Clinton Relatives Return Money Linked to Pardons

W A S H I N G T O N, Feb. 21 -- Bill Clinton’s brother-in-law received about$200,000 for successfully lobbying for a pardon and a prisoncommutation that the former president granted on his last day inoffice, The Associated Press has learned. The money has beenreturned.

Clinton and his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, said today they were unaware of the arrangements with Hugh Rodham. They saidthey had asked him to return the money and were “deeplydisturbed” by what had happened.

Rodham, brother of Sen. Clinton, returned the money in the past24 hours, sources familiar with the arrangement said today.

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Rodham waspaid for months of work on the prison commutation request of CarlosVignali and received a “success fee” for helping win the pardonof Almon Glenn Braswell.

“Yesterday I became aware of press inquires that Hugh Rodhamreceived a contingency fee in connection with a pardon applicationfor Glenn Braswell and a fee for work on Carlos Vignali’scommutation application,” the former president said in astatement.

“Neither Hillary nor I had any knowledge of such payments. Weare deeply disturbed by these reports and have insisted that Hughreturn any moneys received,” he said.

A source close to Clinton, speaking on condition of anonymity,said then-White House adviser Bruce Lindsey had been contacted andwas aware of Rodham’s involvement with the Vignali request but noWhite House officials were aware of the presidential relative’sinvolvement in the Braswell matter.

The decisions on both men were made on the merits of theirsituations, the source said.

The Braswell pardon has generated controversy because after itwas granted on Jan. 20 it was disclosed that the businessman wasunder investigation on new allegations.

Justice Department spokeswoman Chris Watney declined commenttoday.

Braswell did not apply for his pardon through the JusticeDepartment, while Vignali applied for his commutation through thedepartment in August 1998. Watney refused to say whether Justicerecommended that Vignali be pardoned.