Breaking: Norman Hsu captured in Colorado; Update: Hospitalized after falling ill on train; Update: “Delirious”
posted at 12:26 am on September 7, 2007 by Allahpundit
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In Grand Junction. No details yet, but it sounds like he may have been injured somehow:
Authorities said Hsu was taken into custody at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction at 7 p.m. local time. He had been on the lam for almost two days after failing to appear in a Redwood City courtroom Wednesday to surrender his passport.
Stand by for updates.
Update: The feds are going to drop the interstate fugitive charge against him when they turn him over to California? Huh?
Update: Forty minutes later and the AP story is still the only game in town. While we wait for news, speculate away as to what he was doing in Colorado. A google search reveals no links there save for a donation Hsu made to Rep. Mark Udall’s senate campaign. Nothing unusual there; Hsu donated to Democrats all over the country. A commenter below says he’s surprised Hsu is still in the country but that’s really not surprising. He fled to Hong Kong after his first round of legal trouble in the early 90s. Airports would have been the first place the feds looked and Hsu surely would have expected it. Maybe he was driving cross country, back to familiar territory on the east coast, and got sidetracked somehow in Colorado?
Update: Plain ol’ rotten luck?
Hsu was traveling on an Amtrak train when he became ill. Grand Junction paramedics were summoned to the Amtrak station near downtown about 11 a.m. Thursday to treat a patient, Battalion Chief Robert Ferguson said.
The patient, whom Ferguson said he found out eight hours later was a fugitive, was not in great pain, Ferguson said.
“There was no extrication needed,” Ferguson said. “He walked out of the train on his own.”
He is currently in federal custody at St. Mary’s and is listed in fair condition, said St. Mary’s nursing supervisor Pete Smarr.
Update: The Chronicle says paramedics initially requested a backboard to move him. He boarded at Emeryville, California, says the Times, and was on his way to Denver.
Update: Interesting — he was hospitalized at noon but wasn’t arrested until 7 p.m.
Update: NBC’s Denver affiliate notes that ICE was involved in the arrest. Won’t that be a tasty angle if he’s here illegally.
Update: The detail about the backboard made me think he’d had some kind of acute spasm or something, but now the AP is saying he was “delirious” when he got to the hospital. Hmmmm.
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I cannot wait to see how this plays out.Quite frankly I’m amazed he is still alive.
bbz123 on September 7, 2007 at 12:28 AM
Complete amnesty and a new identity if he spills the goods on the HildaBeast!
MB4 on September 7, 2007 at 12:30 AM
Lucky we got to him first. Ahem, if you know what I mean.
Kini on September 7, 2007 at 12:31 AM
Only injured? The Clinton’s are slipping.
ha ha…just kidding. Really. Honest. I’m just kidding. Senator and Mr. Clinton, I was just joking to try and fit in. I’m sorry. Really…I’ll vote for either one of you. Just don’t hurt me!!!!
tlynch001 on September 7, 2007 at 12:34 AM
Maybe he didn’t run.
amerpundit on September 7, 2007 at 12:36 AM
Allah,
Are you telling me William Jefferson, Democrat, Louisiana, has a freezer in Colorado?
Dr. Charles G. Waugh on September 7, 2007 at 12:37 AM
Interesting my states attorney general Jerry Brown didn’t seek remand on a felon that was a fugitive at large for 15 years.
I’m not going to say there was some kind of back room deal with the life long left democrat, but it smells fishy to me. I miss a court date on a misdemeanor and it’s a No Bail hold. Then again I’m not funding the states attorney generals party.
Mojack420 on September 7, 2007 at 12:38 AM
Riiight! That’ll work.
Isn’t Frisco a sanctuary city for foreign lawbreakers?
infidel4life on September 7, 2007 at 12:38 AM
And political asylum from China.
Christoph on September 7, 2007 at 12:38 AM
He obviously had a relapse of his alcohol addiction and became lost on the way to the rehab clinic. He’s nothing but a poor victim and we should all show some compassion.
This defense will become reality in 5…4…3…2…
Gregor on September 7, 2007 at 12:39 AM
No, Hsu is just lucky when it comes to surviving. Let’s not forget he was abducted by a gang in the early 90s (for a debt he owed them), and in the process, the gang got pulled over for running a red light — I’m sure he breathed a Hsu of relief when the cops walked up to the window.
