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Hsu wants re-trial for 15-year-old San Mateo scam plea
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The 15-year-old case against Norman Hsu, the once high-rolling national Democratic fundraiser and donor, may be retried before a San Mateo County judge if his attorneys have their way. In this photo, Hsu, 56, is escorted into a Redwood City, Calif., courtroom, Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. Hsu was ordered held without bail Friday, a day after being returned from Colorado to face sentencing for his 1991 grand theft conviction.
REDWOOD CITY (Map, News) - The 15-year-old case against Norman Hsu, the once high-rolling national Democratic fundraiser and donor, may be retried before a San Mateo County judge if his attorneys have their way.
Hsu, 56, was in a Redwood City courtroom this morning 16 days after he was supposed to appear for sentencing on a 1991 grand theft charge that he allegedly scammed local Bay Area investors out of $1 million.
Hsu's attorney Jim Brosnahan said he will seek to expunge Hsu's "no contest" plea to the 1991 charge and have the case retried because of a state statute that requires the same judge that oversaw his case to sentence him. That judge has since retired.
Brosnahan said he will also file papers to have Hsu's $2 million bail returned to him. In 1992, Hsu disappeared to Hong Kong before he could be sentenced, reappearing four years ago as a clothing mogul and spreading political donations around to major Democratic candidates and causes.
During the past 16 days, Hsu went on the lam, attempted suicide, was caught by federal agents and, just Thursday, was charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office that he allegedly defrauded investors nationwide out of more than $60 million in a similar "Ponzi" scheme as the one he allegedly ran out of Daly City in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Comments from Examiner Readers
12:42 AM MST on Sat., Sep. 8, 2007 re: "Hsu in Colorado hospital, transfer date to California unknown"
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9:53 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 6, 2007
re: "Democratic fundraiser Hsu vanishes again"
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3:25 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 6, 2007
re: "Democratic fundraiser Hsu vanishes again"
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1:52 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 6, 2007
re: "New arrest warrant issued for Hsu, missing again"
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9:38 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 6, 2007
re: "Democratic fundraiser Hsu vanishes again"
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9:32 AM MST on Thu., Sep. 6, 2007
re: "Democratic fundraiser Hsu vanishes again"
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11:19 PM MST on Wed., Sep. 5, 2007
re: "New arrest warrant issued for Hsu, missing again"
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2:22 PM MST on Wed., Sep. 5, 2007
re: "No Show Hsu"
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2:01 PM MST on Wed., Sep. 5, 2007
re: "No Show Hsu"
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goose said:
it's the oldest chinese trick in the world. oh, I swallowed a frog and then I got sick, now I can't be arrested. he's so sick in the stomach, all the courts of the world will have to let him go. even his own people can tell he's slime baggage.
131 agree | 116 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Norman Hsu Source of Income and Whereabouts: The actual source of Hsu's income is unclear. While he claims to be involved in several businesses in the fashion industry, visits to those addresses "found no trace of Mr. Hsu." At several business addresses provided on Hsu's campaign donation forms, none of the listed businesses could be located. A New Jersey fashion designer that Hsu had listed as a co-investor, said he had never heard of Hsu. Lawrence Barcella, Hsu's Washington, D.C. attorney, claims that Hsu's post-1996-return Silicon Valley investments account for some of his ability to make his political contributions. If Hillary Clinton is taking money from Asia in an illegal way, it would be good to reveal the facts before we are stuck with an unethical crook, and/or candidate with poor judgement and weak character. I read today that Nancy Pelosi has taken money from another Hsu, with three different addresses in SF, Atherton and Saratoga. Could Norman Hsu be with Ta-Lin Hsu?
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Examiner Reader said:
These people have donated to Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and others from their SF, Atherton and Saratoga addresses ... any relation to Norman Hsu and/or the Asian Hsu crime families and Dons? Ta-Lin Hsu Chairman of H&Q Asia Pacific Venture Capital, USA Joyce Hsu Mark Hsu Vice President, H&Q Asia Pacific
143 agree | 119 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
add this guy to the list of dead and missing associates of the Clintons. He was going to sing his song for all to hear and that just wouldn't do now would it.
154 agree | 143 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
After watching the news last night and hearing an interview from his attorney, I think Hsu's attorney knows where Hsu is. Paying a retainer on someone to help a client out, not many sleezy people do but a few.
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Examiner Reader said:
Maybe he is hiding out with Ed Jew and planning an escape with him.
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goose said:
we know now he's been dole-ing out money all over the political place, but what does this guy do for a living again?
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Examiner Reader said:
Hsu donated to the campaigns of locals, SF Mayor Gavin Newsom, SF DA Kamela Harris, CA Attorney General Jerry Brown, Fiona Ma, Sen Diane Finestein, Sen Barbara Boxer, and Sup Angelina Alioto. How did they meet him? In SF or New York? Have any of them been asked if he asked any favors back, or business deals? Do they know where he is?
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Examiner Reader said:
I guess Bill Clinton forgot to pardon this guy.
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