Skip to main content CNN.com allpolitics.com
allpolitics.com
CNN TV
SERVICES
CNN TV
EDITIONS

Hillary Clinton distances herself from presidential pardon controversy

Clinton
Sen. Clinton expresses "extreme disappointment" Thursday in her brother's involvement in a presidential clemency case  

In this story:

Official: Procedures not followed

Clinton claims no prior knowledge

Fight brewing over documents

RELATED STORIES, SITES icon



WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former first lady Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Thursday she had no role in any of former President Clinton's controversial 11th-hour pardons and that if she had been informed, she "may have been able to prevent this from happening."

Appearing at a hastily arranged news conference on Capitol Hill, the New York Democrat said she had no knowledge that her brother Hugh Rodham had been paid almost $400,000 for legal work for two applicants for presidential clemency, Carlos Vignali Jr. and Almon Glenn Braswell. She referred more detailed questions about the pardons to the former president.

Most of Rodham's fees have been returned to his clients, according to his attorney.

Sen. Clinton's comments came after a source close to Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pennsylvania, who is leading the pardons investigation for the Senate Judiciary Committee, told CNN that Specter has instructed his staff to look into Rodham's involvement in clemency orders granted by then-President Clinton.

 VIDEO
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton denies knowing of brother receiving payment for client pardons. CNN's Jonathan Karl reports

Play video
(QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

CNN's Frank Buckley says Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, (D) New York), not getting wish for low-key freshmen term

Play video
(QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)
 
ALSO
 
RESOURCES
In-Depth:
The Clinton Years
 
MESSAGE BOARD
 

A separate House investigation into the matter is being led by Indiana Republican Rep. Dan Burton.

In a related matter, Sen. Clinton said she was unaware that her campaign treasurer had done legal work in connection with the pardons of two Arkansas businessmen.

William Cunningham III had served as Sen. Clinton's campaign treasurer and submitted paperwork on the pardons to the Justice Department.

Cunningham is a law partner of long-time Clinton adviser Harold Ickes.

The businessmen, James Manning and Bob Fain, were convicted in the 1980s on tax charges.

"I know that he is a fine lawyer and a fine man," Sen. Clinton said. "You'll have to ask Mr. Cunningham about his involvement."

Earlier Thursday, Eric Holder, deputy attorney general during the Clinton administration, told CNN that former President Clinton had ignored advice from Justice attorney Roger Adams, who objected to the commuting of Vignali's sentence for a drug-related conviction. Clinton issued presidential pardons before he left office January 20.

Official: Procedures not followed

Last week, Adams testified before a congressional committee investigating presidential pardons saying that that "none of the regular (pardon) procedures ... were followed."

"When a president, for whatever reason, decides not to handle things in an orderly way," he said, "there is nothing I can do about it."

"There was a document sent under Roger Adams' name," Holder told CNN. He said in that document the Justice Department "recommended against" commuting the 15-year sentence of Vignali, who had been convicted on charges pertaining to the transport of 800 pounds of cocaine. He is the son of Horacio Vignali, a wealthy Los Angeles, California, political contributor.

Braswell, 57, was pardoned for fraud and other crimes stemming from false claims in 1983 about the effectiveness of a treatment for baldness. He was sentenced to three years in federal prison followed by five years' probation.

Rich
Clinton came under fire for pardoning Marc Rich last month  

Clinton claims no prior knowledge

Clinton first publicly admitted the connection between his brother-in-law and the clemency applications for Braswell and Vignali, saying in a statement that "neither Hillary nor I had any knowledge" that Rodham had been paid to work on the cases. They said they were "deeply disturbed" by the news and had "insisted" that Rodham return the fees.

"Their request, presumably made because of the appearance of impropriety, is one he cannot ignore," Rodham's attorney Nancy Luque said. "There was, however, no impropriety in these matters."

Fight brewing over documents

Meanwhile, legal sources tell CNN that the Clintons plan to turn over some related documents to a House committee which is investigating several pardons Clinton granted just before he left office.

The probe, led by Burton, is investigating whether campaign donations or pledges made by Denise Rich influenced Clinton to grant clemency to Rich's ex-husband, financier Marc Rich. Rich, at the time of the commutation, was listed by the Justice Department as a fugitive to avoid 1983 charges of tax evasion and making illegal oil deals with Iran.

Sources tell CNN that lawyers for the Clintons believe the committee's specific request for documents pertaining to those who are the "nexus of the investigation" are reasonable and they will comply with that request.

However, sources told CNN that the Clintons will not comply with a subpoena from Burton's committee requesting any and all pledges or donor lists for those making donations or pledges of $5,000 or more. Sources close to the Clinton's characterize that request as a "fishing expedition."

David Kendall, Clinton's attorney for his presidential library, has said such lists for private foundations are "privileged under the law" and he would fight against disclosing them.

A spokesman for Burton's committee says it has not received a response from the Clintons.

CNN National Correspondents Eileen O'Connor and Bob Franken contributed to this report.



RELATED STORIES:
New controversy emerges in Clinton pardons
February 21, 2001
Head of Rich Foundation defends pardon
February 20, 2001
Schumer unconvinced by Clinton's explanation of Rich pardon
February 19, 2001
Clinton: No 'quid pro quo' for Rich pardon
February 18, 2001
Clinton's eight reasons for Rich pardon
February 18, 2001
House panel issues subpoenas in Rich probe
February 16, 2001
Profile: Mary Jo White United States attorney
February 16, 2001
Pardon charges could be hard to prove
February 15, 2001
House focuses on Clinton staff in pardon probe
February 15, 2001

RELATED SITES:
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Senate Judiciary Committee

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.


 Search   


Back to the top