Rick on September 7, 2007 at 12:41 AM
Don’t fed charges trump the State? Drag it out if they let them stand?
Limerick on September 7, 2007 at 12:42 AM
Hsu looks short to me. Do you think Berger could smuggle him out of jail in his pants?
Dr. Charles G. Waugh on September 7, 2007 at 12:42 AM
Great! One felon down, one more to go.
FRIDAY in LA! And the new felon is …
HILLARY!
I would love to be in the courtroom!
http://www.hillaryproject.com/index.php?/en/story-details/appellate_court_set_to_hear_arguments_in_paul_vs_clinton_case/
fred5678 on September 7, 2007 at 12:44 AM
Sam Mateo country isn’t San Francisco , San Mateo gives out state time like candy .
And i might be wrong but he wont be getting a flight back via air fed , more like a 7-10 day bus ride. Unless San Mateo wants to physically fly him back them selves.
Mojack420 on September 7, 2007 at 12:45 AM
According to one story Im getting is that California asked gthe Feds to hunt him but not charge him and to leave the charges to them
Seems they are a bit embarrassed he got away
William Amos on September 7, 2007 at 12:45 AM
He was Governor here for two terms and it took two two-term Republican Governors to save the state from his Socialist policies. Now he is hard at work to F things up again.
infidel4life on September 7, 2007 at 12:45 AM
Not a good idea. They need to treat this guy like Hannibal Lecter, or they’ll find the bus overturned on the side of the highway – and no Hsu.
Rick on September 7, 2007 at 12:48 AM
The Ponzi party…
How are news organizations that originally reported the surrender, then failed to inform everyone he skipped out, going to report he was captured?
NBC? I’ll be waiting.
freedomplow on September 7, 2007 at 12:49 AM
The funny thing is he gets charged AND he loses his two million dollars.
This was a net profit for the government. Will help defray the costs of his incarceration.
Thanks, Mr. Hsu.
Christoph on September 7, 2007 at 12:50 AM
He was also the mayor of Oakland you know that fine city that decided to stop sobriety check points because too many illegal aliens were being caught for drive with out a license. Yeah ncla whined and jerry folded like a cheep sheet.
Mojack420 on September 7, 2007 at 12:50 AM
And you all thought that Karl Rove retired!
Ropera on September 7, 2007 at 12:50 AM
An unnamed female senator from NY didn’t want Hsu popping up in the news at inopportune times. After doing something like accidentally walking into a speeding car Hsu soon figured he was better off spending a few years rotting in jail, and so he cut a deal for a free flight under federal protection back to CA until the election is safely over and he can be pardoned, er rehabilitated.
pedestrian on September 7, 2007 at 12:51 AM
Senator and Mr. Clinton, I was just joking to try and fit in. I’m sorry. Really…I’ll vote for either one of you. Just don’t hurt me!!!!
tlynch001 on September 7, 2007 at 12:34 AM
Don’t think that your sarcasim has fooled me in the least. You have perhaps heard that I am in favor of shutting down Gitmo. That is not actually correct. I am in favor of moving the current prisoners out to make room for the likes of you when I become President and CIC and ruler of all that I see!!!
- Your future ruler, Queen Hilary of Rodham
MB4 on September 7, 2007 at 12:54 AM
OK – I posted a few different media details at JustOneMinute
HERE – SCROLL DOWN
Feldman and I asked the same thing —– my thought is he agreed to cooperate on the campaign investigations the DOJ started?
Hillary worst nightmare?
Topsecretk9 on September 7, 2007 at 12:54 AM
Hsu looks short to me. Do you think Berger could smuggle him out of jail in his pants?
Dr. Charles G. Waugh on September 7, 2007 at 12:42 AM
It would probably be his pleasure.
MB4 on September 7, 2007 at 12:58 AM
At least for awhile we can dispense with the idea that he’ll turn up in Fort Marcy or abscond to China.
But since he is a Clinton associate, you never know.
Bigfoot on September 7, 2007 at 12:59 AM
Not likely as the campaign violations would be a federal and not state crime
William Amos on September 7, 2007 at 1:00 AM
It would bring new meaning to the term: “He’s cuffed!”
Dr. Charles G. Waugh on September 7, 2007 at 1:02 AM
Also in some stories the press release says the FBI had him. Again it seems that california asked the feds to grap him.
