Clinton is being REAMED over this Marc Rich pardon

[AndrewR]

Deservedly so, as just about every law enforcement agency is hopping mad over it. There's an article on MSNBC.com about the Congressional investigation, and even a moderate (practically liberal) Republican member of the Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter, is talking tough about the affair. Even some Democrats are highly upset over the pardon -- there's a great quote at the end of that article from Joe Biden ("I think either the president had an incredible lapse in memory or was brain dead when he did that one.&quot.

Let me link it...Interesting op-ed piece, and here's the main article.

Looks like now that they are going after Denise Rich's finances to find out if Marc Rich's money was used to donate to Clinton before the pardon (wow, you think??). Since Marc Rich is not a U.S. citizen, it's illegal, and some heads would roll over that.

Interestingly enough, Clinton has managed to piss off members of both parties, and the outrage over this pardon extends well beyond partisanship. That op-ed piece calls for Clinton to be truthful for once -- any bets as to whether or not that will happen?

 

[StageLeft]

Whats funny is that probabaly the stupidest thing Clinton did in his presidency he did at the end. I mean the thing with whats-her-name was bad enough, but just a mistake. This is clear abuse of power. You don't have to be a republican to know that

 

[dennilfloss]

Some republicans want to impeach him again and therefore make him lose his pension and secret service protection. Talk about a vendetta.

Immune (Godsmack)

 

[StageLeft]

oo, I don't think I agree with that. Thats no good.

 

[Digobick]

dennilfloss, the Republicans will only impeach him if they think he broke the law. If not, then they'll just try to cut his pension. They're very pissed about this, and everything else he did right before he left office. Many Democrats are also quite upset with Clinton right now.

Btw, I seriously doubt they'd take away his secret service protection; Congress doesn't want to be a murderer.

 

[Tiger]

Good!

Something stinks to high heaven.
Selling Presidential pardons for $500K contributions to the DNC?
Not consulting the Justice department before handing out a pardon on a man charged with selling arms to Libya and Iran? I can't wait to see what Rich's ex-wife has to say after they grant her immunity, if she lives that long.

It wasn't stupid, it was criminal. Unfortunately the pardoning power is absolute and can't be undone.

 

[circlek]

Even his own party said he must have been "brain dead" when he did it...

 

[ToBeMe]

It's not only Reps. talking about the feasability of Impeaching him after he has left office......seems several Dems. are saying it's not out of the question also........

 

[Double Trouble]

There's the kind of shenanigans and politics that just about every president engages in that ticks off the other party, and then there's stuff like this that ticks off members of both parties because it's just wrong, no matter how you look at it. Whether they can ever prove it or not through a paper trail, both the dems and repubs know darn well that Clinton sold the pardon for a large contribution -- and that doesn't sit well with anyone.

 

[Ornery]

Specter Hints at Clinton Impeachment
The Associated Press
Monday, Feb. 12, 2001; 1:17 a.m. EST

• Specter said Clinton "avoided a conviction on impeachment the last time around because he had not lost the confidence of the American people, and we didn't want to shake up the government, but he's not in office anymore."

He slipped the noose once, who thinks he should be allowed to do it again?

 

[fdiskboy]

Don't impeach him, just cut off all his perks.

NO office money, NO pension, NO nothing that he doesn't earn on his own dime.
Edit: Dare I include, No interns!

 

[Linflas]

I am far from a Clinton fan but frankly I think they should just drop it. At this point congress really runs the risk of looking like they have a personal vendetta. The fact that he has taken plenty of hits from all his friends in the media about this affair should be sufficient. There is no reversing a presidential pardon so I do not see anything to be gained by carrying on with this stuff.

 

[FettsBabe]

Clinton did manage to screw up. I can understand why both parties are upset, and I can also understand why they want to take his pension. He wants us, the taxpayers, to pay $800,000 for a six year office lease. WTF. I'm thinking of a certain place that he could go to...:| Hell.

 

[Stark]

Fettsbabe,

He's already well on his way.

