Attorney's argue whether Hillary should be in Lawsuit.

[illinoisprogressive]

Sen. Hillary Clinton should be reinstated as a defendant in a lawsuit because she allegedly violated campaign finance laws during her bid for a Senate seat in 2000, an attorney for a former supporter argued Friday before a state appellate court.

Businessman Peter F. Paul has challenged a lower court's decision to remove the New York senator and Democratic presidential candidate from his lawsuit in which he claims that Clinton, her husband, former President Bill Clinton and others fraudulently induced him to finance a lavish Hollywood fundraising gala in August 2000.

Paul claims that he spent more than $1.9 million to underwrite the star-studded event that attracted celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Cher and Diana Ross.

Superior Court Judge Aurelio Munoz dismissed Hillary Clinton from Paul's lawsuit in April 2006, citing California's anti-SLAPP statute that is designed to reduce frivolous lawsuits and protect people's First Amendment rights. The judge noted Clinton was exercising her free speech rights during her conversations about her fundraising efforts with Paul and others.

On Friday, Paul's attorney Colette Wilson argued Hillary Clinton broke federal campaign finance laws by helping plan the Hollywood fundraiser. Wilson entered into evidence a videotape of a July 2000 phone call in which the future senator talks with organizers about the event.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_6828783

[Ethelk2044]

1. I beleive the court hearing was supposed to be last week

[saracat]

2. Good Catch.

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

3. Yeesh, I didn't know about this

Is there some sort of appeals process going on? Not exactly good news aura for the Democrats.

[creeksneakers2]

4. Peter Paul is a convicted con man who fled to Brazil

then offered to cooperate with the vast right wing conspiracy legal division to stay out of jail. This whole nonsense went to a criminal trial and the defendant, a fundraiser for Hillary, was acquitted. From what I read of the trial, at that point they were trying to put all the blame on the fundraiser.

Of course, the right wing was gleeful up until the acquittal and were promised (once again) that "this will be the one that gets Hillary."

All the old stuff that didn't work before will be brought up again. Whitewater, anyone?