Gov.Rendell: Don't rush to judge fund-raiser Norman Hsu

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

A prominent Democratic fund-raiser with a criminal past surrendered to California authorities yesterday as nearly every politician he has helped rushed to disavow him - except Gov. Rendell.

The governor said he would wait to see if Norman Hsu's 1991 fraud conviction was upheld before divesting nearly $40,000 in campaign cash the apparel executive raised for him.

"I think this whole thing stinks," Rendell said in a telephone interview. "If this conviction stands I will give the money back, but this idea of making him out to be some sort of major criminal is absurd."

Rendell said he had talked to Hsu two days ago, at a time when the businessman was still regarded as a fugitive.

Rendell said Hsu "apologized for any embarrassment he caused me. I said, 'Norman, you didn't cause me embarrassment. . . . I wish you the best of luck.' "

The firestorm over Hsu has unsettled the race for the Democratic nomination for president for several days, forcing the front-runner, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, to return $23,000 that Hsu donated to her campaign and a political-action committee.

A San Mateo County, Calif., judge ordered Hsu handcuffed and held on $2 million bail as he turned himself in yesterday after being wanted for more than 15 years.

Governor Rendell doesn't mind the appearance of corruption as long as Democrats get the loot.Governor Rendell(Democrat-Norman Hsu).No word yet from liberal bloggers who can't find Democratic Party corruption.