Eric Holder "More Deeply Involved" In Rich Pardon Than Supporters Acknowledge

New York Times:

WASHINGTON - In the much praised career of Eric H. Holder Jr., President-elect Barack Obama's choice to be attorney general, there is one notable blemish: Mr. Holder's complicated role in the 2001 pardon of Marc Rich, a billionaire financier who had fled the country rather than face federal tax evasion charges.

Mr. Holder's supporters portray him as having been a relatively uninvolved bystander caught in a Clinton-era controversy, the remarkable granting of a last-minute pardon by President Bill Clinton to a fugitive from justice. But interviews and an examination of Congressional records show that Mr. Holder, who at the time of the pardon was the deputy attorney general, was more deeply involved in the Rich pardon than his supporters acknowledge.

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Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[bikerdude]

So? What's the point? Did he recommend or approve the pardon? Was, in fact, the pardon wrong? Can we move on to this decade?

[strifeknot]

Yes, dear Clint0ista, the pardon was very wrong. The passage of time hasn't lessened its wrongness.

[CATO90025]

Nice article regarding the pardon:

http://www.counterpunch.org/harlem.html

[CATO90025]

How is the fact that the Israelis were for the pardon become outcome-de­terminativ­e for
Messr. Holder?

Counterpunch.org:
Quinn and his merry troupe, so the Times February 10 story asserted, needed a person of high moral caliber and so they whistled up Elie Wiesel who allegedly put in a word for Rich. As we read this, we thought that Wiesel had doubtless reiterated the endorsements of Shebtai Shavit, a former Mossad chief who, according to Niles Lathem's story in the New York Post for February 5, had told the White House Marc had spied for Israel and so was an all-around good guy. We thought that maybe that's why Jonathan Pollard didn't get his pardon. Bill reckoned one spy for Israel was enough.

[edwarvir]

No matter who these Clintons come in contact with
they manage to taint them. I like Eric Holder I think
he would make a great AG I just hope this nonsense
does not come back to haunt him.

[concernvoter]

Let Obama have the say so on Mr. Holder.

[strifeknot]

O's judgment clearly cannot be trusted.

[chicago25624]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/12/02/MN0514FPHH.DTL

Where's the headline for this?

[Kiba]

On the front page, last I checked. Linking to this page:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/02/cheney-gonzales-indictmen_n_147676.html

[iamasocialist]

ALWAYS A TOUGH ROAD FOR A BLACK MAN...

[horsey]

Let's not make it more than it is. these confirmation hearings are usually tough for everyone.

[naschkatze]

What sort of majority do these nominees need to be confirmed, simple, 2/3s, what?

[JohnPaulJones]

The Holder/Rich thing is no big deal; if you're rich and have the right connections you can get away with anything in America, nothing will ever change that. The National ID card is a big, scary deal and I'm sad not to see any comments about that.

[dezzertguy]

Thanks for noting that Obama is no different than any other politican when it comes to the rich and powerful.

[argent1]

The whole Rich thing is so important because it just goes to show you that if you are rich and your name is Rich you get the ears and aide of the "power" establishment in Washington. Whether you are Oliver North or Marc Rich you can get away with it. But with Mr. Holder --if you get caught with a joint you go to the joint unless you a multi-millionaire or billionaire. -time for reform.

[cariintexas]

After the last eight years, is the Rich pardon the best the wounded rightwing can come up with. Nothing like a loss to make them get all self righteous again.

[Danny]

Yes. That's what they think will derail Eric Holder. After their egregious crimes, all I can say is ... sheesh!

[Pulemerci]

The President - Elect worked with an unrepentant terrorist for years. Do you think he cares if Holder was involved with the pardining of one of the FBI's Most Wanted?

[Freedomscap]

Holder was neutral on the matter of the Rich pardon -- did you read the piece?

[Pulemerci]

I did read it. "Mr. Holder had more than a half-dozen contacts with Mr. Rich’s lawyers over 15 months, including phone calls, e-mail and memorandums that helped keep alive Mr. Rich’s prospects for a legal resolution to his case. And Mr. Holder’s final opinion on the matter — a recommendation to the White House on the eve of the pardon that he was “neutral, leaning toward” favorable — helped ensure that Mr. Clinton signed the pardon despite objections from other senior staff members, participants said."

[robXdion]

Still can't let go, huh?

This whole "President Obama" thing must be hard for you.

poor guy . . . . .

[tel8034]

He who is without sin, cast the first stone.

We put up with actual criminals in the Bush administration over the past 8 years with nary a word from the rethugs...­..........­....... Once it was a "rethug" doing the dirt everything was fine and dandy.

Compare this to the actions of Bush's people like Alberto Gonzales and Dick Cheney and this story is hardly worth commenting on.

[Danny]

Needs to be repeated --
Yes. That's what they think will derail Eric Holder. After their egregious crimes, all I can say is ... sheesh!

[Freedomscap]

This is a non story. The piece indicates that Holder explicitly indicated that he was neutral on the Rich pardon and also, Congressional members have already been queried, by the Obama team, how they would vote on a Holder appointment.

[globality]

Our new secretary of State is the one that pushed for the Marc Rich pardon to her husband.

Our new secretary of State is the one that received 270K from Marc Rich in campaign donations

Why is no one talking about that instead of teh guy that rubber stamped the Clintons wishes

[LiberalDem]

Precisely. Bill and Hillary Clinton and their big-ticket donors are the people responsible for the Marc Rich pardon.

I am not happy about Holder's role in this pardon, but do not tihnk this alone should disqualify Holder from the AG spot. As a career employee at the Dept of Justice, I'd rather see Holder as AG after the parade of fanatics and incompetents dumped on the Dept by Bush and a sadly compliant Congress.

[Fuji]

The New York Times is hardly a Republican-friendly publication.

[ThinkLiberal]

YaaaaaaWN. Boring!