________________________________________________________________ WASHINGTON—

Hugh Rodham, the brother-in-law of former President Clinton, accepted about $400,000 to successfully push for presidential clemency for two Los Angeles men, convicted drug dealer Carlos Vignali and Almon Glenn Braswell, a marketer of health treatments. Rodham returned the money late Wednesday as Clinton released a brief statement saying that he and his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), were "deeply disturbed" to learn of the arrangement. The statement urged Rodham to return the money . Sources said that Rodham, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., lawyer who is Sen. Clinton's brother, received $200,000 for making at least two calls to the White House and for other work on Vignali's behalf. Rodham also accepted a similar amount as a "success fee" for the pardon for Braswell. While most individuals applying for presidential clemency hire lawyers to represent them, Rodham's role in the Vignali and Braswell cases was unusual because of its mystery and because a relative of the Clintons had been allowed to benefit financially. Rodham's connection to the two men remains unclear. Both acts of clemency, two of the 176 Clinton granted on his last day in office, have been widely criticized by law enforcement authorities. Vignali's release from prison was secured with the help of letters and phone calls from **Southern California politicians and leaders**.

In a related development Wednesday, officials of the Clinton White House told The Times that he granted the Vignali commutation about two weeks after the Justice Department formally recommended that it be denied. ______________________________________________________________

NOTE: One of these **Southern California politicians** is a Los Angeles City Councilman named Mike Hernandez. This fucking scum bag was coked-out on the job for many months until finally discovered and arrested in September 1997. He went into re-hab and somehow continued on as a councilman. THIS IS THE SAME FUCKER WHO SENT A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO PARDON THIS MAJOR COKE DEALER, VIGNALI.

This whole ‘pardongate’ story has the stench of a cattle feedlot, and Bill and Hillary should both do time, big time!!

-- Barry (bchbear863@cs.com), February 23, 2001

Answers

Barry, it is so insensitive of you to mention this. LOL.

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), February 23, 2001.

I know Lars. I pondered over posting this for about 2 or 3 milliseconds.

-- Barry (bchbear863@cs.com), February 23, 2001.

ROFLMAO, Barry YOU are on a roll!!!!!

But, lets not be too hard on the coke dealer, eh? sniff sniff.

And before you all go balistic, that WAS tongue in cheek.

-- sumer (shh@aol.con), February 23, 2001.

Wipe off your Space Bar, sumer. You dripped on it.

Here I thought it was gooey from you spilling soda.

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), February 23, 2001.

:-)

grabs kleenex.

-- sumer (shh@aol.con), February 24, 2001.