AP out with a hit piece on Xavier Becerra before he even accepts the position

[Thrill]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The California congressman in discussions with President-elect Barack Obama to become U.S. trade representative played a role in President Bill Clinton's commuting the prison sentence of a cocaine dealer. The cocaine dealer's family had made $15,000 in political donations to the congressman and hired Clinton's brother-in-law for $200,000 to help free Carlos Vignali.

The case involving Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., marks the second time the 7-year-old controversy over Clinton's final actions has surfaced as Obama organizes his new administration. Republicans earlier resurrected the role of Eric Holder, Obama's pick for attorney general, in the pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich, who won a pardon on Clinton's last day in office.

As U.S. trade representative, Becerra would negotiate international trade deals and oversee trade policy. The job would be important in Obama's administration, which has called for renegotiating the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico.

Becerra was a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles in early 2001 when it came to light that he and several other politicians and prominent public figures wrote letters supportive of Vignali, who was accused of shipping 800 pounds of cocaine — worth about $5 million then — from Los Angeles to Minneapolis.

The federal judge who sentenced Vignali later complained that the commutation was inappropriate.

"Vignali was not a low-level operator in the conspiracy," said U.S. District Judge David S. Doty. "He played a major role in the financing, transport and procurement of the drugs."

Vignali's father spent six years and $160,000 in political donations, and paid $200,000 to Hugh Rodham to free his son. Hugh Rodham is the brother of then-first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, whom Obama has selected to become secretary of state. Carlos Vignali was less than halfway through a 14 1/2-year prison term when President Clinton let him out.

Bill Clinton's decision to free Carlos Vignali "was every bit as egregious and misdirected as the pardon of Marc Rich," said Mark Corallo, a Republican who worked on the House Government Reform Committee, which investigated Bill Clinton's pardons. "Congressman Becerra will probably have to answer for supporting the (commutation) for this cocaine dealer."

At the request of Horacio Vignali, a Los Angeles businessman, Becerra wrote to Bill Clinton on Nov. 21, 2000, asking him to evaluate the case. Carlos Vignali was 22 when convicted of conspiring to sell 800 pounds of cocaine.

Horacio Vignali contributed more than $15,000 to Becerra's campaigns and his political action committee and hosted a fundraiser for his mayoral campaign seven months before Carlos Vignali was freed from prison, according to campaign finance records.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hRx2vBPIyiPzRgLw92diAsRBHFHQD94RH8T00

[FrenchieCat]

1. I thought the President could pardon who he so choose.

AP needs to get over who Clinton pardoned 8 years ago. My goodness.......
will they ever give it up and admit that they work for the fucking GOP?

Gawd!

[ddeclue]

2. Why is it a "hit" piece? In what manner is it blatantly unfair or inaccurate?

Please explain...it seems like a reasonable point to bring up to me. I don't know him and don't have anything against the guy in general but I'd like to have a good understanding if there was any kind of quid pro quo here before I appointed him to an office.

Thanks,

Doug D.