Sen. Clinton declines comment on report of sentence commutation probe

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton had no comment Sunday about a published report saying that federal investigators have subpoenaed records from the Rockland County Democratic Party in connection with the sentence commutations for four Hasidic Jews.

As part of its probe into former President Clinton's last-minute pardons, the U.S. attorney's office is looking into whether the New York Democrat played a role in Clinton's decisions to commute the sentences of four men from New Square, New York. The men were convicted in 1999 of misusing a federal anti-poverty program and bilking the government of $40 million.

The Hasidic Jewish community of New Square supported Mrs. Clinton in the November election and voted 1,400 to 12 in her favor over her Republican Rick Lazio.

"Senator Clinton has spoken on several occasions regarding this issue and has stated there is no connection between the two and we have nothing to add," said Press Secretary Karen Dunn Sunday.

Mrs. Clinton has previously said she sat in on a December White House meeting with supporters of clemency for the four Hasidic men, but said she played no role in her husband's decision.

The Journal News in Westchester County reported Saturday that federal prosecutors have subpoenaed Rockland County Democratic Party records, looking for any link to the sentence commutations

Marvin Smilon, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office, had no comment on the newspaper report.

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