Marc Rich Pardon
For anyone to suggest that former President Clinton pardoned Marc Rich because of Denise Rich’s donations is ridiculous. Former supermarket mogul Ron Burkle, who is a big FOB and has donated millions to the Democrats and hosted Clinton at his estate numerous times, was lobbying Clinton to pardon financier Michael Milken. Clinton did not pardon Milken. I guarantee that Burkle has given significantly more money than Denise Rich.
Maybe Clinton felt that Marc Rich was wrongly prosecuted or maybe he was throwing a bone to Israel in its peace negotiations. But whatever the reason, I believe Clinton had the best intentions in mind. If the hypocritical Republicans were truly disturbed by this action, they would have immediately passed campaign finance reform.
ADAM BERKOWITZ
Beverly Hills
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Re “Clinton Says He Is ‘Bewildered’ by Rich Furor,” Feb. 16: Why does Clinton’s statement to Geraldo Rivera that “there’s certainly no evidence that I took any of it” (meaning the money), in the Rich pardon scandal, remind me so much of “I did not have sex with that woman” in the Monica Lewin-sky scandal? He would have been far more convincing were he to state upfront that “neither Hillary nor I took any of the money.” The truth, not more legalese, is sorely needed.
JOHN T. CHIU
Newport Beach
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While this intense vilification of Clinton, even after he is out of office, might be expected of the Republicans, what is equally disturbing is that the media have joined them. Without knowing the facts, everything written or spoken on TV indicts Clinton. Nothing is mentioned about the pardons of former President Bush to men who did more harm to the Constitution than Rich could ever do. Clinton used bad judgment in pardoning Rich. But does bad judgment deserve such vilification, the sole aim of which is to destroy an ex-president? Then to pile on the issue of gifts and office space, about which no other ex-president has been so critically questioned. It is disgraceful and should be stopped immediately.
HAROLD EINBINDER
Long Beach