More from Daly City

As blogged yesterday, the Hillary Clinton campaign (and the John Kerry campaign in 2004) received numerous contributions from one Norman Hsu, together with many from a Paw family that currently resides in a rather modest home once owned by Hsu.

Today, the Los Angeles Times reports that Mr. Hsu previously pled guilty to grand theft in California, agreed to serve three years in jail, and then disappeared.

While it is not expected that Mrs. Clinton (or any other candidate) personally vets campaign contributors, it is undoubtedly true that no campaign wants to accept money from convicted felons, or allow them to 'bundle' funds on behalf of the candidate. Hillary's campaign pushed back yesterday on the WSJ story:

"Norman Hsu is a longtime and generous supporter of the Democratic Party and its candidates, including Sen. Clinton," Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for the campaign, said Tuesday.

"During Mr. Hsu's many years of active participation in the political process, there has been no question about his integrity or his commitment to playing by the rules, and we have absolutely no reason to call his contributions into question or to return them."

But with today's news, it seems likely that Mrs. Clinton will be returning at least the $44,000 that Mr. Hsu personally gave her. Other politicians, including (according to the LA Times), Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein of California, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, Barack Obama of Illinois and Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, may follow suit.