received around $517,000 in contributions during the second part of 2011, according to campaign filings revealed Wednesday. In the first part of the year, he raised nearly $1 million.
A Record Tarnished
The tarnish on Liu’s political shine began in October with a New York Times investigation that found a number of people Liu listed as donors denying they gave him money. Shortly thereafter, Liu’s fundraiser Xing Wu “Oliver” Pan was arrested and charged with conspiring to arrange a $16,000 political contribution to Liu under the cover of straw donors.
Now the FBI and federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating whether foreign money flowed into Liu’s 2009 campaign. The Foreign Agents Registration Act prohibits campaign contributions by foreign nationals.
Liu has said he is not daunted by the investigations, and will continue to be an aggressive comptroller while he raises money for a mayoral run in 2013. (He has not formally announced his candidacy for mayor yet.)
At a recent fundraising dinner with prospective Asian-American donors, Liu was asked if the FBI investigation had changed his relationship with Asian voters and campaign contributors.
“At the end of the day, nothing is going to stop or slow us down,” he said.
Liu supporters held a press conference last month, and a Korean group of supporters recently held a fundraising event in Flushing, Queens. It was the first Korean fundraising event since the FBI started going after Korean donors to the comptroller, according to Danny Shin, senior reporter of 000.
http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2012/jan/19/pulling-back-curtain-what-asian-americans-are-saying-about-john-liu-fundraising-scandal/