Clinton: Wang's White House Invitation 'Inappropriate' - Dec. 20, 1996
Over Coffee, China Policy May Have Been Discussed
WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Dec. 24) -- The White House confirmed today that President Bill Clinton may have discussed U.S.-China policy at an intimate White House coffee meeting with Democratic donors in June.
One of the donors, with links to a Thai conglomerate, made a $185,000 contribution to the Democratic Party a few days after the meeting, which was arranged by controversial Democratic fund-raiser John Huang.
White House Special Counsel Lanny Davis denied the president solicited any money or that any administration policy was affected as a result.
The Wall Street Journal reported today that China policy was discussed at the coffee, which Davis says he does not dispute.
The donor, Pauline Kanchanalak, promotes U.S.-Thai business relations and trade policies for Ban Chang Group, based in Bangkok. The money she donated, as well as other money, was returned by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) because of questions over the source of the funds.
About a dozen people attended the coffee meeting with the president, one of several such intimate meetings with DNC donors. The sessions were said to have lasted about 90 minutes.
"People who come and hear the president speak at the White House or at any function in his campaign are inevitably, if they like what they hear, going to want to support him," Davis said. "Some give political support and some give financial support.
"He made whatever comments he made the same way he would for any other group," Davis said of the president's role. He said Clinton, when asked about the meeting, doesn't recall anything more about what was discussed other than that he may have made a general statement or answered a question.
Asked about the impression donors may have gotten about the nature of the meeting, Davis said, "I don't believe that this gives any reason to suggest that the president was available to receive a contribution in return for governmental action."
"No solicitation for money to our knowledge has ever been made at the White House or by White House people, including the president," Davis insisted.
On another matter, Davis denied that the White House had pressured the DNC into releasing thousand of documents related to Huang's fund-raising that it had previously made available to reporters only on a sharply limited basis.
Davis says the White House "stressed its policy of making all documents available to the press" and that "upon hearing that policy the DNC made its own Decision."