Why did Clinton pardon this guy ?
The Jailbird Count: 15 months in a minimum security prison, Oxford, Wisconsin; 2 months in a halfway house. $100,000 fine. He spent a couple of days in solitary confinement because he was insubordinate to a social worker.
Indicted for 17 counts of embezzling public and campaign funds, mail and wire fraud, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice.
+Abusing Congressional Payroll: Accused of placing on his Congressional payroll from July 1971 to July 1992 at least 14 people who did little or nor official work, but who performed a variety of personal services for him, his family, his family insurance businesses and his campaign organizations. Payments to these people exceeded $500,000.
+Trading Stamp Vouchers for Cash: Accused of taking cash on numerous occasions from 1978 to 1991 in exchange for vouchers that members of Congress use to buy stamps. Charged that he obtained at least $50,000 in cash by disguising transactions at the post office as stamp purchases.
+Misusing Office Expense Accounts: Accused of charging Congress more than $40,000 for items from the House stationery store, including hand-painted chairs, crystal sculptures, and fine china, which he gave as gifts to his friends.
+Misusing Personal Vehicles: Accused of buying seven vehicles from 1987 to 1992 for use by himself and his family and paying for them with more than $70,000 in official House funds, and $100,000 from his campaign funds.
+Obstruction of Justice: Charged that he had a House employee engrave brass plaques for him at no charge and then told the employee not to mention this to the grand jury investigating the case.
Guilty: Rostenkowski pleaded guilty to two counts of mail fraud.
Rostenkowski is a member of the Congressional Prison Caucus.
The Martha Stewart Gambit. Rosty could have copped a plea and gotten only 6 months in jail. But he was adamant: "Federal prosecutors threatened to indict me if I fail to plead guilty to a series of crimes I did not commit. I will not make any deals with them. I did not commit any crimes. My consciences is clear and my 42-year record as an elected official is one I am proud to once again run on." (Pierre Thomas and David Broder, "Rostenkowski Rejects Plea," Washington Post, May 31, 1994, A1.) (Click here for other examples |
