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Anatomy of a pardon | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Eric
Spoke to M.J. - - - - - - - - - - - -
Eric Holder>>
... Deal? - - - - - - - - - - - - But U.S. Attorney White rejects Quinn's suggestion. U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney February 2, 2000 Dear Mr. Quinn and Ms. Behan: We are writing in response to your letter of December 1, 1999, seeking a resolution of the Marc Rich prosecution. Under the present circumstances, however, the resolution that you contemplate, namely a dismissal or major modification of the indictment, is impossible. As we have repeatedly told a succession of lawyers who have approached our Office with similar applications, it is our firm policy not to negotiate dispositions of criminal charges with fugitives ... If Mr. Rich genuinely believes that he is innocent and believes in the strength of his arguments, then he can surrender ... Very truly yours,
MARY JO WHITE
By: SHIRAH NEIMAN - - - - - - - - - - - - Quinn talks to Holder, who for some reason keeps getting hung up on the fact that Deputy U.S. Attorney Shirah Neiman has already resoundingly rejected Quinn's legal maneuvers. So Quinn decides it's time to call in Rich's friends in the government of Israel, or GOI, who will attest to his philanthropy.
From: Jack Quinn We spoke briefly today. It started out badly "we've gone as far as we can go, can't figure out a way around shira, etc" but I pushed back hard on the russian money laundering culprits and the uneven treatment of marc. He wants to talk further about that with his people, said he'd call back tomorrow. It's time to move on the GOI front but we have to get the call initiated over there ... - - - - - - - - - - - - ACT 2: THE BACK DOOR The legal strategy has now shifted. Energies are being devoted toward a petition for Rich's pardon. Rich has given tens of millions of dollars to charities and Quinn et al. seek evidence of those donations. Avner Azulay, the head of the Rich Foundation in Tel Aviv, is now included in the loop. (Giuliani has said that when he was U.S. attorney, Rich's lawyers offered a huge gift to the New York City Board of Education in exchange for the charges being dropped.) When the petition campaign is over, Quinn will have 21 letters specifically asking Clinton to pardon Rich, and an additional 50 saying that Rich is a good and decent man, though many of these letters were written by individuals who had no idea how they were going to be used.
From: Fink, Robert NY Who will receive the petition and who else can we expect to read it and react to it? Is there some thing we (or I) can be doing to get some additional information on them?... - - - - - - - - - - - -
From: Jack Quinn POTUS; Beth Nolan, the White House Counsel (she worked for me when I was there; is a firmer George Washington Law Prof and an expert on legal ethics); conceivably Bruce Lindsey, Beth's deputy, but more importantly a very close confidant of the Pres from Arkansas and someone whose law practice was in labor relations, and undoubtedly one or two junior people in the Counsel's ofc who handle pardons. - - - - - - - - - - - -
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