US Congress Expands Probe of Clinton's PardonUS Congress Tuesday expanded its investigation of former president Bill Clinton's pardon of fugitive billionaire Marc Rich.The House Government Reform Committee, which held a daylong hearing into the pardon last week, issued its first subpoenas for donor lists for Clinton's presidential library fund and for the bank records of Rich's ex-wife Denise Rich, who has been a major contributor to the library, the Democratic Party and Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate campaign. The panel also asked the Secret Service for White House visitor entry logs and phone records to show how often Rich's supporters visited the White House before the pardon. A Senate Judiciary Committee planned to hold its first hearing on Clinton's pardon on Wednesday. Republican Senator Arlen Specter, a senior member of the judiciary committee, has suggested that the pardons warrant a new impeachment effort against the former president. However, US President George W. Bush indicated on Tuesday that he has little enthusiasm for the investigations. "I think it 's time to move on," he said. Rich has lived in Switzerland since just before he was indicted in New York in 1983 on federal charges of tax evasion, fraud and participation in illegal oil deals with Iran. Clinton's presidential pardon on January 20 frees Rich from prosecution on more than 50 counts of federal charges. |
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