36:
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27:. It refers to the alleged selling of seats on United States federal planes going on international trade missions, for the purpose of raising campaign contributions. No official charges were ever made in conjunction with the allegations but the Commerce Department did change its policies regarding the selection of participants for such missions so they would not be politically based.
110:
seeking information from the
Department of Commerce regarding the department's selection of participants for foreign trade missions. In May 1995, following a search in response to Judicial Watch's FOIA requests, the Department produced approximately 28,000 pages of nonexempt information and withheld
78:
and other companies and trips to China, Hong Kong, Russia, India, South Africa, and elsewhere. The campaign contributions allegedly tied to the trips ranged up to $ 100,000, although lesser amounts were also made reference to. Both the
Clinton administration and contributors denied any quid pro quo,
174:
instituted new departmental policies intended to prevent politics from being part of the trade missions selection process. He also pledged the process would be far more transparent than in the past. Daley said the new rules were not necessarily an admission that prior practices were improper: "This
153:
In
November 1996, independent counsel Daniel Pearson reported: "My office's investigation of Secretary Brown ended unfinished with his death. The unfinished state of the investigation and considerations of fairness preclude our office from drawing conclusions about the allegations regarding possible
189:
heard Hill's testimony, rejecting her argument that her testimony would adversely affect a federal indictment she was under for fraudulent business practices. Hill stated Brown was angered when White House political staff made him give seats on the trade missions for fund-raising. Hill said Brown
114:
Some of the documents released under this process did show that contributors expected their donations to gain them consideration when seats were selected for Brown's flights, and a few of the documents showed the seats being rewarded accordingly. However a 1996 analysis by the nonpartisan but
184:
which detailed her colorful business past and her relationship with Brown. Hill testified in federal court in March 1998 that Brown had told her that trade mission plane seats were sold to people willing to make campaign contributions. U.S. District Court Judge
194:(who would later become Clinton's Labor Secretary); she further claimed that Brown had told her that an assistant to Herman, Melissa Moss, wrote the original contribution letters which had upset Brown. Hill also testified that Brown had told her President
854:
847:
205:
In
January 1999, Judge Lamberth found that a U.S. Commerce Department official appeared to have deliberately destroyed subpoenaed documents relating to the department's trade missions to China, following Brown's death.
111:
about 1,000 documents as exempt. Disputes arose between the parties over the adequacy of
Commerce's search, and Judicial Watch charged that some Department officials had destroyed or removed responsive documents.
229:
459:
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Largely coincident to this, there were allegations of financial improprieties between Brown and a business partner, Nolanda Hill. These allegations got the attention of
Republican House member
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supported the plan to sell seats for contributions. In one memorable turn, she said that Brown had complained that "I'm not a motherfucking tour guide for
Hillary."
103:
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997:
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and others scoffed at this conspiracy theory. Soon after, Nolanda Hill declared that she had been engaging in a long-running affair with Brown.
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found that
Democratic contributors only filled a third of the available trip seats, and many of those made contributions to Republicans as well.
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209:
In
February 1999, Nolanda Hill pleaded guilty to three counts of aiding and abetting the preparation and filing of a false income tax return.
1178:
62:
The first reports of the alleged connections between seats on trade missions and political donations came in
September 1994 with reports in
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107:
178:
In June 1997, Nolanda Hill, the aforementioned business and personal associate of Brown, was the subject of a major profile piece in
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Secretary Brown died on a trade mission to Croatia, when the government plane he was on flew into a mountainside on April 3 in the
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260:"Traveling Pals - How Ron Brown Picks Who Joins His Trips Abroad Raises Doubts" The Wall Street Journal 9 September 1994
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but unnamed figures in the Clinton and lobbying orbits said making donations, in general, helped one's prospects.
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281:"Were Ron Brown's Trade Missions For Sale?" Richard Kacayo, Time magazine for CNN, 11 November 1996
44:
462:
January 3, 1999, National Desk Late Edition - Final, Section 1, Page 20, Column 1, New York Times.
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131:. This led to conservative accusations that Clinton had Brown murdered; U.S. Attorney General
24:
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8:
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425:
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347:
421:"Washingtonpost.com: Commerce Chief Issues Rules to Separate Politics, Trade Missions"
300:
460:"After Judge's Rebuke, Commerce Secretary Widens Inquiry Into Mishandling of Papers"
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833:
171:
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The trade missions controversy became more visible in 1996 as an outgrowth of the
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filed a federal lawsuit seeking information in 1995. They filed an action in the
35:
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186:
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Responding to the original criticism, in March 1997 new Commerce Secretary
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316:"Ex-miami Judge To Head Brown Investigation - tribunedigital-sunsentinel"
75:
951:
472:"National News Briefs; Official's Partner Pleads Guilty to Tax Charges"
143:
132:
83:
39:
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown (left) shaking hands at a meeting.
671:
52:
348:"Ex-Ron Brown Partner Claims Clintons Backed 'Sale' Of Trade Seats"
90:, Daniel Pearson, was appointed to investigate these allegations.
