Clinton Pardons: Quid, meet pro and quo.
Three recipients of controversial 11th-hour pardons issued by former President Bill Clinton in January 2001 have donated thousands of dollars to the presidential campaign of his wife, Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., according to campaign finance records examined by ABC News, in what some good government groups said created an appearance of impropriety:
One of the pardonees who has become a donor to Sen. Clinton is David Herdlinger, a former prosecutor in Springdale, Ark., who, according to press accounts at the time of his pardon pleaded guilty in 1986 to mail fraud after taking bribes to reduce or drop charges against defendants charged with drunken driving offenses.
Now a life and business coach in Georgia, Herdlinger was pardoned by President Clinton in January 2001; he donated $1,000 to Sen. Clinton’s presidential campaign in August.
Insurance agent Alfredo Regalado, who gave Hillary Clinton $2,000, was pardoned by her husband for failing to “report the transportation of currency in excess of $10,000 into the United States,” according to the Department of Justice.
Bryan points out that the third is John Deutch, the Clinton CIA Director who was accused of mishandling government secrets. Read ABC’s wording:
Pardoned by President Clinton for charges he had mishandled government secrets ” but before the Department of Justice could file the proper paperwork against him ” Deutch, now a professor at MIT, gave Sen. Clinton the maximum allowable donation, $2,300.
Bryan:
Hillary’s accepting these donations isn’t illegal. But it sure looks like a payback, and taken together with the massive and corrupt bundling that Norman Hsu did on Hillary’s campaign’s behalf, her campaign looks like it’s the most corrupt of the lot by a long shot.
JWF:
Of course, it’s dismissed as not being illegal, but this stinks to high heaven and is so typical of the sleazebag Clintons.
I can just see it at the debate tonight.
Wolf Blitzer: “Doesn’t it appear incredibly sleazy that you’re accepting money from people your husband pardoned?”
Mrs. Clinton: “Hahahahahahahahaha. Well, you know, Wolf, that’s old news. We need to move on and tackle the tough issues facing us today …”
OK, we’ll stop dreaming. Blitzer’s testicles are safely tucked away in the lockbox.
This is a repeat of the Clinton’s 1992 campaign. Scandal plagued, with the mantra “deny, deny, deny!”
Contrary to Hillary’s belief, this is not some vast right wing conspiracy. These people really believe that America has no right to question them.
I do have one observation that I wanted to share with you….Hillary Clinton is the first woman that actually has a shot at becoming the nomination for POTUS on the Democratic ticket. This is history in the making….Where is Chelsea?
More blog reaction at Memeorandum
November 15, 2007 - 10:02 AM on November 15th, 2007
Pam, not only where is Chelsea, but where is Socks?
November 15, 2007 - 01:16 PM on November 15th, 2007
What questions do you think should be asked at the Democrat Debate?
November 15, 2007 - 03:56 PM on November 15th, 2007
PCD, Brian can link here, please don’t do that.
March 7, 2008 - 08:14 AM on March 7th, 2008
[...] and justice’: Those are some harsh words coming from Hillary, if you consider the appearance of quid pro quo with regards to those [...]