Gov't Won't Pay McDougal's Legal Bills

The Miami Herald ^ | Fri, Jan. 09, 2004 | Associated Press

[Kaslin]

WASHINGTON - A federal appeals court rejected Susan McDougal's request to have the government pay her legal bills stemming from the special counsel's investigation of President Clinton.

A unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said McDougal could not receive $345,412 from the government for legal bills in connection with her indictment by then-special counsel Kenneth Starr on charges of obstructing the probe. A jury acquitted McDougal of one count and deadlocked on two others, which were later dismissed.

"Congress did not say that fee awards are available to an individual who is indicted but acquitted," the court said. "Congress explicitly said that the court may award fees only 'if no indictment is brought against such individual ... '"

McDougal was indicted for refusing to testify before a grand jury about Clinton and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, now a U.S. senator. The Clintons and McDougal were business partners in the Whitewater land deal in Arkansas. McDougal said at the time she feared that Starr would charge her with perjury unless she falsely implicated the Clintons.

Starr's investigation of Clinton eventually led to the president's impeachment by the Republican-controlled House on a mostly party-line vote. The Senate acquitted him.

Separately, McDougal earlier was convicted of four felonies in connection with Whitewater. Clinton pardoned McDougal in 2001.

[lorrainer]

Susan: put some ice on it.

[hershey]

Susan should call Bill and get him to ante up. If she'd told the truth, he'd have been toast and the people of NY wouldn't be burdened with Her Thighness.

[OldFriend]

No doubt in my mind that Gerragos was well compensated for his 'work' for Susan McDougal.

[KC Burke]

The little people are cut loose by the Clinton machine as they attempt to build their legacy and find a new path to glory.

I can imagine that when she made her choice, she imagined how the all-powerful would redeem her efforts. I imagine she wrote her book in an effort to go the last mile for them.

What a sycophant.

[Principled]

Starr's investigation of Clinton eventually led to the president's impeachment by the Republican-controlled House on a mostly party-line vote. The Senate acquitted him.

Why no mention of the "mostly party-line vote" to acquit?
Why no mention of the party in the majority in the Senate at the time?

[DB]

Gerragos was a nobody before McDougal.

[Kenny Bunk]

Mary Matalin working in the Bush admin

This is one of those idiots who change history. Her "work" on the '92 Bush campaign did fatal damage.

[OldFriend]

She found a slimy lawyer because she was slimy herself. The media helped her and Gerragos perpetuate a lie about the charges against her.

Somewhere, sometime, these people in the media will pay the price for their deceit.

[OldFriend]

I believe Linda Tripp won her case against the goverment for their invasion of her privacy.

Of course, Ken Bacon continues to feed at the public trough if I am not mistaken.

[Kaslin]

Why no mention of the "mostly party-line vote" to acquit?
Why no mention of the party in the majority in the Senate at the time?

You didn't really expect a mention, did you?

[NeoCaveman]

Maybe Susan can persuade BillyJeff to pay her bills......

[xsmommy]

billyjeff is a very persuadable sort....and SUSAN was obviously LOYAL to a fault!

[spectre]

Golly..do you think Mark Geragos took back the Mercedes he gave to Susan to "drive"? She might need a new one by now..

While Susan struggles to pay her legal fees, the Clinton's are raking in the big bucks.

I got it! They can hire Susan to give tours at the Clinton Library when it opens.

sw

[NeoCaveman]

billyjeff is a very persuadable sort....and SUSAN was obviously LOYAL to a fault!

Maybe she'll even put the orange jumpsuit on for him?

[xsmommy]

a little handcuff action and he's good to go....; )

[lowbridge]

bump

[cricket]

"How long will we have to wait for the Clintons to pay for the very serious damage they did to our country?"

Personally, do not think they will ever pay. . .

In the meantime, the American public are paying and will continue to pay a horrible price for their personal adventure in power.

What price for America? Ask Bill and Hillary. . .

[jimkress]

It just grates my nerves to see Carville and Paul Begala actually walking around like free men after all the laws they broke.

According to Liberals, laws are just for peons, not for advanced beings like themselves.

[Future Useless Eater]

wow, as if the cronies of the Clinton mafia had NOT already profited enough from their partnership in crime

[StarFan]

The senate DIDNOT acquit clinton. They did not remove him from office, he is still the impeached president of the United States.

Facts the DNC, pundits and media will never acknowledge. Even the nine dwarves are re-writing history saying he was one of our greatest Presidents and was acquitted. Huh?