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Thursday March 1 10:02 AM ET

Top Clinton Aides Will Testify on Pardons

By John Whitesides

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three former top White House aides will
appear before a congressional panel on Thursday to testify about
the final days of frantic deliberations on President Clinton's
controversial last-minute pardon spree.

Former White House counsel Beth Nolan, chief of staff John
Podesta and adviser Bruce Lindsey are scheduled to tell the House
Government Reform Committee about the contacts and
decision-making used in the pardon for fugitive financier Marc
Rich that has sparked two congressional investigations and a
federal criminal probe.

Clinton, hoping to put the pardons scandal to rest, waived any
executive privilege claims and gave his aides approval to testify
freely when they appear before the panel at noon, even though
they are expected to say they opposed the pardon.

Testimony and documents in the congressional probes indicate
there was considerable debate over the Rich pardon in the final
days of Clinton's presidency.

``He got advice that this was controversial and he got advice
against doing this,'' Podesta said earlier this month.

The House panel subpoenaed the three aides in its widening
investigation of possible influence peddling or links between
campaign donations and the pardon of Rich and others on Clinton's
last day in office. Rich's ex-wife Denise gave more than $1
million to Democratic causes and $450,000 to the Clinton library.

Committee investigators got a brief peek on Wednesday at the
names of those donors who contributed more than $5,000 to the
library and won an agreement from Clinton attorney David Kendall
for a broader review of those donors that investigators suspect
might be linked to the pardon of Rich or others.

The committee had subpoenaed information on all donors
contributing more than $5,000 to the Clinton library fund, and
threatened library officials with contempt if they did not
comply.

Invoking Fifth Amendment

Kendall resisted the request, citing privacy concerns, but agreed
to allow investigators to see more information, including dates
and total donation amounts, on donors selected by committee
investigators.

The deal means the committee will not call Skip Rutherford, the
library foundation's president, to testify on Thursday.

But still scheduled to appear before the panel is former
Democratic National Committee finance chairwoman Beth Dozoretz,
who has informed investigators that she will invoke her Fifth
Amendment protection against self-incrimination and refuse to
answer committee questions.

The probe of Rich, who fled to Switzerland 17 years ago to avoid
prosecution on racketeering, wire fraud, income tax evasion and
illegal oil trading charges, has expanded to look at other
pardons and sentence commutations by Clinton.

Rodham Brothers Linked To Pardon Controversy

Among the other cases being probed are those of a convicted
swindler and a major cocaine dealer who paid some $400,000 to
Hugh Rodham, Clinton's brother-in-law, to advance their bids for
clemency.

Rodham ultimately gave the money back after Clinton and former
first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton complained.

Adding to the pardon controversy, the New York Times reported on
Thursday that a Tennessee couple convicted of bank fraud were
pardoned a year ago by Clinton with the help of Mrs. Clinton's
other brother, Tony Rodham.

The pardon of carnival company owners Edgar Allen Gregory and his
wife, Vonna Jo, was given despite objections from the Justice
Department, the paper said. Tony Rodham was not paid for his
efforts.

Sen. Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, said he sent a
letter to Clinton inviting him to a private interview as part of
the Senate Judiciary Committee's look into the pardons. He said
the approach could avoid the ``circus-like atmosphere'' of a full
hearing.

``I don't want the president to think that we're looking for any
notoriety or publicity in what we're doing here,'' he said on
CNN's ``Larry King Live.''

``It's a very serious professional suggestion and the president
is entitled to some time to think about it.''

Rich's attorney, Jack Quinn, a former White House counsel, former
Rich attorney Lewis Libby, now Vice President Dick Cheney's chief
of staff, and Peter Kadzik, an attorney for Podesta who works at
a law firm that has represented Rich, are also expected to
testify at the hearing.

=================================================================
             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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