My Political Performance Rants

Hillary Clinton Hypocrisy

April 8, 2007
I find it disturbing, and in fact completely hypocritical, that senator Hillary Clinton chose to chastise President Bush for the commutation of Scooter Libby. At this point, I'm not privy to the evidence or facts in order to know whether or not white house aid Scooter Libby committed a crime or is merely entrapped in political wrangling's. However, I do know that Hillary Clinton is the last person who should be using the media mouth piece to allege presidential misconduct on this issue.

Are we to forget that her husband pardoned 140 criminals on his last day of public office? Are we to forget that some of those pardons went to citizens who paid Hillary's brothers large sums of money? Let me quickly recap a few of the Clinton pardons.

• In August 1999, President Bill Clinton pardoned 16 members of the violent Puerto Rican group called FALN that detonated 120 bombs in Chicago and New York City and were convicted for conspiracies to commit robbery, bomb-making and firearms and explosives violations. This commutation was vigorously opposed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, FBI, Fraternal Order of Police, Federal Bureau of Prisons and many of the crime victims. Congress actually condemned the commutation in a 95-2 Senate vote and 311-11 House vote. President Bill Clinton also cited executive privilege as his reason for refusal to turn over documents to Congress regarding clemency to the FALN terrorist group.
• In March 2000, based on the recommendation and paid support of Tony Rodham, brother of Hillary Clinton, President Bill Clinton provided a pardon to Edgar and Vonna Jo Gregory. The Gregory's were convicted of bank fraud and turned to the first lady's brother, with their case and a $107,000, to escape their conviction.
• In January 2001, based on the paid recommendation of another Hillary Clinton brother, Hugh Rodham, the cocaine trafficking sentence for Carlos Vignali was commuted. Hugh Rodham received $200,000 for his connections and services from Vignali.
• Also, in January 2001, and also based on the paid recommendation of Hillary Clinton brother, Hugh Rodham, Almon Glenn Braswell was pardoned for his mail fraud and perjury convictions, even while he was under investigation for additional money laundering and tax evasion charges. Hugh Rodham received $200,000 for his connections and services from Braswell.
• Also, in January 2001, and after Bill Clinton received large donations for his presidential library and Hillary Clinton received large donations for her senate campaign from Denise Rich, Bill Clinton provided her fugitive and millionaire husband a pardon for his tax evasion conviction.
• Also, in January 2001, long time Hillary friend Susan McDougal was pardoned for her role in the Whitewater scandal after she refused to testify and implicate the Clinton's.
• To keep things in the family, Bill Clinton even pardoned his half brother Roger Clinton on his prior drug charges conviction. Unfortunately, less than a year after Clinton left office, Roger would be charged with drunk driving and disorderly conduct and not have a brother to misuse the office of the presidency to clear his crimes.

The list of Clinton pardon's goes on an on. Clearly with the former Clinton President, pardons were a family matter. With regard to Scooter Libby, I suspect we will learn the true facts that surround Libby in short order, but until the facts are made public, it's in very poor taste for such a hypocrite to cast stones as part of a political mud-slinging campaign.