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WASHINGTON - Hillary Clinton isn't on trial in Los Angeles on Tuesday - but as far as her political adversaries are concerned, she may as well be.

Her former finance director David Rosen has been charged with concealing the real cost of a star-studded Hollywood fund-raiser for Clinton in August 2000 - and if he's convicted, her enemies plan to exploit it to the maximum.

''If it was any other senator, it might not be an issue, but with her past it will be,'' said Brian Nick, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. ''She clearly has her eyes set on the White House [in 2008] . . . so it's going to be an issue between now and then.''

Sensitive to whispers Rosen's prosecution may be politically motivated, the feds say Clinton has not been implicated in any wrongdoing and will not be an issue in the trial.

''We're certainly not calling her as a witness and it might be a mistake for the defense to do that - but that's up to them,'' said a Justice Department source.

Clinton is standing by Rosen and thinks he is innocent. ''We believe that when all the facts are in, [Rosen] will be cleared,'' Clinton lawyer David Kendall said on behalf of the senator.

Still, if Rosen is convicted, Clinton, D-N.Y., is certain to face repeated attack ads accusing her of running a corrupt campaign and reminding voters of the 1996 investigation into Lincoln Bedroom sleepovers and White House coffees to raise political cash, GOP operatives promised.

If convicted, Rosen, 40, could get 15 years in prison on three counts of filing false campaign documents. He allegedly cooked the books to free up more money when he reported that the $1.2 million gala cost only $400,000.