Chang admitted making illegal contributions to the campaign and agreed to cooperate with investigators, but his credibility has been questioned by the Torricelli camp as well as authorities. Dick Zimmer, including a Lear jet and propeller plane, The New York Times reported. The Justice Department's Campaign Financing Task Force is trying to determine if Torricelli or his aides knew that Chang rented the aircraft specifically for the campaign, the newspaper said. Campaign finance law allows candidates to use aircraft provided by companies, but under certain rules. When a company provides an aircraft it does not own or lease, the candidate must reimburse the entire cost of the rental.
Lower reimbursement is possible when the plane is owned or leased by the company involved.
Torricelli campaign lawyer Robert F. Bauer denied there was any wrongdoing. Chang told investigators that Torricelli asked him to arrange the flights and knew he did not own any aircraft, the newspaper said, citing unnamed people familiar with his statements. Chang lawyer Bradley D. Simon has attempted to blunt attacks on his client's credibility by claiming that Torricelli for many years asked for and received help from Chang. He agreed to cooperate with the task force.