Marc Rich pardon controversy just won't die
By PETE YOST
Associated Press
November 20, 2008
Page 2 of 2
The committee Republicans concluded that Holder and Quinn worked together to cut the Justice Department out of the decision-making process.
According to an e-mail produced to the committee, Holder told Quinn to "go straight to wh" (White House) in seeking a pardon for Rich. Federal prosecutors did not have an opportunity to express an opinion on a possible Rich pardon.
As for his own view, Holder said that initially he was neutral on the question of a pardon for Rich. He said he subsequently told the White House counsel's office that he was "neutral, leaning toward favorable" on discovering that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak supported Rich's petition.
After fleeing the United States, Rich became an Israeli citizen, giving tens of millions of dollars to Israeli hospitals, museums, orchestras and to projects to take in Jewish immigrants.
In his congressional testimony, Holder expressed regret but defended his conduct as completely ethical. Holder testified that he wished he had asked more questions about the Rich case, and would have been opposed to a pardon if he had obtained more information at the time.
"I wish I had done some things differently with regard to the Marc Rich matter. Specifically, I wish that I had ensured that the Department of Justice was more fully informed and involved in this pardon process," Holder testified.
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