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.

Get more updates on Eric Holder

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[LeftLeanWing]

WHO CARES ?!!!!

So now Mark Rich is the new Republican boogey man of the month. Now that they've retired Rezko, Ayers and Wright.

[Yermammy]

That's not only amazingly ignorant, it's civically immoral. I can see you apologizing for this silly pick for AG. I might even understand you misguided opinion of any Clintonite being "pragmatic" (lol), but to say "who cares" is being just as low as the rethugs we just run out of office. Mark Rich was a dirtbag and that makes the guy that pardoned him a dirtbag too. So, being the brainwashed pup that you appear to be, it's OK when the Democrats do stupid sh#t and not when the rethugs do. You lie with dogs, you get fleas, sonny boy. Haven't you heard that one or is that too old news too? I'm a proud Liberal, but I don't stoop to rethug ways. We're not going to see any real change. Just Blue dogs playing with the red ones.

[nomobull]

huh

[Calvincito]

Stupid is different than criminal.

[LeftLeanWing]

Again who cares.......

[Frenbar]

It's amazing that every Obama pick is a pro-war neocon, yet the one 'controversy' we hear about is Mark Rich nonsense.

We are currently funneling trillions of dollars to thieves on Wall Street who have stolen far more then Mark Rich ever did.

Is it that hard to cover substantive issues?

[lizziekw]

There are no neo-cons in President-elect Obama's choices for the Cabinet. Maybe Gates, but with his views on the Bush/Cheney conduct of the war, even he doesn't completely qualify. The days when people who voted to give Bush authority are incessantly vilified have passed, at least among rational citizens. What's done is done, it's old news. Time to move on.

[Yermammy]

If you don't think Hillary Clinton isn't a warhawk (which the Neocons LOVE), I have a bridge to nowhere to sell you, silly. That's too funny!

[Frenbar]

Old news? I'm sure the hundreds of thousands of soldiers we have suffering and dying in the deserts of Iraq will be happy to hear that.

[LeftLeanWing]

FYI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism

[PSM42]

The MSM has truly earned, and continues to earn every day, the regard in which it is held. @16.15 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-869183917758574879&ei=5ws1SYj2BprUqAPPxfHFCA&q=colbert+bush&hl=en

[PSM42]

Welcome. Join us in the fast exploding ranks of the reality-based community.

[PSM42]

Welcome infrequent visiter. Join us in the fast exploding ranks of the reality-based community.

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

If the MSM can generate some drama and conflict, they think they will be in charge of the memes and it will be better for their bottom line. They are almost in a panic as they see their hold on information slipping away.

[grizhead63]

The Bush Admin has put us in the hole $10 Trillion Big Ones and the press is worried about Marc Rich? This turns what is left of one's brains to mushy oatmeal.

[PSM42]

LLet's see. The Repugnants have caused the deaths of 1.3m Iraqis at a cost $3T. T as in trillion. The Repugnants also doubled the national debt from 5T to 10T in one illegal weekend binge by Paulson and co. T as in Ten Trillion Dollars. And against this one man had an involvement in a presidential pardon. Perhaps the Repugnant spin-meisters would like Obama to pick a reliable Repugnant lawyer, on the basis that he or she is more experienced at major larceny?

[bubbuh]

yawn....zzzzzz

[Chapmanp2]

The media's insatiable appetite for destroying anything Obama is really out of line.
I guess since nobody's paying attention to the current President & since nothing shocks anybody about the current administration (which YES is still Bush), The new President gets all the crap???
The innuendo flying around in headlines is deplorable. Then you read the real story & go WHAAAT???
How the hell did they pull that headline out of that story??? But I guess the idea is just to generate more clicks for the story thereby driving ad revenue???

[slowhand0728]

You really think the media is trying to destroy him after helping build him up? Well the old saying the only thing people like more than a WINNER is to see them crash and burn. Interesting thought, most of what I have read and seen has been very optimistic and some downright joyful that Obama is going to be President. Now I have been surprised on the different voices on this site that had voted for him and are already upset that the CHANGE they were promised is not coming true. Which is silly since he is not in office just yet. Give the guy a chance, lets see what he can do.

