Hillary Clinton's former campaign finance chief denies irregularities

[Rose Siding]

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites)'s former campaign finance chief pleaded innocent to understating how much money two key contributors had paid for a star-studded Hollywood fundraiser.

David Rosen, who oversaw finances during the former US first lady's 2000 Senate campaign, appeared in court in Los Angeles to deny four charges of lying to the Federal Election Commission (news - web sites) over an event honouring then US president Bill Clinton (news - web sites).

Rosen, 40, faces four counts of lying to the election commission. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to one million dollars.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1521&ncid=1278&e=6&u=/afp/20050124/pl_afp/uspoliticsjustice

*swapped out this more bias sounding headline: Sen. Clinton's Ex-Aide Pleads to Charges
LOS ANGELES - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (news - web sites)'s former campaign finance director pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges he deliberately underreported the amount raised at a Hollywood gala for the senator in 2000.

David Rosen, 40, of Chicago was released for a trial March 22 in Los Angeles. But his attorney, Paul Mark Sandler, said he planned to ask that the case be moved to Washington.

Rosen is charged with four counts of filing false reports with the Federal Election Commission (news - web sites). Each count carries up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20050124/ap_on_go_co/hillary_clinton_aide