Feinstein on Campaign Funds

A letter writer makes some serious accusations (March 12). Let me set the record straight.

I received a 10-minute “briefing” by the FBI last June about information the bureau had with regard to the possibility that illegal contributions may be funneled to U.S. lawmakers from the Chinese government--ostensibly for the 1996 elections--and that, because of California’s large Asian American population, I might be targeted to receive contributions.

I was not running for reelection in 1996. The FBI provided no information about how, when or by whom such contributions might be made. But, despite the absence of any guidance from the FBI, I took every precaution possible to ensure all contributions were proper.

When the controversy broke around fund-raising for the 1996 campaigns, I checked to see that any contributions I might have received in the past from controversial sources cited in the press were legal. They were. Any donations received that my campaign committee could not verify the propriety of were returned.

The contributions I recently returned were made to my campaign in 1994--two years before the FBI’s warning--and were made by donors connected with the Lippo Group. I had never even heard of the Lippo Group prior to the controversy surrounding Lippo-related contributions to the 1996 presidential campaign. More than 300,000 people have contributed to my campaigns over the last several years. There is no way for me to know for certain the source of each contribution other than the steps I have taken. I have never once been visited or personally lobbied by Lippo Group. As far as I can find, the donors have never tried to influence my position on any issue.

I returned these checks because the recent controversy surrounding Lippo fund-raising efforts continues to escalate and, despite the fact that, as best as I could determine, each contribution was made to my campaign legally years before, I did not want to be associated with controversial donations. Any contributions determined to be improper have been returned.

I will not begin to scrutinize every contribution from Asian American donors as if they are suspect. That is repugnant to me. Asian Americans have every right to contribute to the political process and be taken at face value just like every other American.

I continue to believe that the system must be changed, and I will continue to work toward meaningful campaign finance reform.

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN

D-Calif.