One figure in the prosecutors’ cross hairs, NEWSWEEK has learned, is Democratic Party fund-raiser Beth Dozoretz. A close friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s, Dozoretz pledged to raise $1 million for the Clinton library and later played a key role lobbying Clinton to grant the pardon. Dozoretz has already twice testified before the grand jury. When prosecutors recently asked her to return a third time, sources say, Dozoretz balked. Her lawyer says she will invoke the Fifth Amendment. One area of interest to the prosecutors: a secret airport meeting that Dozoretz had with Avner Azulay, a former Mossad agent who was quarterbacking Rich’s efforts to win the pardon. The meeting may be significant because Dozoretz never informed Rich’s chief pardon lawyer, Jack Quinn, about her own talks with Azulay. Sources say that after receiving immunity last year, socialite Denise Rich told prosecutors her billionaire ex-husband had talked about making generous contributions to the Clinton library if the pardon was granted. (Denise Rich was adamant that she had never passed along the offer to Clinton.) But prosecutors suspect that Dozoretz and Azulay may have discussed prospective library contributions at the meeting. Tom Green, Dozoretz’s lawyer, says any suggestion that the two talked about money was “pure nonsense,” adding that prosecutors were “harassing” Dozoretz. (Azulay, reached in Tel Aviv, declined to comment.) Sources say prosecutors are interested in reindicting Rich for attempted bribery, thereby wiping out the effect of Clinton’s pardon. A lawyer for Rich declined to comment.
