Clinton friend to testify on fund-raising

Trie goes before House panel looking into re-election funding

February 25, 2000
Web posted at: 8:25 a.m. EST (1325 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Yah Lin "Charlie" Trie, the Democratic fund-raiser who pleaded guilty to fund-raising improprieties involving the 1996 Clinton-Gore re-election effort, will testify before a House panel early next month.

Trie

Trie will testify March 1-2 before the House Committee on Government Reform, chaired by U.S. Rep. Dan Burton, R- Indiana.

Last May, Trie pleaded guilty to one felony charge of causing the Democratic National Committee's treasurer to submit a report to the Federal Election Commission that gave false names for donors. He also pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of making political contributions in the names of others.

In November, Trie was sentenced to three years probation, including four months home detention. He was fined $5,000 and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

As part of a plea bargain, Trie agreed to cooperate with the U.S. Justice Department's ongoing investigation into campaign fund-raising.

Trie has been a friend of the president since the 1970s, when Bill Clinton was attorney general of Arkansas. Clinton frequented Charlie Trie's Chinese restaurant.