Presidential Pardons Tangle
* As an American and registered Democrat, I am deeply embarrassed by the conduct of the former first family with regard to the last-minute pardons, the obvious involvement of Hugh Rodham and their pathetic, “Golly gee, I had no idea” commentaries. Even if these statements were all true (which I don’t believe for a minute), their history of vague, evasive and outright dishonest answers renders their credibility totally impotent.
If we as Democrats do not actively cleanse our party of the Clintons and get our act together, we will be looking at a debacle at the polls in 2002 that will make 1994 look like a Democratic cakewalk.
WILLIAM A. DAVIS
Calabasas
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Republicans, in their never-ending quest to “get” former President Clinton, ought to get on with their lives and elected jobs. The presidential pardon is a constitutional right and has been exercised by all presidents through history.
We all know the many Iran-Contra pardons given by George Bush were highly questionable. How about Jimmy Carter pardoning the draft dodgers who fled to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War? How about Gerald Ford pardoning Richard Nixon? Of the 400-plus pardons Clinton has issued, only four or five have been questioned.
Rep. Dan Burton and his so-called committee should get on with their lives and do the work of the people who elected them to do a job. Clinton-hating has to end.
ROGER G. LOWNEY
San Diego
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From “Clinton Pardons: Ego Fed a Numbers Game,” Feb. 25: “Driven to prove himself as compassionate as his predecessors”; “he wanted to go out looking magnanimous”; “what he (Clinton) had planned as a dignified issuance of mercy.” Doesn’t The Times find it crowded there in bed with Bill, Hillary, Hugh, Horacio, Bruce, Jack, Glenn and Marc?
BOB BERNARD
Manhattan Beach
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It’s outrageous that a supposedly responsible newspaper like The Times would publish the disgusting and libelous Pat Oliphant cartoon that appeared Feb. 25 in Commentary. Clinton, whom a majority of Americans seem to like and admire, worked hard for eight years governing this country, and governing it well for the most part. To portray the Clintons--these bright, dedicated, knowledgeable people--as a couple of greedy, ignorant hillbillies is unconscionable!
RICHARD and ANN EDELMAN
Los Angeles
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Re “Roger Clinton Says He Promised Pardons,” Feb. 24: Am I the only person out here who thinks it strange that the brother of our ex-president has a half-dozen “closest friends” who need a presidential pardon? I think that speaks volumes about the Clintons.
JOHN F. ROGERS
Long Beach
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Rodham should have given the $400,000 to charity instead of back to the Vignalis. Now, Carlos Vignali is not only freed from prison but his dad gets his money back.
MARK McCARTIN
Laguna Niguel
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Re “Sen. Clinton Is Where She Didn’t Want to Be,” news analysis, Feb. 23: I think it is reprehensible and irresponsible to write “But the debut of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, while promising initially, has become a disaster.” What has she done? She has barely defended herself, with all the outrageous articles assassinating her character. Her brother’s actions are not her own, and she is not responsible for his actions. The story continues, stating that “her husband issued last-minute pardons to felons and a fugitive” that are “a monumental embarrassment.” Perhaps so, yet this is not her act. She had no official, active role in the pardons.
JOAN SHELDON
Los Angeles
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Sen. Clinton and former President Clinton are “see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil.” Thank God they are on the East Coast and not here representing California. I just cannot believe that a recall is not in the works against Hillary.
FRANK JACOBS
Sylmar
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Let’s not abolish presidential pardons. Let’s mandate that all pardons be completed and announced two weeks prior to the presidential election. Then the sitting president would have to take responsibility for his/her actions, and voters would then be able to voice their opinions at the ballot box.
OMERA OLSON
Rancho Palos Verdes
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Maybe it is time for the American people to issue a few pardons of their own. My suggestions: Our first pardon to Al Gore. If the Clintons are the people he most wanted to disassociate himself from, then he has real integrity!
Our next pardon to Linda Tripp. It turns out she was right all along about the White House, the Clintons and the abuses. Look what they did to her when she documented her allegations. Imagine what tactics they might have used if she had no proof. She is looking better every day.
Our last pardon is to that vast right-wing conspiracy--whomever and wherever you are. We ask that you come forward and identify yourself to receive your award.
For the record, I received no money or quid pro quo for these pardons.
MICHAEL A. GLUECK
Newport Beach
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The Clintons’ problems with pardons simply reflect the split between politics as it is really practiced in America and the sanitized version we all hear in junior high school. The way to stop the abuses is real campaign finance reform.
CLINT EVERETT
San Diego
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The controversy over Clinton’s pardons shows once again the essential difference between the two parties: Republicans grovel by nature before money, power and privilege; Democrats have to be bribed to do it.
CHARLES E. BEREZIN
Los Angeles