655:
23:
was an American political controversy in the 1990s during the
362:"Ron Brown Murder Plot Has Too Many Holes - Chicago Tribune"
526:
190:
told her the main person involved at the White House was
104:
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
166:
U.S. Department of Commerce building in Washington, D.C.
474:
February 2, 1999. New York Times via Associated Press.
407:"Independent Counsel: No Conclusions On Brown Probe"
479:
1170:
150:, in which Clinton was nevertheless re-elected.
1092:1996 United States campaign finance controversy
1028:National Highway System Designation Act of 1995
386:"Brown's Last Day Not Her Affair, Some Believe"
140:1996 United States campaign finance controversy
760:Joint session of Congress (health care reform)
679:Commerce Department trade mission controversy
512:
21:Commerce Department trade mission controversy
1099:Lincoln Bedroom for contributors controversy
157:
142:and investigations of Democratic fundraiser
122:
16:American political controversy in the 1990s
980:Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996
519:
505:
230:"Clout Is Kicked Off U. S. Trade Missions"
51:had been a subject of scrutiny ever since
74:. The trips in question involved CEOs of
490:) is being considered for deletion. See
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288:
244:
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175:about going forward, not looking back."
161:
148:1996 United States presidential election
34:
1194:1994 controversies in the United States
966:National Voter Registration Act of 1993
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404:
345:
93:
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959:Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Regulation
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1184:Cabinet scandals in the United States
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1179:Clinton administration controversies
405:Frieden, Terry (November 14, 1996).
154:criminal conduct by the Secretary."
864:North American Free Trade Agreement
326:
263:
218:
13:
1147:â George H. W. Bush administration
14:
1210:
494:to help reach a consensus. âș
374:from the original on 2015-02-24.
146:. It became an issue during the
86:by early 1995. In July 1995, an
1156:George W. Bush administration â
465:
453:
433:
413:
398:
251:Business Week 12 September 1994
249:"Clinton Cozies Up to Business"
1042:Telecommunications Act of 1996
987:White House Millennium Council
898:Cruise missile strikes on Iraq
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354:
308:
254:
30:
1:
1189:Hillary Clinton controversies
346:Frieden, Terry (1998-03-23).
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129:1996 Croatia USAF CT-43 crash
49:Democratic National Committee
232:Chicago Tribune 4 March 1997
7:
1014:Balanced Budget Act of 1997
117:Center for Public Integrity
10:
1215:
1049:Communications Decency Act
878:IsraelâJordan peace treaty
725:Presidential proclamations
528:Presidency of Bill Clinton
487:Presidency of Bill Clinton
108:Freedom of Information Act
57:U.S. Secretary of Commerce
1199:1994 in American politics
1140:
1074:
1065:Transportation Equity Act
996:
943:
823:
752:Joint session of Congress
535:
158:Outcomes and consequences
98:Conservative legal group
1108:ClintonâLewinsky scandal
920:Operation Infinite Reach
492:templates for discussion
123:Death of Secretary Brown
45:U.S. Commerce Department
71:The Wall Street Journal
1021:GrammâLeachâBliley Act
973:One America Initiative
892:2000 Camp David Summit
200:Hillary Rodham Clinton
167:
40:
25:Clinton Administration
927:Bombing of Yugoslavia
855:by Madeleine Albright
848:by Warren Christopher
688:Judicial appointments
441:"Ron Brown's Secrets"
165:
38:
934:1998 bombing of Iraq
94:Lawsuit and analyses
841:International trips
426:The Washington Post
391:New York Daily News
88:Independent Counsel
304:. 3 February 1995.
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41:
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1165:
819:
818:
810:2000 SOTU Address
803:1999 SOTU Address
796:1998 SOTU Address
789:1997 SOTU Address
782:1996 SOTU Address
775:1995 SOTU Address
768:1994 SOTU Address
711:Executive actions
301:Los Angeles Times
115:liberal-leaning
43:Ties between the
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318:. Archived from
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172:William M. Daley
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998:Economic policy
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367:Chicago Tribune
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449:. 2 June 1997.
446:The New Yorker
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322:on 2016-12-29.
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181:The New Yorker
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65:Business Week
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320:the original
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1076:Impeachment
1056:Section 230
530:(1993â2001)
480:âč The
76:Fortune 500
31:Allegations
1173:Categories
952:AmeriCorps
546:Transition
350:. CNN.com.
296:"Archives"
213:References
144:John Huang
133:Janet Reno
106:under the
84:Dan Burton
672:Nannygate
59:in 1993.
53:Ron Brown
744:Speeches
567:Timeline
537:Timeline
482:template
372:Archived
47:and the
1124:Inquiry
1085:Efforts
656:Al Gore
648:Cabinet
632:Pardons
623:2000â01
484:below (
55:became
762:(1993)
754:(1993)
663:tenure
409:. CNN.
1131:Trial
911:1996
904:1993
639:list
616:1999
609:1998
602:1997
595:1996
588:1995
581:1994
574:1993
68:and
19:The
1175::
443:.
423:.
388:.
370:.
364:.
328:^
298:.
287:^
265:^
237:^
220:^
520:e
513:t
506:v
429:.
394:.
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