-Caveat Lector- http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/reuters20001227_2134.html Clinton says he plans a new round of pardons WASHINGTON, Dec 27 (Reuters) - President Bill Clinton on Wednesday said he expects to issue another round of presidential pardons before he leaves office on Jan. 20, and left the door open to pardons for Whitewater scandal figures. Asked whether he was still considering pardons for Whitewater figures, Clinton told reporters, "I expect to do another round of pardons." "I haven't had any meetings or made any decisions about any others yet. I just expect to do some," he added. Clinton last week pardoned 59 people and commuted the sentences of three others to time served. But he did not include well-known figures such as Susan McDougal, his partner in the failed Whitewater land deal in Arkansas, and former junk bond king Michael Milken. Nor did he act to free Leonard Peltier, who is serving a life sentence for killing two FBI agents at the Pine Ridge Indian reservation in South Dakota in 1975. Law enforcement groups have hotly opposed clemency for Peltier, who maintains his innocence. Clinton said on Wednesday that at least until last week's actions he had given fewer pardons than any president in nearly three decades. "But I think that it is appropriate for the president to do them where circumstances are appropriate," he said. PARDONS VERSUS COMMUTATIONS Clinton drew a distinction between sentence commutations -- which he said should be based only on "very specific reasons" -- and pardons, which he said should be given a more "broad-minded" consideration. The view would appear to support the cases of figures who have completed their punishment, such as Milken and McDougal, while giving Peltier a higher standard to meet. "In so many states in America, pardons are necessary to restore people's rights of citizenship," Clinton said. "And if people -- particularly if they committed relatively minor offenses, or if some years have elapsed and they've been good citizens and there's no reason to believe they won't be good citizens in the future -- I think we ought to give them a chance to, having paid the price, to be restored to full citizenship. "There are many people ... they'd like to vote at election time, they'd like to be full citizens, and they're out there working hard and paying taxes. And they have paid the price," he said. Clinton also expressed frustration with the U.S. clemency system, which he said he inherited as president, and said he wanted to try to help people without money or power to influence the process. Two commutations Clinton announced last week were for women convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. They were considered incidental figures who received longer sentences than key offenders. ================================================================= Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT FROM THE DESK OF: *Michael Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends ================================================================= <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
