Justice Ready to Help Congress on Pardons

W A S H I N G T O N, Feb. 12 -- As controversy over the clemency grants made on his final day in office continued to dog former President Clinton, Attorney General John Ashcroft said today he is ready to help Congress investigate the matter.

Stopping short of endorsing the efforts of some Republicans to grant immunity to the ex-wife of a fugitive billionaire pardoned by Clinton, Ashcroft pledged to cooperate with Congress.

"I respect the right of the United States Congress to get information and to grant immunity in order to get information," Ashcroft said. "It's with that in mind that I would say that I would bevery pleased to work with the department to cooperate with theCongress whenever possible."

Clinton remains under pressure to justify his pardon of financier Marc Rich, whose ex-wife refused to testify before the House Government Reform Committee last week. Denise Rich cited her fifth amendment right to avoid incriminating herself in avoiding questions about her generous support for Democratic campaigns, and for the Clinton presidential library.

New Impeachment?

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

Despite Ms. Rich's plea, House investigators say they will continue to dig for more details on her contributions. A House Government Reform Committee spokesman said investigators on Tuesday will subpoena records relating to Ms. Rich's financial transactions from two of her banks, the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton library foundation.

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., even suggested this weekend that a member of the House may introduce new articles of impeachment against the former president.

"I was surprised to find that you could impeach a presidentafter he was out of office," Specter told Fox News Sunday, adding, "I don't think that trial would take too long."

In addition, a U.S. attorney in Manhattan reportedly may launch a criminal probe of donations and gifts the Clintons received from Denise Rich.