Burton to press on with Clinton pardons probe

WASHINGTON -- Widening a congressional investigation into President Clinton's pardon of fugitive Marc Rich, a House committee chairman said Sunday he will grant immunity to Rich's ex-wife, issue subpoenas for her bank records and seek to obtain financial records from the Clinton presidential library fund.

Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, also called on federal law enforcement officials to "pursue" any evidence of criminal violations by Rich, his ex-wife Denise, or the former president himself.

To that end, Burton said, his committee will share evidence with federal prosecutors in New York, where U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White is said to be furious that the pardon was granted without her office first being consulted.

What Burton and others want to know is whether any of the $1.3 million Denise Rich has given Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton over the years came from funds that her ex-husband may have funneled to her. About $450,000 of the donations went to the Clinton library foundation.

A key concern is whether Clinton exercised his clemency powers in return for cash from political donors.

In the Rich case, it appears prosecutors were not fully apprised that Clinton had decided to help a fugitive wanted for conducting business with U.S. enemies.