-Caveat Lector-
Thursday July 29 6:11 PM ET
China-Based Diplomat Investigated
By DAVID BRISCOE Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - A former China-based U.S. diplomat and the
State Department office that investigated him for possible visa
fraud refused to discuss the case with a congressional committee
Thursday.
However, Bonnie R. Cohen, under secretary of state for
management, told the lawmakers that now-retired foreign service
officer Charles Parish was aggressively investigated in 1996 and
the inquiry ``did not reveal criminal wrongdoing.''
Parish, subpoenaed to appear before the Government Reform
Committee, said he was following his attorney's advice when he
invoked the constitutional protection against self-incrimination.
He declined to answer any questions except to confirm his
identity.
Jacquelyn L. Williams-Bridgers, the State Department's inspector
general, also refused to talk about the case at the hearing. She
said the Justice Department had advised her that discussing it
could violate grand jury secrecy laws.
The inspector general's investigation of Parish was conducted
jointly with the FBI as part of the Justice Department's probe of
campaign contributions, for which a grand jury was impaneled.
Democratic fund-raiser Johnny Chung told the same congressional
committee in May that Parish helped him get visas for dozens of
Chinese. Chung said he ended his relationship with Parish after
the president of a Chinese beer company asked him to deliver ``a
shopping bag of money'' to the then-consular officer.
Parish, a 16-year State Department veteran, handled visa matters
at the embassy in Beijing from 1994 to 1996. He retired last year
after being transferred to State Department headquarters during
the investigation.
Committee Chairman Dan Burton, R-Ind., said he was appalled at
Williams-Bridgers' refusal to discuss the investigation.
``This is absolutely the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard,''
he said, saying it was typical of what he considered the Justice
Department's stonewalling on campaign fund-raising issues under
Attorney General Janet Reno.
Burton said his staff found that foreigners are willing to pay up
to $20,000 for a U.S. visa.
He accused the State Department of bumbling its investigation of
Parish, destroying documents before reviewing them and failing to
interview witnesses or subpoena bank records.
``Everybody dropped the ball,'' Burton said.
Cohen said the federal government ``aggressively pursued leads''
in the case and found no need to take action against Parish. She
said he ``performed in an excellent manner'' on visa duties in
Washington where he did not have the managerial responsibilities
he had in Beijing.
Peter E. Bergin, acting assistant secretary for diplomatic
security, said Parish was investigated in Beijing in April 1996
when allegations of questionable management practices and special
favorable treatment of some visa applicants were first raised
against him. Files on the investigation were made available to
the FBI and the department's inspector general in January 1998,
he said.
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The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day.
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