Logs may imply Rich visited Clinton before pardon

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Investigators tell CNN that records list Beth Dozoretz and Denise Rich, central figures in the Marc Rich pardon probe, as coming to the White House the last night of Bill Clinton's presidency -- records disputed by Dozoretz.

According to sources, Secret Service logs show both women cleared to arrive at 4 p.m. on January 19th and record them arriving at about 5:30 p.m. Clinton issued a pardon for Denise Rich's ex-husband, Marc Rich -- a fugitive financier charged with tax evasion, fraud, and trading with Iran during the U.S. embargo -- on January 20.

ALSO Rich calls pardon 'humanitarian act' List of presidential pardons   IN-DEPTH The Clinton Years     DOCUMENTS Clinton pardon documents U.S. v. Rich case  Part 1 | Part 2 (FindLaw) (PDF Format)   MESSAGE BOARD Clinton pardons

Dozoretz's husband, Ron Dozoretz, and a business associate, Elliott Gerson, however, tell CNN the records are inaccurate, at least as far as Beth Dozoretz is concerned.

"We were on a plane to California" said Ron Dozoretz, referring to a corporate plane. Gerson told CNN he was also on the plane with the Dozoretzes, that they flew to Los Angeles and attended a party that night for movie producer Mike Medevoy.

CNN in Los Angeles was trying to contact Medevoy.

There was no immediate explanation for the contradictory accounts.

The Justice Department Pardons Attorney has testified that the White House asked for background information about Rich after midnight on January 9th.

Investigators say that the Secret Service Worker and Visitor Entry System logs, which had been subpoenaed by the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, show Beth Dozoretz's arrival at 17:29 (5:29 p.m.) and Denise Rich at 17:30 (5:30 p.m.).

The records do not show a departure time.

On Monday, Dozoretz, through her attorney, told the committee she would cite her Fifth Amendment protections against self-incrimination and would refuse to testify about the Marc Rich matter. The U.S. Attorney in New York is conducting a criminal probe into the matter.

Denise Rich, a friend of Dozoretz, had earlier cited the Fifth Amendment. Efforts to grant her immunity were suspended after the federal criminal investigation began.

Beth Dozoretz is a Clinton friend, a long-time Democratic party fund-raiser, and former Democratic National Committee Finance chairman. Denise Rich has donated $450,000 to the Clinton Presidential Library and more than $1 million to the Democratic Party. Federal investigators are looking at whether any money transactions were connected with presidential pardons.

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