[General] clear one's skirts

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expressions in bold in the following sentence?

I’m not going to be pushed around by any murderer who is trying to clear his own skirts at my expense. (Gardner’s “Shills Can’t Cash Chips”, chapter 14)

push around = treat or threaten to treat roughly, bully,

clear one’s skirts = rehabilitate, restore one’s good name

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V

 

[Rover_KE]

You're right about 'push around'.

'Clear his own skirts' is inknown to me, and Google is no help on the expression either.

Rover