Fund-Raiser Cops Plea

John Huang, a central figure in the Clinton campaign finance controversy, has been cooperating with the Justice Department's probe of campaign donations and will plead guilty to conspiracy to make illegal contributions, a legal source said Tuesday.

Huang, a former Commerce Department official and the Democratic Party's chief fund-raiser among Asian-Americans for the 1996 election, has agreed to a sentence of one year of probation with a small fine and some community service.

The Justice Department has been investigating Huang because he raised more than $1 million for the Democratic Party in the 1996 elections, much of which was returned amid questions about the money's origins.

No plea agreement has been filed yet, but Huang has been cooperating with the campaign finance task force and it's likely there will be a plea bargain filed soon, said a Justice Department official who requested anonymity.

Sources say a key part of Huang's agreement is that the Justice Department will publicly acknowledge there is no evidence that he engaged in espionage or any violations of national security laws. In addition, the government has written a letter in support of the restoration of Huang's voting rights.

Huang was a frequent White House visitor who met several times with President Clinton. He joins two other key players in the 1996 controversy over illegal campaign contributions now cooperating with the Justice Department's task force.

Little Rock, Ark., restaurateur Yah Lin "Charlie" Trie entered a plea agreement last week, cutting off his trial for allegedly obstructing the Senate's investigation of campaign finance abuses. Another fundraiser, Johnny Chung, was sentenced to five years of probation in Los Angeles after cooperating with the probe.

Huang's lawyer, Ty Cobb, declined immediate comment.

A federal judge has discretion to reject the deal. Huang's cooperation, coupled with fact that the violation he is pleading guilty to occurred years ago, would be taken into consideration.

After the fund-raising controversy emerged, Democrats returned $2.8 million in questionable donations for the 1996 election, including $1.6 million raised by Huang.