"President Clinton Wants to Free Jonathan Pollard
...but he can't"
September 18, 1996 - Media Release
Recent media reports quote Vice President Al Gore and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk as assuring Jewish leaders in Israel and America that President Clinton
does
want to free Jonathan Pollard ... but he can't.Gore, Indyk and other sources close to the President paint a picture of President Clinton's hands being tied by the strong opposition of his advisors in the Justice, Intelligence and Defence Departments.
What's wrong with this picture?
Attempts to shift the responsibility for correcting a grave injustice away from the President and onto government agencies, flies in the face of the constitutional rights and responsibilities vested in the America Presidency.
President Lincoln set the precedent. Lincoln and his cabinet met to consider a very important question. After making his presentation to his "advisors", the president asked for a vote of the "nays." Every member of his cabinet raised his hand. Next Lincoln asked for a vote for the "ayes", and raised his
own
hand. Then, in a quiet voice, he stated: "The 'ayes' have it."The America constitution charges the President with both the
right
and theresponsibility
to override all other agencies, and individuals in safeguarding the nation's principles. These special executive powers are built into the Constitution to guarantee the freedom and rights of all American citizens and to safeguard the principle ofequal justice
in America.Mr. Clinton himself provided the most recent example of invoking executive privilege when he faced down the strenuous objections of government agencies to allowing Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams to enter the United States. Justice, Intelligence and Defence Departments said "No". Mr. Clinton said "Yes". And Gerry Adams was granted entry.
The buck still stops with the President!
Both the
responsibility
and thepower
to correct the "gross miscarriage of justice" which the Pollard case represents, rest squarely with the President.