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Edited on Sat Apr-19-08 11:50 PM by Divernan
Wikipedia.org
Part I
In 1993, he and his brother Hugh ignited a small controversy when they tried to solicit corporate donations for Clinton's inaugural parties; they dropped the effort after a public outcry.<5>
On May 28, 1994, Rodham married Nicole Boxer, daughter of United States Senator from California Barbara Boxer, in a ceremony at the White House attended by 250 guests;<6> it was the first White House wedding since Tricia Nixon married Edward Cox in 1971.<6> They had one son, Zachary, in 1996<7><8> (who later held a unique distinction in that he was simultaneously the grandson and nephew of sitting U.S. senators), before separating by 2000<9> and then getting a divorce. (See entry below this for details of nonpayment of alimony/child support)
By now, Tony Rodham had left his position at the Democratic National Committee<10> and described himself as "a consultant ... all kinds of businesses. I'm a general consultant. I just bring different peoples together. I help them negotiate deals. I solve problems for people."<7> In 1997, Rodham tried to arrange meetings between Paraguayan President Juan Carlos Wasmosy and President Clinton,<10> and also powerful Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and the President.<4> In 1998, he paid a visit to dictatorial Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia.<10> In each of these cases, there was criticism that he was giving an unauthorized impression of White House approval to these foreign figures, or was seeking financial gain for himself.<10><4>
In 1999, Tony and brother Hugh Rodham entered into a $118 million venture to grow and export hazelnuts from the Republic of Georgia.<11> The U.S. State Department and National Security Advisor Sandy Berger became upset, however, when the Rodhams' local business connection in Batumi turned out to be Aslan Abashidze, a major political opponent of Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze, then a key U.S. ally in the region.<4><11> Moreover, Tony Rodham flew to Rome to become godfather to Abashidze's grandson.<4> After initial resistance,<4> Berger and the Clintons prevailed upon the Rodham brothers to drop the deal.<11> Tony Rodham would not state what his financial stake in the venture was.<4>
Wikipedia.org, Part II:
Episodes such as these led Hillary Clinton's White House staff to refer to Tony and Hugh as "the Brothers Rodham",<12> extending the American tradition of troublesome presidential siblings to the brother-in-law category;<4> one senior White House official would be quoted as saying, "You never wanted to hear their name come up in any context other than playing golf."<12>
In March 2001, it was revealed that Tony Rodham had helped gain a March 2000 presidential pardon for Edgar Allen Gregory Jr. and his wife, Vonna Jo, a Tennessee couple in the carnival business who had been convicted of bank fraud.<13> The pardon was granted over the objections of the U.S. Justice Department.<13> Rodham acknowledged talking to President Clinton about a pardon;<7> he said he received no money for his work, but he did have financial ties to the couple as a consultant.<13> His actions gained much public focus and criticism, as they came on the heels of the general Bill Clinton pardons controversy and his brother Hugh's own involvement in taking money for work done towards pardons.<7> Hillary Clinton, who had strongly criticized Hugh's involvement and requested he return his money, said that Tony Rodham was not paid for his work.<14> The Republican-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform investigated the matter and concluded that Tony Rodham had in fact been paid.<14> One aspect of the case dragged out into 2007, as Tony Rodham battled a bankruptcy court's order that he repay over $100,000 in loans from the now-deceased Edgar Gregory.<14>
See also
List of noted U.S. presidential relatives
From the British paper, The Telegraph:
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/2...
Even here, there is potential embarrassment. Miss Clinton's boyfriend - and soon-to-be-husband, if the tabloids are to be believed - is Marc Mezvinsky, 29, a former intern in her father's White House who now works for Goldman Sachs.
His parents were also Democratic politicians and family friends of the Clintons, but Mr Mezvinsky's father Ed, a former congressman, is serving six years in jail for fraud offences he committed to recoup losses in a Nigerian scam.
Given that the Clintons were dogged by allegations of financial impropriety over the Whitewater land deal, IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT SEN CLINTON'S FOES WILL REFRAIN FROM MAKING CAPITAL OF THE FACT THAT HER DAUGHTER'S PROSPECTIVE FATHER-IN-LAW IS BEHIND BARS FOR FRAUD. (my emphasis added)
Sen Clinton's brother, Tony Rodham, also faces financial and legal trouble, accused of failing to repay $107,000 (£54,600) in loans from a carnival company whose owners received pardons from Mr Clinton when he was president."
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