From the NewsMax.com Staff

For the story behind the story...

Patrick Fitzgerald Brings New Legal Standard to D.C.

Reprint Information

Book on Katie Couric Makes Waves White House: We're Not Subject to FOIA FBI Seeks 2 Mysterious Men on Ferry Publisher: Conservatives Do Read As Much As Liberals Romney Shrugs Off Mormon History Film

For better or worse, Leakgate Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald has brought a new legal standard to Washington, D.C. - where he is said to be readying indictments against top White House officials based on false statements they made to investigators about a crime that may have never happened.

Though such a prosecution by Fitzgerald could certainly be legally justified, allegations similar to those currently under consideration for indictment - as well as other potential crimes that are far more serious - were seldom if ever prosecuted during the 1990s.

Here's a short list of potential criminal violations for which prosecutors decided not to file indictments during the Clinton administration.

• Lying under oath to a federal judge - a crime U.S. District Court Judge Susan Webber Wright determined that President Clinton committed in the Paula Jones sexual harasssment case. Legal resolution: No criminal indictment.

Story Continues Below

  • Lying under oath to a federal grand jury - as Independent Counsel Ken Starr found President Clinton had done in the Monica Lewinsky investigation. Legal resolution: No criminal indictment.

• Lying under oath both to Congress and to federal investigators - as Independent Counsel Robert Ray concluded that Mrs. Clinton had done in the Travel Office probe. Legal resolution: No indictment

• Hiding evidence from Starr's Whitewater investigation - as the Senate Banking Committee concluded Mrs. Clinton did in the case of her missing Rose Law firm billing records. Legal resolution: No criminal referral, no indictments.

• Trading presidential pardons for finanical contributions - which President Clinton allegedly did in the Pardongate case. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• Trading presidential clemency for votes in a federal election - as President Clinton allegedly did with village elders in New Square, NY - which backed Mrs. Clinton's 2000 Senate candidacy 1400 to 12. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• Nuclear missile guidance technology allegedly traded by the Clinton adminsitration to China in exchange for campaign contributions. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• The Illegal gathering of confidential FBI files on political opponents - as the Clinton White House did in the Filegate case. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• Misusing the IRS to audit political opponents - as the White House allegedly did with numerous conservative organizations, as well as with witnesses against the Clintons. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• Hiring private detectives to intimidate and/or smear potential witnesses in the Starr investigation. Legal resolution: No indictments.

• Illegally leaking Linda Tripp's confidential personnel file to the press. Legal resolution: No indictments.

Too bad Patrick Fitzgerald was otherwise engaged when all of the above transpired.

Editor's note:
Find the secrets to long life from the Mayo Clinic – Click Here
Check out President Reagan – the Oval Office Photo – Click Here Now
Get Dick Morris` New Book `Condi vs. Hillary` FREE or Cheaper Than Amazon! Click Here

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Bush Administration
Clinton Scandals

Inside Cover Stories
FBI Seeks 2 Mysterious Men on Ferry

Publisher: Conservatives Do Read As Much As Liberals

Romney Shrugs Off Mormon History Film

Bob Grant to Return to Radio

Carville Seeks Perfect '08 Bumper Sticker More Inside Cover Stories