At the House Judiciary Committee’s impeachment inquiry beginning tomorrow, Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr is expected to discuss the testimony given by John Huang regarding “hush money” used to persuade Webster Hubbell from testifying against the first lady — but there are those who say much more than “hush money” needs to be discussed.
Huang, former head of U.S. operations for the Indonesia-based conglomerate Lippo Group and an ex-Democratic National Committee fund-raiser, is said to have helped Hillary Clinton in paying Hubbell enough money to “hush” him up so that he wouldn’t give testimony about her involvement in a conspiracy to defraud the federal government in the Castle Grande land deal.
The source of these funds apparently came from the Chinese government in exchange for U.S. military secrets. Huang is suspected of being the perpetrator in this exchange of military intelligence for money.
It is these secret dealings with China that the public-interest legal organization Judicial Watch says that Starr needs to address as well during the impeachment inquiry.
“To even think of bringing Huang before the committee without questioning him on Bill Clinton’s China connection … is laughable,” said Larry Klayman, Judicial Watch chairman and general counsel.
Judicial Watch said yesterday that by calling Huang as an impeachment witness only for matters regarding the Hubbell “hush” money could very well be a move to try to appease conservative critics. Klayman encourages the committee to look beyond Lewinsky and take a look at other, more serious scandals such as Filegate and Chinagate.
“Our interim report, which the committee has before it, provides a roadmap for the questioning of Huang — on everything from campaign contribution-greased missile technology transfers to China to the role of the Clinton White House in selling taxpayer-financed trade mission seats in exchange for campaign contributions,” Klayman said.
Regarding possible impeachment of the president, Klayman believes that it won’t be possible unless the harder issues are discussed and Huang is asked to tell all he knows.
“Any impeachment of Bill Clinton that fails to include Huang as a central witness on all the issues on which he has knowledge, including Chinagate, is an impeachment destined for failure,” Klayman said.
