Clinton offered clemency to FALN members to win votes for Hillary
| Clinton offered clemency to FALN members to win votes for Hillary | |
|---|---|
| UNSUPPORTED | |
| "Bill Clinton offered clemency to imprisoned members of the Puerto Rican nationalist group FALN in 1999 to win Puerto Rican votes for Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign in New York." | |
| Domain | Government, Law & Courts |
| Tactic | Conspiracy Theory |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 1999 |
| Origin | Congressional Republicans and commentators in August and September 1999 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-29 |
| Further reading: books on Government, Law & Courts | |
In August 1999 Bill Clinton offered conditional clemency to 16 members of the FALN and related groups, Puerto Rican nationalists convicted of seditious conspiracy and weapons charges linked to a bombing campaign in the 1970s and 1980s. None had been convicted of killing or injuring anyone. The offer required them to renounce violence.
Critics said the timing, as Hillary Clinton prepared to run for the Senate in New York, showed a political motive. That motive was widely alleged but never established.
What the evidence shows
- Long campaign for release. Religious leaders, human rights figures including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and members of Congress had sought the prisoners' release for years, arguing their sentences were far longer than those for comparable crimes.
- Opposition. The FBI and the Bureau of Prisons opposed clemency. The House condemned the offer 311–41 and the Senate 95–2. Hillary Clinton, who had initially supported it, came out against it in September 1999 after the prisoners were slow to accept the conditions.
- No evidence of a deal. Congressional hearings examined the decision, and the White House asserted executive privilege over some documents. No evidence emerged tying the decision to Senate campaign planning.
Why it matters
The clemency was controversial on its merits, and the political timing invited suspicion. Treating suspicion as an established motive goes beyond the record.
Sources
- The New York Times, "Clinton Offers Clemency to 16 in Puerto Rican Terror Group," August 12, 1999.
- US House Committee on Government Reform, hearing "FALN Clemency," 1999.
- The Washington Post, "First Lady Opposes Clemency Offer," September 5, 1999.