Latest Roger Clemens Twist: McNamee's Lawyer Says Bush Could Pardon Pitcher
Following a Congressional hearing earlier this week in which some observers felt committee members took sides along party lines with famed pitcher Roger Clemens and his former trainer, Brian McNamee, the baseball steroids-use spat has taken a new twist.
Even though no one has charged Clemens with lying over his testimony that he never used steroids (McNamee, of course, testified that Clemens did use the performance-enhancing substance), an attorney for the trainer predicts that President George Bush will issue a pardon to protect Clemens, according to USA Today and other media reports.
“It would be a prospective pardon,” Richard Emery tells the newspaper. “They’re perfectly legal and it would be typical of the George Bush White House. We’d expect Bush to call Clemens a ‘historic figure’ who has done so much for this country and then let him off.”
Others, however, scoffed at the suggestion. Clemens’ lawyer, Rusty Hardin, called it “irresponsible and unbelieveable,” USA Today reports, and a George Washington University law professor says the move is unlikely to say the least. “Of all the presidents to grant such a pardon, this would be the last,” says Jonathan Turley. “He’s been miserly in his use of pardon power.”
Other coverage:
Bloomberg: “McNamee’s Lawyer Expects Clemens to Receive Presidential Pardon “
Newsday: “Ex-President Bush close friend of Roger Clemens”
Toronto Star: “Political mix skews opinion on Clemens”
