Judicial Watch scrutinizing controversial Clinton White House pardon
Chad Groening - OneNewsNow - 3/20/2008 12:00:00 PM

Judicial Watch, a public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, has obtained a document it says sheds new light on one of the most outrageous scandals of the Clinton administration.


Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, filed a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain the official pardon application submitted to the Clinton White House on behalf of Marc Rich. Fitton notes that Rich's pardon application "was made directly to the Clinton White House as opposed to the Department of Justice, which was the accepted practice."

Rich fled the United States in 1983 to avoid prosecution on racketeering, wire fraud, and tax evasion charges. He was one of about 140 individuals pardoned by Bill Clinton in the waning hours of his administration."[I]n an act that caused outrage among prosecutors and other supporters of law and order, Rich was granted a pardon by Bill Clinton in his last day of office," Fitton notes.

Fitton says the Rich pardon was particularly scandalous because of "copious" financial contributions made by Denise Rich, Marc Rich's ex-wife, to Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign and the Clinton Presidential Library foundation in the months leading up to the pardon.

According to Fitton, the scandal is still relevant today in light of Mrs. Clinton's current run for the White House because the pardons are part of the experience which she widely touts in terms of her days at the White House. "The pardon scandal involved the entire Clinton family -- Bill, Hillary, Hillary's brothers, Bill's brother. Hillary herself was involved in the scandals, conveying pardon applications to Bill Clinton," Fitton contends.

The truth needs to come out, Fitton says, even if Senator Clinton does not win the White House. "Now there's a lot here that hasn't been adequately investigated -- and these documents will show more reasons why," he adds.

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