Sister Hillary?

At last, the Fujianese in New York's Chinatown have a new woman to revere and admire. Ever since the "notorious snakehead" Sister Ping was convicted and sent up river last year, there's been a void that Hillary can now fill: the most popular woman on East Broadway.

The La Times reports today that Hillary's machine has successfully raised hundreds of thousands in contributions from hard working Fujianese, including many who have not registered to vote and others, according to the various records tracked by two LAT investigative reporters, don't officially exist.

This development is a bit ironic given Bill Clinton's actions during the Golden Venture years. When the freighter ran aground in June, 1993, Clinton's political advisers were telling him that he was facing political trouble, particularly in California, where a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment was sweeping the electorate. It was this advice that led him to make an example out of the Golden Venture passengers -- to establish a new, get-tough image for himself on the immigration issue.

Fourteen years later, Hillary has a thick "red envelope" bulging with checks from the same people her husband put in jail.