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NOVEMBER 9, 2000

Following is a transcript of President Clinton's remarks on clemency for Leonard Peltier. Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman posed the issue.

GOODMAN:
What is your position on granting Leonard Peltier, the Native American activist, executive clemency?

CLINTON:
Well, I don't have a position I can announce yet. I think, I believe, there is a new application for him in there, and when I have time, after the election is over, I'm going to review all the remaining executive clemency applications and, you know, see what the merits dictate.

I will try to do what I think the right thing to do is based on the evidence, and I've never had the time actually to sit down myself and review that case. I know it is very important to a lot of people, maybe on both sides of the issue, and I think I owe it to them to give it an honest look see.

So part of my responsibilities in the last ten weeks of office, after the election, will be to review the request for pardons and executive clemency and give them a fair hearing, and I pledge to do that.

GOODMAN:
And you will give an answer in his case?

CLINTON:
Oh yeah, I'll decide, one way or the other.

Get the Story:
Clinton: I'll decide on Peltier (The Talking Circle 11/9)