This is only related to the California charges. There has been no formal charge for campaign finance violations against HSU
William Amos on September 7, 2007 at 1:02 AM
Hsu gets caught, and Peter Paul trial starts, on (almost the) SAME day. Hillary can’t be sleeping well tonight.
You can’t make this stuff up.
10000 to 1 odds that most MSM doesn’t cover BOTH stories. 1000 to 1 NEITHER story.
fred5678 on September 7, 2007 at 1:02 AM
I wonder what the Hildebeast and her beard Billy are doing tonight. The Chinese will probably assist in covering this up for them, so they are probably laughing.
bbz123 on September 7, 2007 at 1:03 AM
Think Arkosh Kovash from The Usual Suspects.
Editor on September 7, 2007 at 1:04 AM
And the morons just keep on voting for him…
infidel4life on September 7, 2007 at 1:04 AM
Amazing. I honestly thought he’d be well out of the country by now. This kind of blows my theory of him being a Chinese spy: if he was, you’d think the PRC would have taken him out of the country by now. Maybe he was freelancing for them. Or just acting as a conduit for a percentage.
I find the Clinton mafia conspiracies to be embarrassing, personally — they’re the right’s version of BDS. If somebody took a crack at him, my bet would be on the hitters being from China. Not necessarily the government. Hsu had something going on with Chinese mobsters back in the day — they tried to kidnap him once; maybe there was a business connection. Maybe he wasn’t hiding from just the charges for fifteen years, but from the mobsters. Possible reason for those fake addresses, too. If I were his lawyer, that’s what I’d claim, anyway.
Bottom line: this story is so glorious, it is almost a shame to spoil it with facts. Except each time we get new facts, we get juicier mysteries to speculate on. I’m just waiting for the other Hsu to drop.
Well-Armed Lamb on September 7, 2007 at 1:06 AM
Oh so many questions, so many possibilities.
Oh, the book, and movie rights. Does Hsu have a hollywood agent yet? There has to be a book deal here.
rockhauler on September 7, 2007 at 1:08 AM
Politico is, however, highlighting this:
A man who donates over $1.3 million to Democrats, the whole time being a fugitive? That doesn’t even deserve a link. Fred receiving money from a family that ran a pharmaceutical company that legally settled with the Department of Justice? That’s front page, baby.
amerpundit on September 7, 2007 at 1:08 AM
I doubt Jerry will get burned on this one. He’s still new at the job, and the Cal DOJ’s upper management is in full Lockyer-to-Brown personnel roil. Take a look at the DAG 3&4 position listings sometime.
Not as bad as a D2R or R2D change, but confused enough.
More likely fall guy is the DA or DAG that made the call not to ask for remand. Sounds to me like the Judge would have gone for it.
mojo on September 7, 2007 at 1:08 AM
Oh, and BTW, the family retired from the company 5 years ago. The donation was made in June.
amerpundit on September 7, 2007 at 1:09 AM
I’d agree with that. It doesn’t mean the association isn’t there, though.
Editor on September 7, 2007 at 1:15 AM
My guess is he was driving through Grand Junction and heading for Denver.
May have been in a car accident and that is why he was hospitalized.
Then again, there is LOTS of new oil money in Grand Junction these days.
bnelson44 on September 7, 2007 at 1:16 AM
Room service orders:
Clinton suite – aspirin, and lots of it!!
Obama suite – Champagne, and lots of it!!
Edwards suite – Champagne – just a split, please.
fred5678 on September 7, 2007 at 1:17 AM
This will be a future headline in an update on Sen. Craig.
RightWinged on September 7, 2007 at 1:22 AM
Looks like he was probably headed for Chicago on the California Zepher (or Denver)
California Zephyr
http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak
bnelson44 on September 7, 2007 at 1:36 AM
Edwards has his own slight problem
William Amos on September 7, 2007 at 1:39 AM
He went to meet with Chinese government officials who give him the money to operate the secret plan of getting Democrats elected… partly because the Dems are borderline socialist as it is, and partly because that could be an easier way to halt our economy. The officials poisoned him, a la Alexander Litvinenko, (thus the illness) because they were afraid he’d cop to the conspiracy to save his ass in court.
How’s that for “speculating away”?
