WASHINGTON -- President Bush exercised his Constitutional power to pardon his colleagues and friends caught up in the Iran-Contra scandal.
By doing so, he apparently hopes in the waning days of his presidency that he has closed the last chapter in the Iran Contra scandal by pardoning Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and five others in the Reagan-era affair.
But that may not be the case.
In a Christmas eve proclamation, Bush said, in effect, that Weinberger, 75, had suffered enough and had been 'a true American patriot' during his long years of government service.
He did not mention the charges against Weinberger, who was indicted on four counts of lying to Congress about his knowledge of the White House deliberations in the clandestine arms-for-hostages deal with Iran and the notes he kept.
At the same time he acknowledged the 'seriousness' of the charges against the six men he had reprieved in granting them a 'full, complete and unconditional pardon.'
In many ways, the action was reminiscent of President Ford's controversial pardon of his predecessor, Richard Nixon, who was forced to resign the presidency in disgrace as the Watergate scandal unfolded.
Prominent Republicans lobbied for pardons for Weinberger and the others. Bush also indicated that he was influenced by the 75-year-old Weinberger's undisclosed illness and the fact that he had quit his Pentagon post because of his wife's ordeal with cancer.
Heavy pressure was put on Ford to pardon Nixon, who reportedly was in a bad state after he retreated to San Clemente.
The others Bush pardoned were former national security adviser Robert McFarlane, former Assistant Secretary of State Elliott Abrams; and officials of the CIA which he once headed, including Duane Clarridge, Alan Fiers and Clair George.
The full story of the scandal may never be told, but more details will be disclosed when Bush makes public, as he has promised, his testimony to the Tower Commission that investigated the scandal and the voluminous notes taken made by Weinberger when the arms for hostages swap was being discussed at the highest level in the White House.
Bush said in his proclamation that no one has suggested that his own role in this matter 'is legally questionable.'
Special prosecutor Lawrence Walsh said after the pardons were given that the Weinberger may have protected former President Ronald Reagan for possible impeachment.
Those with even short memories can recall Reagan, and all of his top officials declaring over and over again that they would never deal, never negotiate with terrorists. At the time of the hostage deal with Iran, the State Department had put that nation on the terrorist list.
There is still a mystery remaining in the Iran-Contra scandal on who can claim the millions of dollars still stashed in a Swiss bank that was received by White House aides from Iran in the sale of U.S. arms. Some of the profits were transferred to the U.S.-supported Iran Contra forces after Congress had banned such funding.
But while some questions still remain up in the air, Bush said he gave the pardons because 'it was time for the country to move on.'
He also said that he acted in what he believes 'honor, decency, and fairness require.'
