Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pardon Is Back in Focus for the Justice Nominee
nytimes.com ^ | December 1, 2008 | ERIC LICHTBLAU and DAVID JOHNSTON

Posted on 12/01/2008 8:22:11 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY

WASHINGTON — In the much praised career of Eric H. Holder Jr., President-elect Barack Obama’s choice to be attorney general, there is one notable blemish: Mr. Holder’s complicated role in the 2001 pardon of Marc Rich, a billionaire financier who had fled the country rather than face federal tax evasion charges.

Mr. Holder’s supporters portray him as having been a relatively uninvolved bystander caught in a Clinton-era controversy, the remarkable granting of a last-minute pardon by President Bill Clinton to a fugitive from justice. But interviews and an examination of Congressional records show that Mr. Holder, who at the time of the pardon was the deputy attorney general, was more deeply involved in the Rich pardon than his supporters acknowledge.

Mr. Holder had more than a half-dozen contacts with Mr. Rich’s lawyers over 15 months, including phone calls, e-mail and memorandums that helped keep alive Mr. Rich’s prospects for a legal resolution to his case. And Mr. Holder’s final opinion on the matter — a recommendation to the White House on the eve of the pardon that he was “neutral, leaning toward” favorable — helped ensure that Mr. Clinton signed the pardon despite objections from other senior staff members, participants said.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bhoag; bhodoj; ericholder; holder; marcrich; obama; obamatransitionfile; oil4food; oilforfood

1 posted on 12/01/2008 8:22:12 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY

So, who do you like on American Idol this season?

(no sarc...)


2 posted on 12/01/2008 8:23:57 PM PST by Old Sarge (For the first time in my life, I am ashamed to be an American)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY

.... and the border patrol agents stay penned up!! Our justice system is insane!


3 posted on 12/01/2008 8:25:36 PM PST by pollywog (I will lift mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help. My help comes from the Lord...Ps 121)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY

There are no uninvolved bystanders associated with the Clintons or Obama. They are too busy wallowing in self glory to pay attention to the consequences of their actions.


4 posted on 12/01/2008 8:26:27 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pollywog

I will agree with that. The border agents should be given full pardons. Bush is an idiot.


5 posted on 12/01/2008 8:27:15 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: pollywog
I will agree with that. The border agents should be given full pardons. Bush is an idiot. And he very much compromised his principles in this situation.
6 posted on 12/01/2008 8:27:57 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY

An honest man would recuse himself based on the Rich involvement.

Holder is not an honest man. He will run our police state, where the biggest crimes are political.


7 posted on 12/01/2008 8:35:11 PM PST by Carling (After the post-election GOP attacks against Gov. Palin, I am sad to say I am leaving the party..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
Not Holder's only blemish. Back when we were all very concerned that the cancer in the White House was spilling into the streets a young "intern" there was murdered, along with her co-workers, at the Star Bucks up the street where she worked.

It took an awful lot of effort to get Eric Holder to agree that DC's police needed some special assistance from the FBI and other federal police agencies.

It seemed to many that Eric himself had sized up the situation, determined that maybe someone in the White House did it, and set about protecting the killer.

No doubt a guy who thinks babies are punishment needs an AG with no conscience.

8 posted on 12/01/2008 8:44:52 PM PST by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Free ThinkerNY
In the much praised career of Eric H. Holder Jr.,

Stop right there. Praised by whom? The NYSlime? The MSM?

And this was the lead phrase in a "news" aricle.

9 posted on 12/01/2008 8:49:13 PM PST by mcenedo (lying liberal media - our most dangerous and powerful enemy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Old Sarge

Re American Idol.. Obama likes Joe Stalin, so its a nomination.


10 posted on 12/01/2008 9:03:53 PM PST by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson