Congress Subpoenas Rich Records

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2001 -- -- Congressional investigators sought new information today as lawmakers eyed whether Denise Rich's big-money contributions to former President Clinton may have effectively bought a pardon for her financier ex-husband, Marc Rich.

The House Government Reform Committee has subpoenaed records relating to Ms. Rich's financial transactions from two of her banks, the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton library foundation.

The subpoenas are for checks and pledges of donations in excess of $5,000 from Ms. Rich, other family members, five companies and foundations connected to the Rich family and from Beth Dozoretz, a former finance chair of the DNC.

The committee also released copies of letters sent to the Secret Service and National Archives requesting records to determine when — and how often — Ms. Rich and others visited the White House during Clinton's two terms.

Committee Chairman Dan Burton, R-Ind., also has asked the Defense Intelligence Agency for "any" information it may have gathered on Mr. Rich and his partner, Pincus Green, from 1985 to the present. In addition, Burton is asking CIA Director George Tenet to help declassify "certain materials" that were discussed at a Feb. 6 background briefing for committee staff.

Senate hearings on the Rich pardon begin Wednesday as senators debate whether to call the former president himself to testify on Capitol Hill.

Different Rules for the Wealthy?

Even Democrats — nearly uniformly — say Clinton made an inexcusable error in judgment by pardoning Rich, one of the nation's most-wanted fugitives. Rich fled the country in 1983, shortly before being indicted in what prosecutors call the largest tax fraud case in U.S. history. Rich has lived in Switzerland ever since.

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said during hearings last week the pardon "creates the appearance of a double standard for the wealthy and powerful." And Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, who ran for vice president on Al Gore's ticket, called the move a "terrible mistake."