Posted on 08/22/2005 4:11:44 PM PDT by Enchante
[FLASHBACK: Feb. 21, 2001]
The brother-in-law of former President Bill Clinton received nearly $400,000 for successfully lobbying for a pardon and a prison commutation that Clinton granted on his last day in office, the Associated Press and TV networks reported this evening.
Attorney Hugh Rodham, brother of Sen. Hillary Clinton, was paid for work on the prison commutation request of Carlos Vignali and received a "success fee" for helping win the pardon of Almon Glenn Braswell, sources said.
Rodham returned the payment in the past 24 hours at the Clintons' request, according to news reports.
"This is deeply troubling," a House Government Reform Committee source told Fox News, "and the committee is looking into it."
Clinton issued this statement after the story broke:
"Yesterday, I became aware of press inquiries that Hugh Rodham received a contingency fee in connection with a pardon application by Glenn Braswell and a fee for work on the Carlos Vignali commutation application. Neither Hillary nor I had any knowledge of such payments. We are deeply disturbed by these reports, and insisted that Hugh return any monies involved."
According to AP:
A source close to Clinton said then-White House adviser Bruce Lindsey had been contacted and was aware of Rodham's involvement with the Vignali request but that no White House officials were aware of Rodham's involvement in the Braswell pardon.
The Braswell pardon has stirred controversy because after it was granted on Jan. 20 it was disclosed that the businessman was under investigation on new allegations.
Justice Department spokeswoman Chris Watney would not comment Wednesday.
Braswell did not apply for his pardon through the Justice Department. Vignali, son of a wealthy donor, applied for his commutation through the department in August 1998. Watney would not say whether Justice recommended that Vignali be pardoned.
Federal prosecutors are investigating Braswell in "a massive tax evasion and money-laundering scheme," according to court documents filed in 1999 in Los Angeles. The White House claims ignorance of this.
Braswell's last-minute pardon application was among about two dozen that bypassed the traditional route through the Justice Department and the FBI.
President Bush's campaign and the Florida Republican Party last fall returned $175,000 in contributions from Braswell after learning he was a felon.
Vignali walked out of prison Jan. 20 after serving six years of a 15-year sentence for participating in a major cocaine ring. Prosecutors in Minnesota, and the sentencing judge, defended his 15-year term and described Vignali as having a central role in the drug conspiracy.
He is the son of Horacio Vignali, a wealthy Los Angeles political contributor.
We need a Flashback Ping List
I want to be on it!
TT
When will Hillary return $1.9 million to Peter Paul?
when will she return the H through Z files? Or does Sandy have 'em?
I'm under the impression he did not...nowhere close.
(can't help but post this pic of Country Club White Trash)
Sandy doesn't have those...both "Able" and "Danger" fall earlier in the affabet.
Top Ten Hugh Rodham Tips For A Happy Life (Letterman)
10. No matter how busy you get, eat your nine square meals a day
9. Kick Roger Clinton's ass during "Disgraced Brothers Week" on "Jeopardy"
8. Get a good hole-punch -- you never know when you'll have to change your belt size
7. Try and model your relationships after Bill and Hillary...or Bill and Monica...or Bill and Paula
6. When anyone bumps into you and says, "Pardon me," say, "Sure, that'll be $400,000"
5. Watch a lot of that wrestlin' football
4. If you hang with powerful in-laws, you may get in on some of that "hot intern action"
3. Cutting your own hair is a great way to save money
2. Remember, things could be worse. Hillary could be your wife
1. Take it in stride when your brother-in-law offers to pardon your "gigantic ass"
Is Ms. Pirro getting the drop on Hillary and will she Reveal All if they don't go into major damage control overdrive right away?
This could be fun.
Slick must also have a lifetime of cocaine at his disposal now, don't ya think?
have to keep this for posterity and future debate with the mentally ill... aka Liberals
Clintonese for 'we didn't know precisely how much he got'.
We are deeply disturbed by these reports
Clintonese for 'we are deeply disturbed that it got reported'.
we insisted that Hugh return any monies involved
Clintonese for 'we're on record that he should return it ... may his conscience be his guide ... but the pardon still stands'.
These people give 'white trash' a bad name.
yup...he has a "Happy Nose"...but, Willard/'Lil Willie, still yearn for 'ol Monica.
They are only making the statement to air out dirty laundry before the campaign "offically starts". "Neither Hillary nor I had any knowledge of such payments" sure...... you didn't. These people don't let anything get past them, always ready to blame and play dumb. Nothing ever seems to stick to these two.
Probably not. They have a history of claiming they have given, or are giving, the money back, but somehow it never actually happens.....
Sit on this one for a while. This will come in real handy right around Sept '08.
did Hillary's brother really return all of the money
I'm under the impression he did not...nowhere close.
Didn't they try to get him elected to congress n Florida???
I think officially the payment had absolutely nothing to do with gettin the pardon. It was merely a coincidence you know.
It was not persued by the incoming administration so it all faded away.
But yah my memory was pardons for money.
Yah there were a lot then wasn't there.
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