Here is Republican initiative aimed at healing: How many of you folks are going to get on this healing bandwagon?
"Hatch: Pardon for Clinton Possible
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate Judiciary Committee's top Republican suggested Sunday that President-elect Bush pardon President Clinton (news - web sites) - whether he is indicted or not - to ``end a problem in America that needs to be ended.''
The independent counsel investigating Clinton's conduct in the Monica Lewinsky scandal has said a decision to prosecute will come ``very shortly'' after Clinton leaves office Jan. 20.
``I would do that ... just end the whole thing,'' Hatch said on ``Fox News Sunday. ``I would pardon him,'' the Utah Republican responded when asked if he would do so whether Clinton was indicted or not.
``I think it's time to put this to bed. It's time to let President Clinton fade into whatever he's going to fade into, and I just don't see keeping it alive any longer, and I don't think there's a jury in America that is going to convict President Clinton,'' said Hatch, who returns as Judiciary Committee chairman when Bush is sworn in on Jan. 20.
``I can't tell President-elect Bush what to do and he has every reason not to do that, but I think it would end a problem in America that needs to be ended,'' Hatch said.
On CNN's ``Late Edition,'' Sen. John McCain (news - web sites), R-Ariz., said, ``I don't know what he would be pardoning him for, unless the independent counsel brings up charges.''
A Bush spokesman did not immediately return a message Sunday.
But on Dec. 19, spokesman Ari Fleischer said the president-elect had noted reports quoting administration officials that Clinton would not seek a pardon from the new president. ``We take him at his word,'' Fleischer said then.
At Independent Counsel Robert Ray's request, a federal grand jury in Washington has been hearing evidence against Clinton.
Based on a report submitted by Ray's predecessor, Ken Starr, the president was impeached by the House for alleged perjury and obstruction. The Senate acquitted Clinton of obstruction on a 50-50 vote and the Senate voted 55-45 against convicting him of perjury. A two-thirds majority was necessary for conviction.
Clinton, a lawyer, is undergoing disbarment proceedings in Arkansas for his sworn testimony in the Paula Jones case in which he denied having sex with Lewinsky and said he did not recall being alone with her.
The Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct says Clinton is unfit to practice law because of that testimony.
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