House Targets Clinton Library Chief in Rich Probe

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Thursday February 22 5:12 PM ET House Targets Clinton Library Chief in Rich Probe

By Adam Entous

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Congressional investigators on Thursday broadened their probe of former President Clinton (news - web sites)'s last-minute pardon of fugitive billionaire Marc Rich, threatening to sanction the head of Clinton's library foundation if he refused to disclose his fund-raising efforts.

The House of Representatives Government Reform Committee Chairman Dan Burton accused the William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation of withholding information about library contributors and announced it would subpoena Skip Rutherford, the foundation's president, to testify at a March 1 hearing.

``The committee will explore the option of holding Mr. Rutherford in contempt of Congress should he fail to comply with the committee's subpoena,'' said Burton, whose committee is looking into allegations that the pardon was linked to political donations from Rich's ex-wife, Denise.

Denise Rich has donated more than $1 million to Democratic causes and $450,000 to help build Clinton's proposed presidential library.

Aides to Burton, one of Clinton's harshest congressional critics, said Rutherford could face fines and other penalties if found in contempt.

The subpoena of Rutherford was the latest twist in high-stakes political drama surrounding the pardons of Rich and others on Clinton's final day in office. The pardon freed Rich, who fled to exile in Switzerland 17 years ago, from prosecution on more than 50 counts of racketeering, wire fraud, income tax evasion and illegal oil trading with Iran.

Last week federal officials in New York confirmed they had started a criminal probe into the Rich pardon. And this week Clinton disclosed that his brother-in-law, Hugh Rodham, got some $400,000 for urging clemency for two felons who were pardoned along with Rich and others. The payments were subsequently returned.

The March 1 hearing in the House was expected to focus on how the controversial pardon of Rich was handled by White House staff in the frantic final days and hours before it was granted. Testimony and e-mails at the first House and Senate hearings indicated an intense debate raged among White House lawyers, staff and Clinton before the pardon was granted.

In preparation for the hearing, Burton had issued a subpoena directing the Clinton library foundation to provide information about everyone who had donated more than $5,000.

But Clinton's private attorney, David Kendall, objected to the request, arguing that it was unconstitutional and constituted ``an unprecedented intrusion'' on the presidential foundation and its contributors.

Burton rejected Kendall's argument, saying similar information had been turned over to Congress in the past. ''Nothing short of full compliance is acceptable,'' he added.

Burton said the committee was considering legislation to make public all contributions to all presidential libraries. The Senate Judiciary Committee (news - web sites) is also examining the pardon. Republican Sen. Arlen Specter (news - bio - voting record) of Pennsylvania, who is heading the probe, has said he is considering calling Clinton as a witness.

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2001


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