Campaign Treasurer for Kim Pleads Not Guilty

The 1994 campaign treasurer for Rep. Jay C. Kim pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges he received illegal contributions from seven companies and to an array of other allegations.

Trial was set for Feb. 4 for Seokuk Ma, 51, the second person charged in the investigation of the Republican’s fund-raising practices dating back to his first congressional election in 1992.

His lawyer, Lee Michaelson, said evidence would show Ma didn’t commit wrongdoing knowingly.

Ma is accused of violating the Federal Election Campaign Act by receiving $5,450 in 1994 corporate contributions from Haitai America Inc., Bacco Inc., Korean Federation of Los Angeles Inc., Sun Princess Cosmetics Inc., Dong-A America Corp., Universal Market Supply Corp. and Tiger Contract Services Inc.

U.S. law prohibits a corporation or a foreign national from contributing to a federal candidate.

Ma also is accused of failing to disclose $6,700 in contributions and expenditures from a 1994 Kim fund-raiser and of trying to persuade a grand jury witness to lie this year about paying $2,500 for a framed note signed by Kim.

Five Korean-owned corporations have admitted to illegally funneling donations to Kim, who was born in Seoul. The companies have paid a total of $1.6 million in fines.

Kim (R-Diamond Bar) has not been charged and has said he did not know the donations were illegal. He was reelected last month to a third term to represent parts of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties.

Ma remained free on $25,000 bond.

Federal law requires prosecutors to show Ma “knowingly and willfully” broke the law by engaging in the transactions, Michaelson said.

“Federal election law is fairly complex, not unlike the IRS code, when you begin to get into the particulars of them,” said Michaelson, a former assistant U.S. attorney.

“We believe the evidence will show no knowing or willful transgression of the regulations here,” she said.

Ma was not Kim’s treasurer in 1992 or 1996.

Bruce Allen, Kim’s press secretary in Washington, has said he had “no doubt Mr. Ma’s innocence would be affirmed in court.” He declined to comment further.

The case is part of an ongoing campaign finance fraud investigation conducted by the FBI and the Postal Inspection Service.

In May, Paul Koh, a Hyundai executive, was acquitted of charges he conspired to violate campaign-finance laws.