Kim Campaign Treasurer Pleads Not Guilty in Illegal Gifts
The campaign treasurer for Rep. Jay C. Kim (R-Diamond Bar) pleaded not guilty Monday to receiving illegal corporate campaign contributions, concealing donations from the Federal Election Commission and pressuring a witness to lie to a federal grand jury.
Seokuk Ma, a longtime political supporter of Kim, was allowed to remain free on $25,000 bail after appearing before a federal magistrate in Los Angeles. His trial is set for Feb. 4.
Ma, 51, is accused of knowingly accepting $5,450 from seven corporations for Kim’s 1994 campaign, and failing to report those donations and an additional $1,250 gift to the FEC. Corporate contributions to federal election campaigns are illegal.
He also is charged with tampering with a witness scheduled to testify before a federal grand jury last month about her $2,500 payment at a Kim fund-raiser for a framed, personal note signed by the congressman.
Kim, recently elected to a third term from the 41st District, has not been charged with any wrongdoing, but his attorney has acknowledged that the congressman is the prime target in an FBI a probe of campaign finance fraud.
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