-Caveat Lector-
Isn't it Rich? Marc, Bill, what a pair
Clinton owes the country a complete, truthful explanation for the
pardon
Did Clinton trade a pardon for library money?
On Dec. 9, 2000 he unveiled plans for his presidential library.
By John H. Fund
MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR
Feb. 8 - Former presidents are well treated by taxpayers.
Secret Service protection for life, a generous pension, staff and
office space and maintenance costs for a presidential library are
all part of the retirement package.
IN RETURN, little is usually expected. But Bill Clinton owes the
country a better explanation of his pardon of the fugitive
billionaire Marc Rich, a man who traded with America's enemies
and has been described by top Justice Department officials as "a
real-life James Bond villain."
SOLELY ON THE MERITS?
Clinton gave an impromptu news conference on the sidewalks of New
York recently to say he granted the pardon "on the merits" of the
case. He said the move had nothing to do with his friendship
with Denise Rich, the billionaire's ex-wife, who wrote or called
Clinton three times to ask for a pardon.
Since Clinton's terse explanation, much has happened.
Denise Rich took the Fifth Amendment before Congress, in part to
avoid answering questions about whether all of the $1 million she
gave to Democrats in recent years was her own money. Her lawyer
admitted to Congress that Rich gave an "enormous sum of money" to
Clinton's presidential library foundation. Time magazine reports
that $400,000 of that contribution was made before the Rich
pardon was issued. Rich apparently consulted with Beth Dozoretz,
a close Clinton friend. Dozoretz discussed the matter with
Clinton only nine days before the pardon was rushed through
without any formal consultation with the Justice Department or
national-security agencies. On Jan. 10 an ally of Rich's in
Switzerland sent an e-mail to Jack Quinn, the former White House
counsel who secured the pardon for Rich. The e-mail said
Dozoretz got a call from the president who said he was "doing all
possible to turn around" the White House counsels who opposed the
pardon.
Congress steps in February 8, 2001
Congress has many questions about former President Bill Clinton's
pardon of international fugitive financier Marc Rich.
NBC News' Lisa Myers reports.
STORY THAT REEKS
All of this reeks. Even Robert Reich, a Clinton friend and his
former secretary of labor, says it has all the appearance of "a
political payoff."
A new Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll taken February 7 to 8 asked
649 people if it was more likely that Clinton granted the pardon
on the merits or because he "received contributions and favors
from Rich's friends and family." Cynics were in the clear lead by
68 percent to 9 percent. Only 12 percent of the public isn't
bothered by at least one of the three most recent Clinton
scandals (the pardon, the taking of gifts and his outrageous
office rent).
For now, Congress is focusing just on the Rich pardon. Members
of Congress were told that if the White House had contacted
either the CIA or the National Security Agency about Rich's
overseas activities with foreign powers, no pardon would ever
have been granted. Next week, subpoenas are likely to be issued
to compel the testimony of Clinton White House counsels Beth
Nolan and Bruce Lindsey. Other subpoenas will seek the records
of the Clinton presidential library foundation, because the
library refuses to release the list of its donors.
LIBRARY HONOR SYSTEM
"The list of library donors is important because so much of the
$200 million it plans to raise came in before Clinton left
office," former Clinton loyalist and advisor Dick Morris has
said. "It's absurd that we require full disclosure of a $1,000
campaign contribution to a Senate candidate, but a $1 million
contribution to a president who can still do favors for people
while in office can go unreported."
Full list of Clinton pardons
Skip Rutherford, president of the Clinton foundation board, says
he would consult with lawyers before responding to any
congressional subpoena. "I don't know about a public interest"
in the records he has said. "There may be some sort of media
interest."
The Marc Rich pardon went to a man who made millions by trading
oil with Iran, while 53 American hostages were held captive
there. He later renounced his U.S. citizenship and helped
transfer North Korean missiles to Iran.
I have news for Rutherford. There is and will continue to be media
interest. And it�s because of the long, sordid progression of Clinton
lies, evasions, half-truths, rolling disclosures and stonewalling that
has culminated in the Rich pardon.
It's all too rich.
The pardon went to a man who made millions by trading oil with
Iran, while 53 American hostages were held captive there. He
later renounced his U.S. citizenship, helped transfer North
Korean missiles to Iran, traded with Saddam Hussein�s Iraq and
brokered oil deals with the apartheid regime of South Africa.
That was all on his way to being indicted as the biggest tax
cheat in American history and earning a place on the FBI's list
of the six most wanted international fugitives from justice.
In other words, Rich is a hell of a guy for a pardon. Clinton
should order his foundation to surrender its donor list to
Congress and the media if he has nothing to hide. He should go
further and volunteer to testify before Congress.
Clinton should order his foundation to surrender its donor list
to Congress and the media if he has nothing to hide. He should
go further and volunteer to testify before Congress.
Sen. Arlen Specter, a moderate Republican, is holding hearings
next Wednesday and would welcome his appearance. It�s the least
the former president owes the country after all the questions
about the Rich pardon and the 46 other pardons that circumvented
the normal review process at the Justice Department. The late
trial lawyer Edward Bennett Williams once represented Marc Rich,
but even he had enough of his client one day, according to Evan
Thomas' biography of Williams, "The Man to See."
Williams, speaking by telephone to Rich as the fugitive sat in
his guarded Swiss fortress said: "You know something, Marc? You
spit on the American flag, you spit on the jury system.
Whatever you get, you deserve. We could have gotten the minimum.
Now you're going to sink."
Williams turned out to be wrong, thanks to Clinton. Rich is now,
well, still rich, and his millions may have bought him the right
to return to the very country he fled and whose citizenship he
revoked.
On this one, President Clinton, you owe the American people a
full explanation under oath before Congress. This time, please
no legal delays, no evasive maneuvers, no quibbling about what
the meaning of the word "is" is. Just the truth. For once.
And if you refuse? "Whatever you get, you deserve."
John H. Fund is a member of the Wall Street Journal editorial
board and is a regular contributor to MSNBC.
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Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT
FROM THE DESK OF:
*Michael Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
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