A congressional investigation is under way in Washington into Bill Clinton's last-minute pardon of a fugitive billionaire, Marc Rich. Mr Rich's ex wife, Denise Rich, is a major donor to the Democrats. The Chairman of the party's National Committee has defended the actions of the former President. A Congressional Committee will next week subpoena the bank records of Ms Rich. Mr Rich fled the United States for Switzerland in 1983 when allegations that he owed nearly $50 million in taxes emerged. He was also charged with buying hundreds of millions of dollars worth of oil from Iran in violation of a US trade embargo at a time when Tehran was holding Americans hostage.
