Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, filed a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain the official pardon application submitted to the Clinton White House on behalf of Marc Rich. Fitton notes that Rich's pardon application "was made directly to the Clinton White House as opposed to the Department of Justice, which was the accepted practice."

Rich fled the United States in 1983 to avoid prosecution on racketeering, wire fraud, and tax evasion charges. He was one of about 140 individuals pardoned by Bill Clinton in the waning hours of his administration."[I]n an act that caused outrage among prosecutors and other supporters of law and order, Rich was granted a pardon by Bill Clinton in his last day of office," Fitton notes.