RightWinged on September 7, 2007 at 1:43 AM
RightWinged,
Now you just have to prove it.
bnelson44 on September 7, 2007 at 1:46 AM
And Edwards was the only Dem. not on the Hsu list.
Make that aspirin, all around.
Now for the REAL fun today – the Peter Paul trial.
Make that another order of aspirin for the Clinton suite.
fred5678 on September 7, 2007 at 1:50 AM
Do fugitives normally get sick when they’re on the run?
Nerves?
He was still in St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction – 250 miles west of Denver – Thursday evening, according to Pete Smarr, a nursing supervisor. Smarr declined to say what Hsu was suffering from – other than to report him in custody and in “fair” condition.
Can accept the fact that they declined to tell us why for now. (privacy issues)
Eventually, would like to know why.
freedomplow on September 7, 2007 at 1:54 AM
Is the “Clintons had him whacked” theory a little more plausible now?
Theworldisnotenough on September 7, 2007 at 1:55 AM
That will take a subpeona, and a Republican in the White House. Hilary wins and Hsu is back in China or at the bottom of the Hudson in 24 hours.
Theworldisnotenough on September 7, 2007 at 1:57 AM
According to the Amtrak schedule, it is a 27+ hour trip from Emeryville to Grand Junction.
Is there anyone NOT sick after that long of a trip???
fred5678 on September 7, 2007 at 2:03 AM
Was he driving a white Bronco?
This group never ends up dead by the railroad tracks so Hsu can safely hang out at Starbucks. He may even get an apology from the Feds and a cash settlement.
Wonder what was wrong with him? Exhaustion? Dehydration? He has a very physical job dropping off those moneybags. Was he just running out of postal workers to bankroll the lifestyle? Or maybe the check didn’t come in at Western Union?
entagor on September 7, 2007 at 2:06 AM
Hsu boarded the train in Emeryville (CA) and was scheduled to get off the train in Denver
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_6822726?source=rss
fred5678 on September 7, 2007 at 2:07 AM
Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong… Allah told us to “speculate away”… I just chose to wildly speculate away.
RightWinged on September 7, 2007 at 2:12 AM
Am I the first to suggest we water board Hsu to get what he’s got on the Clintons?
AZCON on September 7, 2007 at 2:19 AM
Or a leak from a doctor that doesn’t want to make 20 grand a year under hill-care.
freedomplow on September 7, 2007 at 2:30 AM
Im disappointed
I thought he would be on a Hsu(l) boat to China
William Amos on September 7, 2007 at 2:56 AM
I can’t believe they used the phrase “on the lam”!! First thing in the morning, I’m paying my SF Chron bill.
laelaps on September 7, 2007 at 3:31 AM
Heh.
Theworldisnotenough on September 7, 2007 at 3:59 AM
Check him for polonium poisoning before releasing him from the hospital. Hillary may have been taking lessons from Vladimir.
LegendHasIt on September 7, 2007 at 4:03 AM
Well, not a freezer so much as a Tuff Shed with a lot of dry ice. Perhaps Mr. Hsu was on his way to being ‘rehabilitated’ alongside the current resident thereof.
Captain Scarlet on September 7, 2007 at 4:54 AM
Don’t waste your time reading the Drudge linked WAPO article – has to be the most poorly reported catch up article ever written. WAPO thinks he’s a apparel manufacturer – HAH!
Topsecretk9 on September 7, 2007 at 5:06 AM
W. Amos
I was just wondering if the Feds cut a cooperation deal – like — we will see that this interstate charge goes away seeing as your still facing hard time anyhow — but you are more than likely right.
Topsecretk9 on September 7, 2007 at 5:09 AM
A possibility this might be true
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2003872962_hsu07.html?syndication=rss
The warrant for his arrest remained under seal. However, federal sources said last week that the FBI has opened an investigation into Hsu’s fundraising activities.
William Amos on September 7, 2007 at 5:16 AM
interesting NY Daily News
things the WAPO are apparently unaware of and incapable of learning about:
Topsecretk9 on September 7, 2007 at 6:24 AM
He is running from the Hilldebeast.
Dead man tell no tale.
TheSitRep on September 7, 2007 at 6:26 AM
Local CBS
Topsecretk9 on September 7, 2007 at 6:28 AM
“And you all thought that Karl Rove retired!”
Good one!
