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Dozoretz's discussions with Clinton on the pardon ended on the night of Jan. 19. As word of the Rich pardon leaked from the White House, she called the President at about 11 p.m. to thank him. Clinton was so busy with last-minute decisions he did not appear to understand what she was thanking him for, a source said. It was at least an hour before the Department of Justice's pardon lawyer, Roger Adams, was informed by the White House that Rich might be on the pardon list. That means Dozoretz, a personal friend and fund raiser, knew of the decision before the lawyer charged with carrying it out. The House Government Reform Committee subpoenaed Dozoretz last week to testify at its second hearing on the pardons this Thursday. Republicans are likely to question if she sought the pardon for Rich in return for the funds she raised from his ex-wife. Dozoretz pledged to raise $1 million for the project and saw Denise Rich as the source for much of it. Dozoretz's lawyer, Tom Green, declined to comment.
Where all this is going is anyone's guess, which may explain why Bill Clinton was said by two friends to be in pieces last week, at least as upset as he was during the worst of the Monica mess. Speaking last week with Rodham's lawyer, Nancy Luque, Clinton was more sad than angry and was worried most about the impact of the latest developments on his wife's career. This has not been the afterlife he imagined. A few weeks ago, before anyone knew anything about any pardons, friends had told him to stay out of sight for six months, just disappear into the woodwork. It's too late for that now.
--Reported by Mitch Frank/New York, David S. Jackson/Los Angeles and Viveca Novak and Michael Weisskopf/Washington