on Jan. 20, 2001, his last day in office, Bill Clinton issued a pardon for international fugitive Marc Rich. It would become perhaps the most condemned official act of Clinton's political career. A New York Times editorial called it "a shocking abuse of presidential power." The usually Clinton-friendly New Republic noted it "is often mentioned as Exhibit A of Clintonian sliminess." Congressman Barney Frank added, "It was a real betrayal by Bill Clinton of all who had been strongly supportive of him to do something this unjustified. It was contemptuous." Marc Rich was wanted for a list of charges going...
