Reply #10: Israeli Prime Minister Barak and Nobel Prize winner Shimon Peres [View All]

Yea, and the sky is falling too.


WHY AN INVESTIGATION OF THE MARC RICH PARDON IS IMMINENT
By JOHN DEAN
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Friday, Feb. 02, 2001

Still, the fact that Congress has no real business investigating an exclusive presidential power, such as the pardon power, has never stopped such investigations in the past, nor will it stop this investigation. Congress is good at finding tenuous excuses to investigate whatever it wishes. Most likely Congress will claim it is investigating whether campaign money purchased the Rich pardon, or will invoke the old saw that it is doing it to inform the American people (Translation: we're doing it because of pure politics).

Without Clinton's Cooperation, Congress Can Learn Little

According to press accounts, former White House counsel Jack Quinn, who represented Rich, presented a "pardon package" to the White House for the president to consider; Quinn also advised the Department of Justice (the Deputy Attorney General) of his plans to seek a pardon directly from the president. Quinn has been criticized for not filing his request with the Justice Department. But neither the constitution nor any laws require that an application proceed via the Department of Justice.

Apparently the fact that Israeli Prime Minister Barak and Nobel Prize winner Shimon Peres personally solicited Clinton for a pardon of Marc Rich was an important factor in granting the pardon. Indeed, Barak called the president regarding this subject on at least two occasions. But how is the Congress going to obtain what may be the most important information about the pardon, the information conveyed in these conversations with Barak and Peres?

Neither Mr. Barak nor Mr. Peres is likely to have anything to do with this politically inspired investigation. And Congress cannot subpoena either Barak or Peres. Thus, unless the president volunteers this information, it may remain unknown, and its impact unknowable.
(snip)
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20010202.html

For anyone foolish enough to think a major part of US foriegn policy is not run out of the Kenessit I got a bridge for sale

Feith to 'Post': US action against Iran can't be ruled out
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1066352