By Shannon McCaffrey
Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, Sept. 21, 1999; 12:31 p.m. EDT

WASHINGTON –– In a letter to a Democratic lawmaker, President Clinton today denied that political considerations played a role in his decision to grant clemency to 14 Puerto Rican nationalists.

He also defended invoking executive privilege in refusing to provide a House inquiry with documents related to the decision and said the "extremely lengthy sentences" the prisoners were serving was a major factor in his decision.

The president spelled out his position in a letter to Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., as a House committee opened a hearing into the clemency grants.

Critics have suggested the clemency was aimed at boosting first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's popularity among the 1.3 million Puerto Ricans who live in New York, where she is contemplating a bid for the Senate in 2000.