Advanced Search
July 18, 1995 - Part 2
(12:00:43) The second question relates to the July 26 discovery by Mr. Neuwirth of the presence of the torn-up note in Mr. Foster's briefcase. Mr. Neuwirth reportedly blanched upon discovering it, and immediately told Mr. Nussbaum about the note's existence. So here, at long last, was the note that everybody had been looking for. A note from a highly-placed official who worked closely with the President on sensitive, nationally important matters. Why did Mr. Nussbaum wait 26 hours before telling President Clinton about the discovery of the note? Why did Mr. Nussbaum wait a total of 30 hours before telling the appropriate law enforcement officials about the discovery of the note? My concerns about Mr. Nussbaum's delay are justified, Mr. Chairman, as the Department of Justice itself has conducted an obstruction of justice investigation on these very questions. It is, therefore, my hope that these hearings will yield answers to the troubling questions that my colleagues and I have raised here this morning, and provide some resolution to the circurmstances surrounding the sad and tragic death of Mr. Foster. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator. It was my intent to continue to move forward, as some of my colleagues have urged, with a degree of speed but not unduly, but I don't think we would be doing our job if we did not attempt to examine Mr, Hubbell and even see if we could finish with the questioning. So I'm now going to ask that Mr. Hubbell step forward for the purpose of being sworn in. [Witness sworn in.] 41 Mr. Hubbell, let me first, if I might, ask if you would identify the person sitting with you. SWORN TESTIMONY OF WEBSTER HUBBELL FORMER ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY GENERAL U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Mr. HUBBELL. Yes, Sitting with me is Laura Shores, who is an attorney with the law firm of Howrey & Simon, who represented me be ore the Independent Counsel. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Hubbell, first, I would like to welcome you to the hearing, but I also think it's fair to say that we want to thank you for your cooperation, for not only appearing here voluntarily, but for voluntarily appearing in 2 days of depositions before the Committee staff, the professional staff of the Committee on both sides, to give your testimony and to give your depositions. My sense of your testimony in the depositions is that you have tried to be fair, candid, cooperative and forthcoming, and I believe that needs to be said publicly. We are particularly appreciative of your appearance during a very difficult period in your own life, and we are appreciative, once again, of your cooperation. Mr. HUBBELL, Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Sarbanes, if you would like to make any statement Senator SARBANES. I have nothing. The CHAIRMAN. -if not, 1 would ask Mr. Chertoff, Counsel to the Majority, if he would conduct his part of the review. Mr. CHERTOFF. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Hubbell, welcome. Good morning. I think we're still in the morning, or actually the afternoon now. If you need me to clarify any question or you want an opportunity to talk to your attorney, let me know, we'll give you that opportunity, all right? Mr. HUBBELL. I will do so. Mr. CHERTOFF. Mr. Hubbell, would you briefly describe to the Committee your professional background and experience up until the time you came to Washington with the President in 1993. Mr. HUBBELL. OK. I graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1973 and, upon doing so, joined the Rose Law Firm, where I practiced in the litigation section of that firm until I left the firm briefly to serve as the Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court in 1984. After I left the Supreme Court, I returned to the Rose Law Firm and stayed there until I came to Washington on January 20, 1993, primarily practicing in the litigation section for all of my career.
July 18, 1995 - Part 2
(12:10:36) Mr. CHERTOFF. Now, in the beginning of 1993, a number of you from the Rose Law Finn went to Washington, Can you tell us, other than the obvious fact that Mrs. Clinton went to Washington, who left the firm to take various positions with the Clinton Administration? Mr. HUBBELL. Vince left the firm to become Deputy White House Counsel. I left to become an Assistant to the Attorney General in the Justice Department, Within a month, Bill Kennedy came to be an Associate Counsel in the White House. Mr. CHERTOFF. Let's turn, first, to your career at the Department of Justice. I'd like to focus your attention really on the period 1993, from the time you arrived in Washington up through June or July of 1993. How did you come to be appointed to a position within the Department? Mr. HUBBELL. I had been asked by the President whether I was willing to come to Washington and be a part of the Administration. He initially asked me to visit with Zoe Baird to see if there was a fit. I interviewed with Zoe Baird in early January, and she asked that I join the Department of Justice with her and be available on January 20, Mr. CHERTOFF. Now, we all know that ultimately Zoe Baird didn't become the Attorney General. At the point in time that Janet Reno became Attorney General, did you assume a position in the hierarchy of the Department of Justice? 44 (12:12:06)(tape #10109 ends)
Boat and ship coming and going
Small boat and garage
Boat in lake in Arizona
Man buying boat
Painting a boat
Reel #1 Ocian - cat. (boat) - crew
Reel #1 Ocean - cat. (boat) - crew (80 Ft.) Reel #2 Power boat/ocean/U.S. Flagman in water (55 Ft.)
