A day after federal prosecutors charged Dan Khau Tang with laundering profits from a marijuana cultivation ring, politicians began trying to distance themselves from the restaurant owner who spent years trying to win their favor.
Colorado GOP chairman Dick Wadhams said he knows Tang and was “saddened” to hear of the federal case against him, but he said Tang was not an active campaigner for the party.
Pat Waak, chairwoman of the Colorado Democratic Party, said Tang was not “a regular Democratic donor,” and she plans to have her staff look through records to determine what to do with the contributions if he is found guilty.
Tang faces up to 20 years in federal prison if he is convicted and will have to forfeit $1.86 million from his bank accounts.
Tang, owner of Heaven Dragon restaurant in Thornton, has never been shy about displaying his bipartisan connections.
The wall of his restaurant is adorned with photos of him smiling broadly alongside politicians including former Sen. Wayne Allard, former Gov. Bill Owens, former Vice President Dick Cheney — who are Republicans — along with Sen. Mark Udall and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, who are Democrats.
One display holds a presidential wristwatch next to a letter from President George W. Bush.
Federal election records show that Bush is just one of many on whose behalf Tang has contributed or worked over the years.
Since 2002, he has contributed thousands of dollars to political campaigns. In past interviews with The Denver Post, Tang described himself as an unaffiliated voter.
Udall is concerned about the “troubling allegations” Tang faces, said Udall’s spokeswoman, Tara Trujillo. Tang contributed a total of $4,000 to Udall in 2004 and 2006, records show.
“We are watching the case closely and if proven true, we will donate the money to a charity,” Trujillo said.
Tang also contributed a total of $6,600 to Udall’s opponent, Bob Schaffer, in 2004 and 2007. Former Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar received $1,000 from Tang in 2004.
Tang also gave $6,000 total to Republican Bob Beauprez’s congressional campaigns in 2003 and 2005. Allard received $2,000 from Tang in 2002.
Not all of Tang’s photographs necessarily bore a campaign cash connection, however.
“The mayor went to Heaven Dragon to meet another mayor from the northern suburbs for a meal,” said Hickenlooper spokesman Eric Brown in an e-mail. “Mr. Tang asked to have a picture taken with Mayor Hickenlooper, and he agreed. The mayor hasn’t seen or talked to Mr. Tang since.”
In September 2007, agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the North Metro Task Force began investigating Tang as they targeted a large-scale Asian indoor marijuana-growing operation.
Tang’s lawyer, Michael Axt, said his client is “hopeful and confident” that the truth will come out but declined to elaborate.
Prosecutors say Tang’s immediate family members and employees of his restaurant were involved in the scheme. When investigators served search warrants at several properties, agents found more than 24,000 marijuana plants and $3 million.
Ten other people were charged in Adams County with drug-related offenses as a result of the investigation, and another nine people were indicted in U.S. District Court in Denver.
Felisa Cardona: 303-954-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com
Denver Post staff researcher Barry Osborne contributed to this story.
