You're the hoot. The Clintons define Democrats.
Rodham revelation angers Twin Cities investigators
Pam Louwagie and Bob von Sternberg
Star Tribune
Thursday, February 22, 2001
In the Twin Cities, people closest to the case of Carlos Vignali, were furious when they got word that the brother-in-law of former President Bill Clinton successfully lobbied for Vignali's clemency.
"The American system has been bought," said police investigator Tony Adams, who was among those who broke up the Minneapolis-based cocaine ring in which Vignali was a major player. Adams called for a congressional hearing into the matter.
Although White House officials say each clemency petition was judged on its merits, Adams said he doesn't believe Vignali would have been set free nearly nine years early if that were the case.
"Somebody needs to do the rest of his [Vignali's] time. Somebody politically in either L.A. or Washington needs to do the rest of his time -- and I'll do the paperwork for it."
Altogether, 29 ring members were convicted or pleaded guilty in the case; one was acquitted. Mark Webster, who served five years in prison after pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge, called the news "crazy. The sad thing is, the big guy's out and everyone underneath him is still suffering in prison or on probation."
Webster said Rodham's intervention "is how these people do it -- money under the table, one hand washing the other. Her brother gets the hit, and it greases things for Carlos. And he's out, probably riding around in his Lamborghini."
Officials closest to the case say that Vignali, now 29, was an unlikely candidate for clemency, largely because he was near the top of the ring -- and unrepentant about his role in it. Most were not consulted about it, and those who were said their recommendations against it were ignored by the White House.
After jurors found Vignali guilty on three counts, U.S. District Judge David Doty sentenced him to 175 months in prison. He ended up serving 67 months.
Doty, who has defended the original sentence as justified, said Wednesday: "The other shoe has dropped. This seems like the playing out of a really bad string."
Former U.S. Attorney Todd Jones, who strongly recommended against clemency to the U.S. pardon attorney, said the news of Rodham's involvement was a "horrible revelation." Even though Rodham has returned the money, Jones said that gesture was "too late."
"I was having a hard time rationalizing how this happened, knowing what I know about the case," Jones said. "It still comes down to access to the inner circle and the decision makers. ... This stinks. I'm disappointed again."...
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