LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire Service – The White House yesterday ridiculed Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton for complaining about President Bush’s decision to keep former vice-presidential aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby Jr. out of jail, saying their criticism smacks of hypocrisy, the Washington Post reports.
“I don’t know what Arkansan is for chutzpah, but this is a gigantic case of it,” press secretary Tony Snow said.
The White House also suggested that a slew of pardons granted by Mr. Clinton on his final day in office were never properly investigated and said they ought to be.
“This provides a nice chance to go back and look at the Clinton pardons. … What is interesting is perhaps it was just because he was on his way out, but while there was a small flurry, there was not much investigation of it,” Mr. Snow said.
“If you take a look at news reports — people scurrying about, clutching pieces of paper, running around — I think those final hours were probably not times of long chin-pulling reflection,” he said.
The day Mr. Bush took office, Mr. Clinton granted 141 pardons and 36 commutations. Among those given full pardons on Jan. 20, 2001, were fugitive financier Marc Rich, who evaded $48 million in taxes and was charged with having illegal oil transactions with Iran during the 1980 hostage crisis.
Mr. Rich fled to Switzerland in 1983 and his socialite wife, Denise became a large donor to the Democratic Party and the Clinton library during Mr. Clinton’s time in office.
Mr. Snow, in a feisty mood, was asked how the White House felt about a plan by Rep. John Conyers Jr., Michigan Democrat, to hold hearings into Mr. Bush’s commutation of Libby’s 2½-year sentence for perjury.