[nomobull]

they did everything but build him up.

[PSM42]

I'm with you. There was an interesting article today on ICH - Information Clearing House -about whether the internet-informed are smarter than those getting their (lack of) information from the MSM. - Censorship in American, by Timothy Gatto. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21368.htm

[TruthSeeker09]

This pardon stuff is silly. Holder did not have the authority to pardon anyone then, and he wouldn't have that authority now. But, based on most media accounts, you would think that Holder personally pardoned Marc Rich, and maybe even bought Rich his ticket out of the country! The reality is not so sensational: Holder simply made a recommendation (arguably a bad one) to the president. But, he was one advisor of many. So, to lay this entire episode at Holder's feet is a bit... uhh... ridiculous. As Obama reiterated today, the buck stops with the president.

[MyNameIsJames]

If I recall correctly -IT IS PERFECTLY LEGAL for a President to pardon a person accused or convicted of criminal activity. Get over it. Holder didn't pardon Rich - Clinton did

If you want to see scandal-wait until GW Bush pardons all of the administration and govt. personnel who participated in torture and illegal wiretapping over the past 8 years. THAT "my friends" is scandalous.

[slowhand0728]

Only Problem no on has been indicted or convicted for those crimes you speak of. And I dont expect Obama to let the Dems go after anyone anyway. Would just be another distraction, he seems more determined to stay on the tasks at hand. Cant PRE-PARDON.

[lizziekw]

Of course President Bush can pre-pardon. I direct your attention to former President Nixon. He's probably the most famous recipient of a pre-pardon, or pardon of any kind, in recent history.

[shelsay]

and? next.

[quantumspin]

He defended (as employed by the law firm Covington & Burling )the Chiquita Brands company in it's use of killing squads in Columbia against laborers. 4000 killed.

Link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-kovalik/lawyer-for-chiquita-in-co_b_141919.html

Synopsis:

"...Indeed, Holder himself, using his influence as former deputy attorney general under the Clinton Administration, helped to negotiate Chiquita's sweeheart deal with the Justice Department in the criminal case against Chiquita. Under this deal, no Chiquita official received any jail time. Indeed, the identity of the key officials involved in the assistance to the paramilitaries were kept under seal and confidential.

According to Mario Iguaran, the Attorney General of Colombia, Chiquita's payments to the AUC paramilitaries led to the murder of 4000 civilians in the banana region of Colombia "

[klondiker]

I'm sure Team Obama has vetted him thoroughly, and wouldn't have offered him the position, if this were a big concern.

[HappyIdiot2008]

And I'm sure you brushed your teeth. So cynical.

[socratiskiss]

Your screen name fits you perfectly. :)

[HappyIdiot2008]

I have decided I hate the press. I want them to quickly post links to their posts. This is ridiculous just to get viewers. We are not stupid.

[lilphucker]

How DARE you haters question an appointment by the messiah? Drink the coolade, close your eyes, roll-over and swallow!. Got a problem with that? Vote Independent, next time. Ha!

[Trittydi]

"Coolade"?
*

[lilphucker]

That's really substantial there, Trittydi; I misspelled Kool Aid. How's about you share and spell it correctly, if that's all you got?

[HappyIdiot2008]

Ok, please believe the press. Are they believable? NOT.

[LeftLeanWing]

I like Obama made KoolAid; I drink it by the gallons.
It's beats Palinade, Jindal Juice and McCain's favorite- McMetamucil.

[lizziekw]

Independents are about as useful in American politics as bicycles are to fish.

You get paid some lip-service every election season and then you go right back to being completely irrelevant in politics. Wow. What a great way to participate in the process.

See you in three years, hon. We'll have some great lip-service again for you and in the meantime, you have no agenda, no influence in the Executive, House and Senate, no base, no organization and no input into decision-making on issues that concern the nation.

Have a sweet night, ladies.

[HotheadPaisen]

Always amused that it's the anti-Obama people who call him 'the messiah"....his suporters call him a man. What's up with that littlef?

[kellygrrrl]

is that Oprah's B/F????

[111]

nope -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stedman_Graham

[kellygrrrl]

thanks. I was just being snarky. :)