 

[thebestMAX]

Just more proof of what I said about him 8 years ago.

Mrs Rich may soon join the ranks ot the FFOB, Former friends of bill, dead ones that is, if she talks immunity or no.

 

[AndrewR]

Yes, Specter did mention impeachment, but there is a quote in the article from another Republican saying that it's basically out of the question (Lott maybe?). Sen. Specter was speaking for Sen. Specter, not for the Republican Party. The Republican leadership would not seek another impeachment right now unless there were a majority of Democrats in favor of it, too.



<< The fact that he has taken plenty of hits from all his friends in the media about this affair should be sufficient. >>


Sure, blatant abuse of power is JUST FINE as long as there's bad press over it. And before someone starts arguing that it was not an abuse of power, Clinton handed out the pardon without following the standard procedure for doing so. Failing to hold someone responsible for his actions is one of the most dangerous precedents we could set. Do you think our justice system can survive apathy?

This Marc Rich guy was on a list of the top international fugitives wanted by the FBI. He had extensive business dealings with Iran when they were holding US hostages. He dealt with Iraq (probably still does). He is also one of the largest tax evaders in history. And now he BUYS a pardon, and there's nothing wrong with that? Give me a fscking break. I would be just as mad about this if a Republican had done it because you don't just steamroll a half dozen law enforcement agencies so your Presidential library can have some nice fountains, especially for a scumbag of this caliber.


<< Dare I include, No interns! >>


Then all he has is Hillary? Oh, damn, that's a HARSH punishment!

 

[Ornery]

What are the specifics about the woman that Clinton pardoned after serving 3 years of a 6 year sentence? She had taken money that had been ear marked for charity and used it for furnishing her house and buying her boy friend cloths. Uh, the juicy part is that the charitable organization was run by Jesse Jackson. Slick pardon there, eh?

 

[warcleric]

hehe, I like Bill more with every passing day.

 

[Tiger]

This one came out today.

A convicted crack dealer in California was given a pardon by his slickness. He was serving 15 yrs. for manufacture and distribution of crack. His father made a few donantions to the DNC, the Clinton Library and Voila!! Get outta jail free card.

When asked about this particular case one Justice department official known to be against mandatory sentencing said there's no way in hell this guy gets recomended for a pardon by Justice, if they had known about it.

 

[nippyjun]

The presidents right to pardon is absolute and cannot be overturned. This is all just a republican plot to take any pressure off of W. Clinton has nothing to worry about, except for W.

 

[kranky]

<< The presidents right to pardon is absolute and cannot be overturned. >>

Agreed, and Dubya has said as much already.

<< This is all just a republican plot to take any pressure off of W. >>

Earth to nippyjun, Earth to nippyjun. Where is there any sort of &quot;plot&quot;? The facts surrounding these pardons are now coming to light. That's a &quot;plot&quot;?

 

[SuperTool]

I say impeach him. If the republicans lose as many seats over this as they did over the last impeachment, it will be well worth it.

 

[Ornery]

Pssst kranky, I think most of the Demo kiddies on this board are &quot;out there&quot;.

If Clinton broke the law, before being elected, while in office or after, he should face trial and sentencing like any other citizen would. Allowing people to buy pardons might just be against the law. Hard to prove, but it was also hard to prove he exposed himself, like a common pervert, to Paula Jones. Does anyone doubt it? And he's got more to answer for than that now.

 

[DefRef]

When this initially broke, someone else posted that it raises questions for ANY President who would be able to buy silence from accomplices with pardons. &quot;Just do some time and I'll get ya out before I leave. Thanks!&quot;

With a crony like Reno at Justice to avoid looking into anything and a fistful of pardons for the Susan McDougals of the world, is it any wonder that Clinton was the most corrupt criminal ever in the office?

 

[dennilfloss]

Didn't Gerald Ford pardon a real crook, one who had stolen the 1972 election and disenfranchised millions of American voters with shady tactics, a certain Richard Milhouse...? I don't remember hearing about a Ford impeachment then.

18 and Life (Skid row)