Clinton draws distinctions on pardons.

From AP, Hillary Clinton speaks out about Bush's commute to Libby:


"I believe that presidential pardon authority is available to any president, and almost all presidents have exercised it," Clinton said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "This (the Libby decision) was clearly an effort to protect the White House. ... There isn't any doubt now, what we know is that Libby was carrying out the implicit or explicit wishes of the vice president, or maybe the president as well, in the further effort to stifle dissent."

As she campaigns with her husband for Iowa's leadoff precinct caucuses, Clinton has joined other Democrats in ripping Bush's decision. In the interview, she said it was "one more example" of the Bush administration thinking "it is above the rule of law."

Her husband's pardons, issued in the closing hours of his presidency, were simply routine exercise in the use of the pardon power, and none were aimed at protecting the Clinton presidency or legacy, she said.

"This particular action by the president is one more piece of evidence in their ongoing disregard for the rule of law that they think they don't have to answer to," she said.

Let's rewind and view Bill Clinton' s pardon to Marc Rich who was Scooter Libby's client:

Marc Rich

1983 criminal indictment filed by then-U.S. Attorney Rudolph Giuliani (thesmokinggun.com)
Wanted: Marc David Rich - U.S. International Crime Alert (U.S. International Broadcasting Bureau)
letter of Denise Rich to President Clinton in support of Marc Rich's pardon, December 6, 2000 (thesmokinggun.com)
letter of Jack Quinn [attorney for Marc Rich] to President Clinton presenting Marc Rich's application for pardon, December 11, 2000 (JURIST)
Petition for Pardon, December 11, 2000 (PDF; House Committee on Government Reform)
Tab A [includes 1983 indictment];
Tab B [includes letters of support]; Tab B (part II);
Tab C [analysis of transactions - Professors Wolfman and Ginsburg];
Tab D;
Tab E;
Tab F;
Tab G;
Tab H;
Tab I [1892 Attorney General's Opinion on Amnesty];
Tab J [1992 George Bush proclamation pardoning Iran-Contra defendants]
letter of Jack Quinn [attorney for Marc Rich] to President Clinton supporting Marc Rich's application for pardon, January 5, 2001 (JURIST)
letter of Jack Quinn [attorney for Marc Rich] to President Clinton supporting Marc Rich's application for pardon, January 18, 2001 (JURIST)
"The Controversial Pardon of International Fugitive Marc Rich" (House Committee on Government Reform, February 8, 2001; testimony and exhibits)
"The Controversial Pardon of International Fugitive Marc Rich - Day 2" (House Committee on Government Reform, March 1, 2001; statements and exhibits)
transcript (Washington Post)
interview with Morris "Sandy" Weinberg, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York, 1980-85; lead prosecutor in U.S. v. Marc Rich et al. (JURIST; March 7, 2001)