THE SCANDAL OVER FOREIGN campaign donations to the Clinton campaign — to date, three shady contributions of “Asian money” — has broadened with amazing speed. Close Clinton associates are being accused not only of campaign finance fraud, but also of profiting off White House connections, politicizing the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and using the Commerce Department to drum up business for political allies domestic and foreign.

In September, the Los Angeles Times reported that the Korean electronics giant Cheong Am had disguised an illegal $ 250,000 contribution to the Democratic National Committee by claiming the money came from the company’s new American subsidiary. Only problem: The American subsidiary hadn’t generated the profits to cover the donation. To get the contribution, President Clinton consented to a one-on-one meeting with Cheong Am chairman James Lee. “There have been absolutely no violations of any law,” said Al Gore. Yet a month later, it was widely reported that Gore himself had taken part in a $ 140,000 fundraiser at the Hsi Lai Buddhist temple in Hacienda Heights, Calif. The fund-raiser was riddled with violations of law — including raising money at a religious event, disguising the identity of donors, and making donations through proxies.