In a skeleton that CQ noted back in February, the independent watchdog group Judicial Watch has released formerly classified FBI files showing that John Kerry took laundered money from Chinese frontman Johnny Chung for Kerry's 1996 re-election campaign:

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released recently declassified documents showing that Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry accepted laundered contributions for his 1996 re-election campaign from the Communist Chinese government and that, in exchange, he may have arranged meetings between Chinese aerospace executives and U.S. government officials. Obtained from the FBI through Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act requests, the documents are related to the FBI’s “Chinagate” investigation into the Clinton campaign’s acceptance of contributions from Communist Chinese government sources. ...

“These disturbing FBI documents raise further questions about Sen. Kerry’s involvement in what looks like a quid pro quo (cash for meetings) with the Communist Chinese,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

In the second document attached at the website, the first section proposes to investigate four points of interest in Chung's relationship with Senator Kerry:

* Meeting with Senator with China Aerospace executives
* Senator arranged meeting at SEC
* Meeting at SEC, other meetings arranged?
* Fundraiser for Sen. Kerry in Los Angeles/ conduit contributions

In fact, it appears from this document that the FBI found more points of interest with Kerry's relationship to Chung than with those of Bill Clinton or Al Gore, who understandably received a lot more of the attention at the time.

Just what Kerry needed this month -- yet another blast from his past coming out to haunt him. (Hat tip: CQ reader and frequent tipster Amelia)

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