Anxious to distance themselves from Indian-American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal as he awaits sentencing for funnelling illegal contributions, several top Democrats have promptly announced that they are returning the money raised by him or turning it over to charities.
They include New York City’s recently-installed Mayor Bill de Blasio, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Senator Mark Warner.
However, there has been no word yet from Hillary Clinton for whom Chatwal has raised large sums over the years. He is believed to have raised more than $200,000 for her Senate campaign in 2000 and at least $100,000 for her presidential campaign in 2008.
“Yes, we are returning all funds given or raised by Mr. Chatwal,” a member of de Blasio’s campaign told the New York Observer, which cited records to say that Chatwal had raised more than $15,000 for the mayor’s campaign.
McAuliffe, who was elected Virginia Governor last November, will turn over to a nonprofit the $4,300 that Chatwal had raised for his gubernatorial campaign.
For McAuliffe, this is the second action of the type. last month, he donated $2,500 to a charity after another contributor, Washington businessman Jeffrey Thompson, pleaded guilty to several campaign finance violations.
Senator Warner, who is also the Democratic co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, likewise is donating to charity the $1,000 that Chatwal gave to his campaign in 2012.
Although the Department of Justice stated that there was no allegation that the candidates participated in Chatwal’s scheme or were even aware of it, the Democratic beneficiaries of his contributions are opting to return that may be regarded as tainted.