“We’re very confident”, he said.
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Terry McAuliffe is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the FBI and Justice Department’s public integrity unit, according to a CNN report.
A spokeswoman for Wang confirmed that he does have US permanent resident status, making it unclear why the Federal Bureau of Investigation and DOJ would spend a year investigating his campaign contribution.
Foreign nationals are prohibited under federal law from making political contributions, except immigrants who hold green cards.
Neither Wang nor his company used to make the donations have been contacted by USA investigators, according to the spokeswoman. Yet, Wang may be exonerated by the fact he has permanent resident status in the U.S. Wenliang has also donated to CGI, but CNN quoted U.S. officials briefed on the investigation as saying they have found no evidence of wrongdoing by the foundation. Wang has ties to McAuliffe’s close friends, former president Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Quentin Kidd, an analyst at Christopher Newport University, noted that the report follows the conviction of Virginia’s previous governor, Bob McDonnell, on corruption charges. One of the donations that drew the interest of investigators was $120,000 from Wang Wenliang, a Chinese businessman, through Wang’s USA business.
But even if the cloud of an investigation makes it too hard for him to be an effective messenger for the Clinton campaign, there are other prominent Democrats who can pick up the slack.
McAuliffe said he’s confident that Wang was entitled to donate and said no one has alleged wrongdoing by McAuliffe.
Records show more than 100 donors contributed to both the foundation and McAuliffe’s campaign.
CNN first reported on the federal probe which has been going on for at least a year.
In a press conference today, McAuliffe said he was “shocked” by the news.
The Governor says he will cooperate and answer any questions from investigators.
“Investigations happen. No one has alleged any wrong doing on my part”, McAuliffe said. McAuliffe was the Democratic Party’s former leader between 2000 and 2005, and was co-chair of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 White House bid.
McAuliffe has not yet been contacted by the authorities, and has been unaware of the probe that’s been going on since at least past year.
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Federal officials say the FBI has been looking at whether his campaign accepted political contributions that were forbidden by federal law. The Supreme Court is reviewing his appeal.
