Marc Rich pardon must be explained

Of the many varieties of bad press that followed Bill Clinton out of the White House, it now appears that only the possible abuse of his pardon power will have the substance to stick to him.

There was a good deal of fuss about the high rent for his new office space, the contested removal of furniture from the White House and the acceptance of gifts, and some alleged vandalism by his departing staffers.

Most of those flaps have been rendered forgettable by later, more nuanced reporting and by adjustments properly if belatedly made by the Clintons.

But the pardons, particularly that of fugitive financier Marc Rich, are quite a different story. President Bush’s reaction that "It’s time to move on" may be too charitable. Clearly the appearances are ugly, especially the fact that the pardon was preceded, if not facilitated, by large gifts from Rich’s former wife to Clinton’ s presidential foundation and library fund, not to mention major campaign contributions both to the president and his wife, the senator.

Conspiracy theorists have yet to explain some important details, such as why Denise Rich would have gone to so much trouble for an ex-spouse from whom she had parted by way of acrimonious divorce.

Whatever the facts that emerge, Congress should soon examine the absolute pardon prerogative pertaining to the chief executive — not to remove the power, because properly used it is an important instrument of compassionate justice — but to open the application process up to the sunlight of public disclosure.

The proximate issue, however, is whether the public trust was violated. Enough valid questions have been raised to warrant an accounting. Clinton should volunteer it, and not force the country once again to endure the painful process of extracting it from him.

[back to top]