Fund-Raiser for Hillary Clinton Gala Probed
A federal inquiry into the activities of celebrity fund-raiser Aaron Tonken is examining his involvement with a $1-million Hollywood political event for Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2000 Senate campaign, according to people familiar with the investigation.
The inquiry raises the stakes in a longstanding controversy that has pitted Bill and Hillary Clinton against some of their most dogged critics who have publicly questioned the source of underwriting for the gala. For Tonken, it also opens the prospect of cooperation with authorities in return for a possible plea deal.
It couldn't be determined whether Clinton or her campaign is a target, and a spokesman for the New York senator said her office had no information on any probe.
Tonken has not testified before a grand jury, said sources close to the case, who requested anonymity.
In addition, allegations by California's attorney general that Tonken has engaged in fraudulent fund-raising activities could later be used to challenge his credibility. Still, sources say, investigators are interested in the event he organized in August 2000, on the eve of the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.
Last week, U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Game Jr. postponed proceedings against Tonken on one charge of mail fraud in connection with his charity work. At the time, Game sealed a stipulation related to the 90-day delay, citing sensitive matters discussed in the court papers.
Federal authorities have said they are reviewing a range of possible charges against Tonken, stemming from matters outlined in March in a civil suit filed by California Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer against the fund-raiser. The lawsuit contended that Tonken and others diverted at least $1.5 million from charity events sponsored by celebrities such as writer-producer David E. Kelley and his wife, actress Michelle Pfeiffer.
On Tuesday, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Dzintra Janavs granted a preliminary injunction that barred Tonken from soliciting charitable funds or acting on behalf of any nonprofit group in the state until he has accounted for money from past events. Philip Levy, an attorney who represents Tonken in the civil suit, has asked the state court to delay further action while state and federal officials resolve their plans to prosecute Tonken under criminal statutes. A hearing on the issue is scheduled for June 25.
