[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 66 (Thursday, May 21, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H3633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TOBACCO AND IMMUNITY FOR WITNESSES

  (Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I am here to talk about tobacco. Think 
about this one minute, those who are cigarette smokers. They may be 
familiar with the Pagoda Red Mountain cigarette. The Pagoda brand, as 
Members may know, is the third largest cigarette selling in the world. 
It is the number one cigarette in China. It is owned by the Communist 
Chinese government.
  The Pagoda Mountain cigarette company has an operative named Ted 
Sioeng. He gave $400,000 to the Democrat National Party. His associate, 
Mr. Kent La, personally gave $50,000 of the money. He is willing to 
testify before the Burton committee and just say why a Communist 
cigarette company was interested in giving the $400,000 to the 
Democrats. No big deal. Something we all should want to know. Maybe it 
is that they just like good cigarette smokers, and recognize the 
Democrats as such.
  But the reality is, 19 Democrats on the committee will not let him 
speak. They will not let the guy testify. The Democrat Justice 
Department, the Department of Justice, said they have no problem with 
immunity and will let Mr. Kent La speak and have immunity, but 19 
Democrats say no.
  What do the Democrats want to do instead? We heard it this morning. 
They want to investigate Ronald Reagan. I suggest they have been 
smoking more than Pagoda Red Mountain cigarettes or whatever it is.




                          ____________________