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August 2, 1994 - Part 5
(16:25:45) There was only one discussion which related to the RTC investigation itself and factors which could affect its outcome. That was the discussion of generic alternatives facing the RTC in regard to the expiring statute of limitations. On February 24, Senator Domenici asked me if there were other contacts beyond the February 2 meeting. My response was, in effect, that I'm not counting bumping into someone in the ball or debating stories in the morning newspapers. This clearly indicated that there may have been other contacts, but that I regarded them as incidental. Had Senator Domenici or any other Member of the Committee then asked me to review any other contacts, I would have done my best, Senator Domenici, to recall them. But those additional contacts after February 2, indeed, were incidental. They could not have bad any bearing whatsoever on the case. They had nothing whatever to do with the RTC investigation. But in the days and weeks following my testimony, it became clear that any contacts which could be remotely tied to the catchall term "Whitewater" could be regarded differently. And as a result, I carefully reviewed my calendar, my telephone calls, and incidental contacts with White House personnel. I wanted to bend over backward to be as complete as possible. I amended the record to include other incidental contacts, although I did not then and I do not today consider them related to the substance of Madison, Initially, there was a brief telephone call to Mr. McLarty a few days after the February 2 meeting to the effect that I was still considering the issue of recusal. Similarly, around the same time, I had a brief discussion with Harold Ickes to tell him essentially the same thing. Those brief conversations on recusal could not, under any circumstances, have bad a bearing on the case. They could not, under any circumstances, have had a bearing on the case. I bad already removed myself from any possible role on the case. I Finally, the record was also amended to advise the Committee that I had a brief discussion with Mr. Ickes the night before my testimony. I told him that I intended to announce during my test' mony that I was stepping down as CEO of the RTC, as I Id, in-deed, announce the next day. Members of the Committee, that bad nothing to do with the RTC investigation of Madison. Around the same time, I literally ran into Mr. Nussbaum in a corridor of the White House. He told me the Administration would soon be submitting its nominee for permanent RTC head. That had nothing to do with the RTC investigation of Madison either, but I 414 nevertheless amended the record on a voluntary basis so that there would be no question. Some think that I consciously failed to mention these other inci- dental contacts. That isn't true. When we were here 5 months ago, I believed that I was res ponding properly to the questions. I assure you, Mr. Chairman, in the most heartfelt way, that there was no intent to mislead this Committee. Questions also have been raised as to why the subject of recusal was not included in the February 24 testimony. I was not asked about recusal. There were sever Q's and A's in my briefing book on recusal. A team of 10 or 15 members of Treasury and RTC staff helped to prepare them. Had there been any attempt to intentionally withhold information on the recusal, one surely wouldn't have rehearsed answers on that subject with such a large group. Had I been asked about recusal, I would have responded rightly. Senator DAmato and I had a conversation the night before my testimony. Among other things, he said he was going to ask me about recusal. Neither he nor any other Member WE Committee did ask me about recusal. While I have reservations about Mr. you heard his testimony this Steiner's diary, as you can imagine, morning, it confirms the view that recusal wasn't asked. I did not mention recusal in my testimony because I did not think it was responsive to the question I was asked. Members of the Committee, I may have been wrong in this regard, but I had no intention to mislead or withhold information form this Committee. I believed at the time that the Committee was interested in knowing whether Treasury or the RTC had improperly provided information on the substance of the Madison case.
Man Planting in Garden/Misc. F
12-21 thru 12-23 combined on one reel Planting in dry soil, men planting trees, pruning. Kumquats on tree, plums on tree, plums being dried, grapes on display. Man works in his garden
Potato Industry, Spinach, Sugar
ON PREVIEW CASSETTE 216543 CS-16-014 (14-11 thru 14-23) Sacks of Potatoes being unloaded from boxcars (Southern Pacific Lines). Close-up (good, weird shot) of huge potatoes, hand holding one, sacks of potatoes being moved by hand truck. (over) Peeled potatoes on conv. belt,potatoes being cleaned, potatoes being gathered in field, potatoes in boxcars, close-ups of picked spinach, spinach field, machine that picks spinach, workers picking spinach, sugar beets riding up conv. belt, carrots in H2O. * Good shot of man (50's) chopping side of beef, man in lab weighing white powder, celery being packed into box, workers picking tomatoes, lettuce. Processing lettuce, cantaloupes being picked. Potatoes and cherries being processed and canned. Stock boy in grocery store( good shot) stacking apples. Green beans being picked, farmer in his bean field inspecting plants, hydroponic indoor garden (lab?), close-up of pickled green beans.
August 2, 1994 - Part 5
(16:30:26) That was what was in my mind as I heard that question. I was anxious to tell this Committee, as the videotape shows, that I informed the White House only about the generic procedures the RTC would employ in such circumstances and about nothing else relative to the Madison case. Indeed, I remember saying' "that was the whole conversation" and what I meant by that was that was the whole conversation with respect to what I believed was the substance of the case. No one asked me to describe everything that happened at the February 2 meeting . Had they, I would nI Id not and I still do not consider recusal to touch upon the see the Committee my answer. I asthat it was not my intent to mislead or to Indeed, I had with me on February 24 in my briefing book a series of question and answers on recusal which I Weis prepared to give in response to questions about recusal. And I had anticipated being asked directly about recusal, just as Ricki Tigert had been by the Committee a few weeks earlier, but I was asked no such questions. 1 have read news accounts of a battle over my recusal. The total discussions which I had on recusal with White House personnel consumed approximately 10 or 15 minutes. I said that I'd been advised to recuse -myself and I intended to take that advice. I didn't say when. No one asked me not to recuse myself. Mr. Steiner's diary points out that, after the February 2 meeting, everyone knew RTC investigation of Madison. Now, of course, I Members may feel that I was being too precise in sure the Committee with old information 415 that I wasn't going to play any role in this case. Yes, I did waver on timing, but I did execute the recusal 3 weeks later. In closing, I would like to reiterate the key facts. Three separate investigations have concluded that no legal or ethical violations occurred. Three separate investigations. No one interfered in any way with the Madison case nor improperly imparted information on it. I believe that my testimony of February 24 was truthful. I hope that these points and the answers I'll now provide to your questions will satisfy this Committee that my conduct was proper. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. Altman. Let me just indicate that a vote has started on the Senate Floor. Mr. Altman's attorney has asked us to permit a viewing of the February 24 testimony before this Committee when these questions were asked to you and your responses, and I think it will be useful for us to see the actual videotape of those exchanges. I think we'll hold off on that until the second bells have started, until we've voted, and then we'll commence with the questioning. I want to say one other thing before starting the question period, and I want to say that in a personal vein, and I know Senator D'Amato may have a personal comment to make, too. We've known each other over a long period of years. We've worked together on other issues in the past. This is not a happy occasion for any of us, Going back to the meeting before this Committee when the questions were asked and the answers were provided, we were left with a very, I think, inadequate situation. So much so that the Special Counsel, Mr. Fiske, decided upon the basis of the responses that day to go ahead and commence an investigation himself which he did by subpoenaing a number of people and taking them before the Grand Jury. Now, we're coming along behind his review in that area in terms of trying to clear up the record for ourselves. So it has been kind of a long and winding road from that hearing, when you were before us, and we'll have the chance to look at the exchanges and then we can go into the questions at that time. We'll do so as soon as we come back. The Committee stands in recess for about 15 minutes. (16:34:52) [Recess.] (16:34:54) Commentary of hearings hosts DON BODE and NINA TOTENBERG, they also to talk to SARAH FRITZ of the Los Angeles Times and of STEVE ROBERTS U.S. News and World Report