Jail Birds of a Feather

There’s an old saying, "You can pick your friends but you can’t choose your relatives."

Pity poor Roger Clinton. He struck out on both counts.

Throughout the eight-year presidential term of Roger’s half-brother, Bill, the cocaine-abusing musician was known to be an embarrassment to his family.

At least for the moment, we’re talking about Roger, not Bill.

Yes, of the two Clintons it was Roger who had served time behind bars for snorting the white stuff and despite Bill’s infamous on-screen saxophone dabblings, Roger was the family’s semi-pro.

Besides a musician’s union card and rap sheet, Roger had something else that may yet come back to bite him…or worse…friends with the last name, "Gambino."

Only now, months after Bill and Hillary packed their carpetbags and headed for New York, is another chapter in the Clinton sleaze story being published. Curiously, the revelations were printed in the New York Times.

They claim Roger was approached on a golf course in 1999 by Tommy Gambino, the son of a convicted heroin dealer who had 45 year prison reservations. In honor of his father who was "doing time," Gambino handed Roger a Rolex. Just a little token of his appreciation. Wink. Wink.

And Roger did try to earn his keep. He paid four visits or more to the headquarters of the Parole Commissioner on the elder Gambino’s behalf. He even hearkened back to his old law enforcement ties in Arkansas contacting a state parole commissioner. Sure enough, Rosario Gambino’s name did appear on a list of potential parolees sent from the White House to the Justice Department during the Clinton Administration’s final days.

But no pardon for Rosario was ever issued.

Now, Roger is admitting his part in the affair to the New York Times. One can’t help wondering whether his clients, the Gambino’s might be wanting to repossess that Rolex.

Or worse.

Perhaps…just perhaps, Roger figures he might be safer going public, even if it does further tarnish the Clinton family reputation a wee bit.

But, after all, how can you embarrass a senator who steals silverware from the White House.

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