Cat's Paws (UPDATE)

Explain this:

Hsu and the Paws didn't always support the same candidates - they backed different Democrats for governor - but the contributions to [Assemblywoman Fiona] Ma show how closely they apparently worked together.

...

"These are people who apparently tried to work their way up into the political world," Hsieh said. "They may have tried to tie themselves to an up-and-coming individual like Assemblywoman Ma."

So why do Hsu and his apparent front family, the Paws, back different candidates? I know corporations often contribute to both sides of a contested election, wanting to please both sides. Maybe that's what was up here.

At first glance, this odd obsession with local Bay-Area politics the Chronicle lays out doesn't support my initial assessment of this situation--that Hsu and his Catspaws were working as Conduits for a Foreign Power.

It doesn't necessarily disprove it, either. Take this with a grain of salt, but don't dismiss it: I've read elsewhere (but the googlage escapes me tonight) about PRC influence in San Francisco politics. If you have better links or knowledge on that topic, please enlighten me in the comments.

___

Michelle directs us to this excellent chart produced by Flip Pidot on the subject of whom Hsu and friends gave to. (Attn Geoff--Data ahoy!)

Hsu may yet prove to be the Dems' Abramoff. Shame his shenanigans don't fit into a song parody as easily as Loo-Loo Larry's antics do.

I just hope he lives to testify about where all the money comes from. He should be careful around elevators.

ONE LAST THING: Foley, Craig, Vitter vs. Jefferson, Murtha, and the many beneficiaries of Hsu's largesse--apparently the Republicans are now having all the sex scandals, and the Democrats the financial ones. What, was it halftime and the parties switched goals or something?

UPDATE: Amerpundit has a long list of Hsu's contributions up this morning. And a nice spot of Hsu giving a covert shindig at Manhattan's St. Regis hotel.

The SF Chronic article I linked above notes an even more criminal coincidence: he was giving money to re-elect SF's District Attorney while he was a fugitive, wanted just down the road in San Mateo County.

As Dean Keaton said in The Usual Suspects:

KEATON
Hey, that was your mistake, not mine. Did you ever think to ask me? I've been walking around with the same face, same name - I'm a businessman, fellas.