Former Fund-Raiser, Denise Rich Visited White House Just Before Rich Pardon Tuesday, February 27, 2001 Former Democratic Party Finance Chairwoman Beth Dozoretz and Denise Rich were both at the White House the final night of Bill Clinton's presidency when he was signing a barrage of controversial pardons, including one for Rich's ex-husband, fugitive financier Marc Rich, Fox News has learned.

A Congressional source told Fox News that Secret Service records show Denise Rich and Dozoretz arrived at the White House on Clinton's last night in office when he was deciding on whether to pardon Rich's ex-husband.

The records show Dozoretz logging in at the White House at 5:29 p.m. on January 19 and Rich logging in at 5:30 p.m. The logs do not show a departure time, and therefore it's not clear when they left. Both women were scheduled to arrive at 4 p.m., but arrived late. The logs do not show who they met with.

The Secret Service logs obtained by the House Government Reform Committee show that between 1994 and Inauguration Day — Jan. 20 — Denise Rich was scheduled to arrive at the White House 19 times, but only actually logged in 13 times. Between 1999 and Inauguration Day, Dozoretz actually visited the White House 43 times.

Earlier Monday, Dozoretz invoked the Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination and refused to testify before the House committee probe into Clinton's pardon of Marc Rich.

Committee Chairman Dan Burton, R-Ind., has scheduled a hearing for Thursday to investigate the Clinton pardons and Dozoretz is on the witness list.

Dozoretz, who stepped down in 1999 as finance director of the Democratic National Committee and is a friend of Denise Rich, told the House Government Reform Committee through her attorney she would not comply with the panel's request to appear before it Thursday.

"Because of the pendency of other investigations, Ms. Dozoretz, upon advice of counsel, has elected to invoke her constitutional privilege not to testify," said her lawyer, Thomas Green.

Denise Rich also declined to testify before the committee earlier this month, but that was before U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White confirmed her office was conducting a criminal investigation into Clinton's pardons of Rich and his partner, Pincus Green.

The committee sent a subpoena for Dozoretz on Monday and was immediately contacted by her lawyer with her refusal.

"It is beginning to seem that the reason people aren't answering questions is because they are hiding something," contended Burton. "This is unacceptable."

In a statement Monday, Chairman Burton expressed his disappointment with Dozoretz' decision. "It is my hope that when she comes before the Committee on Thursday, she will change her mind and answer the Committee's questions," he said. "It is very troubling that Beth Dozoretz and Denise Rich [ex-wife of fugitive financier Marc Rich], both close friends of former President Clinton who discussed the Rich pardon with him, would refuse to testify."

Burton also issued a rebuke to the former president, claiming that "ever since former President Clinton issued a number of questionable pardons on January 20, 2001, he has said that the American people will understand that, when the facts come out, what he did was right. Unfortunately, the facts are not coming out. It is beginning to seem that the reason people aren't answering questions is because they are hiding something."

Dozoretz was among many people who made personal gifts to Clinton and his wife during the president's last year in office. She gave them a dining table, server and golf clubs, all valued at $7,000. She also pledged to raise considerable sums of money for former president Clinton's library.

Joint Probe a Possibility

The Republican lawmakers leading the review of the 140 pardons and 36 commutations President Clinton issued in the final hours of his presidency said Sunday they may consider combining their efforts into a single investigation.

"I think that is probably a good idea," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa. Added Burton, "That's something that we could look into."

Burton and Specter, who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee's investigation into the pardons, said they have not had formal conversations about the idea of combining investigations.

"I would be happy to talk to [Specter]," Burton said on Fox News Sunday.

The investigations began with officials searching to see if Rich or his family promised donations in return for his pardon.

Federal prosecutors in New York now are investigating whether the former president commuted the sentences of four convicted swindlers in exchange for Hasidic Jewish votes for his wife during her run for the Senate, a source has said.

Also under scrutiny are a pardon and a commutation for which Mrs. Clinton's brother Hugh Rodham received nearly $400,000; two pardons on which her campaign treasurer performed legal work; and the possible role of the former president's half brother, Roger Clinton, in some other cases.

Advisers Scheduled for Thursday

Three of Clinton's closest White House advisers are scheduled to appear Thursday: former chief of staff John Podesta, former White House counsel Beth Nolan and former White House adviser Bruce Lindsey.

Also expected to testify is Skip Rutherford, the president of the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library Foundation. The committee wants access to the foundation's donor list to see if any money came in that could have been promised in exchange for pardons.

Specter said on CBS' Face the Nation that the Senate Judiciary Committee will do its best not to duplicate what the House committee's work, so "coordinated efforts, if not a joint hearing, I think would be advisable."

Democrats Slam Burton Probe

"A lot of people do not have confidence, necessarily, in the current structure," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., on NBC's Meet The Press. It's been "one hunt after another."

"The process that is set up now is not fair. Let us have a fair investigation," Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., said on NBC.

Fattah said a joint committee should have equal House-Senate and GOP-Democratic membership. "Then the president should and I think would participate," he said.

Republicans defended their work but did not dismiss the idea of a joint investigation.

"I wouldn't rule it out but our committee is conducting a fair hearing," said Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., a member of Burton's committee.

Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M. said he would support "whatever structure is necessary so that Congress people in charge can say we have gotten all of the facts."

"Maybe there can be a bipartisan group," he added.

— Fox News' Jim Mills, Rita Cosby and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Last minute pardon push - Records show large financial supporters at White House on Clintons final night - Fox News

-- Ain't Gonna Happen (Not Here Not@ever.com), February 27, 2001

Answers

ain't is just suffering from the meme - right Doc Paulie?

-- doc is meme free (unlike@everyone.else), February 27, 2001.