Playlouder - Music is the Network

Carly Simon has explained a little of her part  in one of the great WTF moments of 2008 - Resident Douche's pardon of rapper/producer John Forte.

In an interview with the New York Post, Simon described her relationship with Forte, who went to school with her son Ben Taylor. Their connection, she said, was "instant", and she described him as "a very talented young man".

Forte was caught traveling with 31 pounds of liquid cocaine at Newark Airport in 2000, and was sentenced to a mandatory minimum of 14 years in prison. Simon raised $250,000 for his $650,000 bail, and along with Senator Orrin Hatch played a large part in Forte's pardon, working tirelessly to reduce his sentence. In 2005 Hatch convinced the Justice Department to transfer Forte from a Pennsylvania prison to a facility at Fort Dix, New Jersey, so he could be closer to his family. Arrangements were also made for him to be allowed a guitar in his cell.

"[Hatch] is not just a Republican but also a great human being," Simon told the Post. "He couldn't have been more terrific during this entire process. He was always very impressed with everything that I brought to his attention regarding John."

Forte will be released next month.