Pardons scandal wife denies sleeping with Clinton

The woman whose ex-husband was given a controversial pardon by former US president Bill Clinton in his last days in office has denied having an affair with him.

Denise Rich's ex-husband Marc was given a presidential pardon just days before Mr Clinton left the White House earlier this year.

The fugitive billionaire went on the run in 1983 after being charged with tax evasion and racketeering.

His pardon generated a storm when it emerged it had not been vetted by justice chiefs and Mrs Rich had donated $1m to Mr Clinton and his Democratic Party.

She has broken her silence and denied she had had an affair with the former president.

"No, I never had a sexual relationship or anything that's improper with President Clinton," she told American broadcaster ABC's 20/20 show. "And I never slept at the White House."

Mrs Rich admitted she had written to the Clintons, who she said were close friends, to ask for clemency for her husband and then lobbied them in person.

But she denied the controversial approval to her plea had been motivated by her huge donations to Clinton's presidential library.

"The truth is there are a lot more people who gave a lot more money," she told the programme.

"Of course, it gave me access, but it went beyond that. There was truly a friendship with both of them."

The millionaire divorcee and award-winning songwriter claimed she had not spoken to the ex-president or his wife Hillary since the "pardongate" controversy.

The scandal was accompanied by claims the Clintons took furniture from the White House, stripped Air Force One, and planned to use the traditional presidential library as a source of more furniture for their multimillion-dollar homes in New York state and Washington.