Night - motorboat
Men working on small boat
Small boat - harbor
Man pulling raft
Ships and harbors - passengers- liners depart - ships in harbor
Harbor with bustling waterfront
Fireboat, spreading water in San Francisco harbor
Woman on bleachers awaiting parade
July 18, 1995 - Part 2
(12:05:40) Mr. CHERTOFF. Am I correct that at one period of time you were the Mayor of Little Rock? Mr. HUBBELL. Yes. The Mayor of Little Rock is a nonpaying position in Little Rock, at least it was up until a year ago, and I served on the city board of Little Rock for 6 years, 1978 through 1984, and served as Mayor for 2 years. Mr. CHERTOFF. During tile 1980's, how large a law firm was the Rose Law Firm? 42 Mr. HUBBELL. The law firm grew from a firm of about 20 lawyers in the beginning of the 1980's to a firm of approximately 50 lawyers by the end of 1990. Mr. CHERTOFF. How many of those were partners? Mr. HUBBELL. Approximately 30 by the end of 1990. Mr. CHERTOFF. When did you first meet Vincent Foster? Mr. HUBBELL. I first met Vincent Foster when I interviewed with the firm in early 1973 and then officially met him when I joined the firm in May 1973. 1 may have met Vince-we crossed in law school, but he was 2 years ahead of me and I didn't socialize with Vince at that time. Mr. CHERTOFF. After you joined the firm, did you become good friends with Mr. Foster? Mr. HUBBELL. Yes, I did. We practiced in the same area for a long period of time, we shared secretaries, and we worked on cases together until we both came up here. Mr. CHERTOFF. Did you come to learn some of the details of his background? Mr. HUBBELL. Yes, I consider Vince a very, very good friend, and I knew a lot of his educational background and we shared a lot. We shared a lot of good times. We grieved together. We worked together. It was a constant communication over a period of almost 20 years. Mr. CHERTOFF. Did you come to learn that, in fact, Mr. Foster had graduated at the top of his class at law school and had passed out first on the bar exam? Mr. HUBBELL. Yes, he did. He was also managing editor of the Arkansas Law Review. Mr. CHERTOFF. Did you also come to learn that way back when he was a little boy he was in kindergarten with the future President of the United States and the future Chief of Staff to the White I-louse? Mr. HUBBELL. Yes, they all grew up in Hope, and Vince and Mack both graduated from Hope High School. Mr. CHERTOFF. During the period of time up until 1993, was Mr. Foster active in politics when he was at the firm? Mr. HUBBELL. Vince was always behind the scenes. He worked and helped the President. He never had an active role in anyone's campaign, other than many of us played active roles in various judicial campaigns. Mr. CHERTOFF. What area of legal practice did Mr. Foster specialize in? Mr. HUBBELL. Litigation, civil litigation. Mr. CHERTOFF. That involves going to court and arguing appeals and things of that sort? Mr. HUBBELL. That's correct. He did not do any criminal work, but he did civil litigation for at least 22 years. Mr. CHERTOFF. Now I'd like to ask you about a few other people who at some point became partners at the firm, Was there a point at which Hillary Rodham Clinton joined the law firm? Mr. HUBBELL. Yes, Hillary Clinton joined the firm in 1977 when her husband was sworn in as Attorney General of Arkansas. Mr. CHERTOFF. When did she become a partner at the firm? 43 Mr. HUBBELL. Either 2 or 3 years later she became, what we call members of the firm because we were a corporation, but they're the same as partners in many other firms. Mr. CHERTOFF. Now, what was her area of legal practice? Mr. HUBBELL. She was also in the litigation section and worked on cases with Vince and I and others. Mr. CHERTOFF. What about William Kennedy? Mr. HUBBELL. Bill Kennedy was with the firm. He actually came, I believe, before Hillary did, or about the same time. Then he left the firm to become-he had worked for Senator McClellan and he came up to be Senator Hodges' Chief of Staff. After Senator Hodges' term was up, he came back to the firm. lie was initially in the litigation section with Vince and Hillary and 1, but in the late 1970's he switched and started doing securities and banking work. Mr. CHERTOFF. Now, am I correct that by the late 1980's, you and Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Foster were working together in the litigation department or section of the firm? Mr. HUBBELL. Yes, we were. Mr. CHERTOFF, Is it fair to say that you had occasion, the three of you, to work together on various cases? Mr. HUBBELL. Yes, we worked, the three of us, on cases together and obviously two of us on big cases together and we were very good friends. Mr. CHERTOFF. I assume, also, from a professional standpoint you had occasion to talk among yourselves even about the cases each of you was working on individually. Mr. HUBBELL. That's correct, both going to lunch together in various partner's offices, talking about the work that we were each doing.
Mardi Gras
On CS-16-562 Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans. Costumes, crowds, parades, revelers, stage shows, royal court festivities, etc.
New Orleans skyline (night)
New Orleans (1977)
Mardi Gras
New Orleans water front
Loading Cotton on Ship
Preview Cassette 213663 New Orleans- French Quarter. Ships being loaded with Cotton, Dept. of Agriculture.