-Caveat Lector-
Denise Rich Late Visitor to White House
Dozoretz Also Present On Eve of Pardons
By Susan Schmidt and Peter Slevin
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, February 27, 2001; Page A01
Denise Rich and former Democratic Party finance director Beth
Dozoretz were at the White House on President Clinton's final
night in office when he was deciding on a raft of controversial
pardons, including one for Rich's ex-husband, Secret Service
records show.
The two women arrived together around 5:30 p.m., according to
knowledgable sources. It is not clear what they were doing at the
White House residence that evening, and they could have been
among numerous guests at a late-night party attended by close
Clinton friends and family. But the Secret Service logs provide
the first evidence that the women were actually in the White
House on the night that the controversial pardon was being
decided.
The records also show that Rich had been to the White House at
least 13 times before, and Dozoretz had been there dozens of
times over the years, according to sources familiar with a House
committee investigation of the pardon of fugitive commodities
trader Marc Rich.
Yesterday, Dozoretz said that she will invoke her Fifth Amendment
privilege rather than testify Thursday before the House
Government Reform Committee, which is investigating the pardon of
Rich along with other questionable pardons.
By asserting her right against self-incrimination, Dozoretz would
join her friend Denise Rich, a major Democratic campaign
contributor and pardon advocate for her former husband, in
refusing to detail the intensive lobbying efforts on behalf of
Rich.
Committee Chairman Dan Burton (R-Ind.), who has subpoenaed
records of White House visits by Denise Rich and Dozoretz,
suggested that the two women -- along with Clinton, Marc Rich and
the Clinton library foundation -- are "stonewalling." Yesterday
he threatened library chief Skip Rutherford with a contempt
citation if he does not give committee staffers access to donor
lists.
"Unfortunately, the facts are not coming out," Burton said in a
written statement. "It is beginning to seem that the reason
people aren't answering questions is because they are hiding
something. This is unacceptable."
Attorneys for Dozoretz and Denise Rich did not return calls last
night for comment on their White House visits. The Secret Service
logs show Rich visited between 13 and 19 times during the course
of the administration.
On Jan. 19, when Clinton was up most of the night weighing
pardons, there was a White House party whose guests included
several other people who have been linked to the pardon
controversy. Among those who attended to socialize and watch
movies was Hugh Rodham, the first lady's brother, who was paid
nearly $400,000 for advocating pardons for a convicted cocaine
dealer and for a marketer of herbal remedies who was convicted of
fraud and perjury. Hollywood producer Harry Thomasson, a Clinton
friend from Arkansas who was also there, sent two hometown
friends to Hillary Clinton's campaign treasurer for help
obtaining a pardon.
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that two of every three
Americans believe the Clinton pardons are an important issue.
Only 16 percent consider the matter "not important at all"; about
half believe Congress should hold further hearings, with half
opposed.
Despite the political skirmishing and the heavy media coverage,
however, the pardons issue has not significantly affected public
perceptions of Clinton's presidency. In all, 59 percent of the
1,050 randomly selected respondents said they approve of
Clinton's performance as president, with 37 percent saying they
disapprove.
The Rich pardon is the subject of two inquiries on Capitol Hill
and a criminal investigation by the U.S. attorney in New York,
where Rich was indicted in 1983 on charges of tax evasion and
trading with the enemy. Prosecutors are examining whether the
Rich pardon and the commutation awarded to four convicted
swindlers in New Square, N.Y., are the product of
influence-buying.
While Dozoretz was closely involved in the Rich case, Burton's
committee is more interested in the testimony of three senior
Clinton aides who consulted with the former president as pardon
decisions were made.
Committee Republicans are worried that Clinton White House
counsel Beth Nolan, chief of staff John D. Podesta and counsel
Bruce Lindsey will decline to answer some questions by citing
executive privilege or attorney-client privilege. The committee
asked the former president to waive the privileges. His lawyers
are considering the request, informed sources said.
The Burton committee butted heads for years with the Clinton
White House in the panel's aggressive inquiries into the
financing of the 1996 Clinton-Gore campaign. Republicans on the
committee frequently alleged that the White House was
coordinating an effort to discourage cooperation with the
congressional probes.
Burton suggested in a letter to Clinton lawyer David E. Kendall
yesterday that committee staff be permitted to review Clinton
library donor lists for contributions or pledges of $5,000 or
more. The request follows news that Denise Rich contributed
$450,000 to the library and Dozoretz pledged to raise $1 million.
Kendall refused an earlier Burton request to release the list,
contending that the names are protected by the First Amendment
and that Burton is conducting a "fishing expedition."
Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby,
once represented Rich and is scheduled to testify Thursday. While
Libby has said he had no role in the pardon, the White House
confirmed yesterday that Libby called Rich to congratulate him on
Jan. 22, two days after Clinton issued the pardon.
"He called and congratulated him as any lawyer would a former
client," said Bush White House spokesman Ari Fleischer. "Libby
played no role in the pardon. He was approached to participate in
the pardon process and he turned them down."
Staff writer John Mintz contributed to this report.
© 2001 The Washington Post Company
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