GWB in my opinion won’t have the balls to go after this
LtE126 on September 7, 2007 at 7:42 AM
Bill to Hilary…What do you mean the poison pill didn’t work? Dr. Wong assured us they were the real thing. Darn cheap Chinese goods!!!
RMR on September 7, 2007 at 8:03 AM
They won’t have time for this story. It’s all McCann all day on the drive-by media.
Shady characters in shady financial deals with a presidential candidate pale in comparison to an overseas Jon-Benet story.
kooly on September 7, 2007 at 8:09 AM
Somebody buy the movie rights!
Fugitive II
Valiant on September 7, 2007 at 8:28 AM
Airports would have been the first place the feds looked and Hsu surely would have expected it.
He wouldn’t have needed a major airport. A rich guy with a thick Rolodex has to know lots of people who have private planes. Hop in at a small California airport; next stop, Mexico. Or Canada. Fly commercial or charter from there. He could even have flown out commercial, conceivably, if he’d done it before his hearing. Easier to get away when the feds aren’t looking for a fugitive, yet.
That last is what I’d guessed he’d done. An Amtrak getaway… wow, I didn’t see that coming. Maybe he really did lose his passport?
Amtrak should get their ad copy guys on this, stat. This is the most free publicity they’ve had in years.
Well-Armed Lamb on September 7, 2007 at 8:39 AM
Does this have an odor or am I just paranoid?
jeanie on September 7, 2007 at 8:48 AM
I’m trying soooo hard not to be a conspiracy nut here, but jeez–how coincidental that Hsu gets sick enough to need a paramedic and hospitalization just hours after trying to disappear. Did someone slip a little polonium into his Wheaties that morning? Or was it, as AP said, just plain ol’ rotten luck? I’ve probably been watching too many movies and it’s just Hsu’s rotten luck that he got sick. But like others here, I was very surprised that he was found alive.
aero on September 7, 2007 at 9:00 AM
I’m not sure that not having a passport would prevent him from boarding an international commercial flight. As far as I can remember it, you need a passport to officially enter a country, not to leave one (at least the US). Once he got to Hong Kong, he probably would have a new set of IDs waiting for him anyway, courtesy of his paymasters.
James on September 7, 2007 at 9:10 AM
They need to guard Mr. Hsu very very carefully, or I’m afraid he could have a terrible “accident.”.
Maxx on September 7, 2007 at 9:42 AM
I’m going to take a wild guess that there were other passengers about who may have a few more details about how sick he was. And their under no obligation to keep quiet as far as I know. If nothing else, maybe an Amtrack employee or two, but they may be handcuffed by company policies.
taznar on September 7, 2007 at 9:43 AM
Hsu got the dreaded cell phone call from Clintonista Headquarters.
“Good Morning Mr. Hsu. Since your illegal campaign contributions have been uncovered, the Clintons will disavow any knowledge of your actions.”
Solly Cholly.
fogw on September 7, 2007 at 9:49 AM
Hilary to Bill… don’t worry, I’ll pull the old “nurse-for- a-day” routine, but this time at St. Mary’s.
RMR on September 7, 2007 at 9:56 AM
Amtrak getaway? Well, you sure can’t ram one of those off of the road with an SUV. Deserted-highway-drive-by shootings are out too. And nobody expects someone who has even a moderate amount of money to ride Amtrak.
Nope, it’s just a stupid conspiracy theory, nothing to see here, move along people, move along.
angryoldfatman on September 7, 2007 at 11:31 AM
I believe this is the first non-lethal case of Foster’s Disease on record.
Kid from Brooklyn on September 7, 2007 at 11:34 AM
That picture of Hsu got me hot.
NOT.
Christine on September 7, 2007 at 11:56 AM
Kid from Brooklyn, you slay me…sort of.
I’m waiting to hear that Hilly will be visited by 3 spirits on Christmas Eve…Vince Foster will be the first, Webb Hubbel will be the second and Jimmy Carville or Michael Chertoff will play the part of the Grim Reaper, (they look the part.)
Christine on September 7, 2007 at 12:03 PM
Apparently Hillary has found the need to give away $23000 dollars to charity…. Interesting thats the amount that Hsu gave her. READ HERE: http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2007/09/07/editorial/editorial/daily783.txt
markedmanner on September 7, 2007 at 12:44 PM
Hmmmm, indeed. Curiouser and curiouser.
aero on September 7, 2007 at 12:46 PM
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