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August 2, 1994 - Part 10
(00:40:47) His recusal had no impact one way or the other on what did happen or is happening today with the investigation. The only issue before us and it's a legitimate issue and it goes to the question of improper conduct is bow the issue of recusal impacts the question have happened or what was in the process conceiv-ably of happening with respect to the White House on this issue. So I conclude your failure to recuse certainly didn't affect the case, But now you have repeatedly said, Mr. Altman, and I'm truly puzzled about it and I want to explore this and what I can't finish in this round I will finish in my own round. When you went to the---- you have repeatedly described this as a hard decision, and obviously characterized as a bard decision because Josh Steiner's diaries characterize it as that. You repeatedly have said it was about a hard decision. Why was it a hard decision, what was hard about deciding to recuse yourself? 518 Mr. ALTMAN. First of all, I had been made aware that there no legal requirement to recuse that there was no ethical re ment to recuse, and the recusal decisions typically are taken a matter is ready for decision which this one wasn't. So it's no quired legally, it's not required ethically, and it's not timely either. I think, Senator, the Office of Government Ethics makes clear why this is a hard decision. It is implicitly critical of me for having done it. Now, I just think it's hard to know when whether you have a duty to serve as the Office of Government Ethics Report suggests or whether you ought to recuse as they say because it's convenient Senator KERRY. But you had already decided not to serve. Every. thing you have Mr. ALTMAN. They mean serve-well, I think they mean to serve in a legal sense. Senator KERRY. You had decided not to serve in any sense you were not going to make a decision. You were not going to receive information. You were not going to affect the case. You had decided effectively, as you called it yourself, a de facto recusal. Why, there- fore, was it hard to go beyond a de facto recusal and do a real de jure recusal? What was hard about that? to Mr. ALTMAN. It was just a purely personal matter. It seems me when you are told you don't need to do it legally, and you don't need to do it ethically, and it's not timely to do it anyway, you do say to yourself how important is it that I do it. I wouldn't have asked the advice that I asked from several different people if I had my mind made up. I didn't, and that was the day before February 2 that I asked for that advice. Senator KERRY. My time is up. I'm going to put that into a larger context. Mr. ALTMAN. Again, given the chance to do it all over again, I would have recused myself right off the bat. Senator KERRY. I understand but I want to get to this because I think it's central to why we're here and I will come back to it in my next round. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Bond. Senator BOND. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Altman we have gone past this question a number of times. I asked you who told the White House of the criminal referrals and you stated that no one in the RTC to your knowledge had done so. There have been questions about correcting the record. As far as I can tell, you have not bad an opportunity to correct the record.,, What, for the record, is the proper answer to that question I asked you on February 24? Mr. ALTMAN. Senator, as you know, I said not to my knowledge. That was 100 percent truthful at the moment I said it. I received a call from Mr. Podesta. He said what about those fall meetings I said I never heard of them. He confirms that I said that. I then go through the exercise I mentioned to you in terms of calling in Ms. Hanson, Mr. Steiner what about these meetings. They didn't ;say, oh, you knew about them, didn't you, they didn't say that. I then called Senator Riegle which I thought was the right to do and I called you, which was the right thing to do. I say learned about them, I want you to know that because you, Senator 519 Bond, had asked me the question. And I'm immediately going to amend the record and I did. I prepared a letter with the help of others and Ms. Hanson approves the letter. Now Senator BOND. That's all the process, but your March 2 letter is
Of All Things #58: Butterflies
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August 2, 1994 - Part 10
(00:45:35) Mr. ALTMAN. I'm sorry, Senator, I might not be following you. Senator BOND. In your March 2 -letter, you said "I have learned today of two conversations which did take place between Treasury staff and White House personnel on this matter. My information is that both related to the handling of press inquiries." The fact of the matter is that Jean Hanson, General Counsel of the Treasury, advised the White House; is that correct? Mr. ALTMAN. When I wrote this, let me explain to you carefully what had happened Senator BOND. You now have lots of additional information. I'm just trying to get the record corrected. Mr. ALTMAN. Today I believe that's the case. Senator BOND. Did she do so at your request or did she do so solely on her own initiative? Mr. ALTMAN. She's used the tasked her to that assignment. term, as you know, that she feels I I don't believe I did. I don't believe I would have tasked her. I think I would have remembered if I did. Senator, if I could say one thing, just personally to you, I've heard from a number of sources that you felt particularly misled about the communication I bad with you that evening. I hope one of the things I've done here tonight, because I have a lot of respect 'for you, is to have explained to your satisfaction that when I called you and told you I just learned about those meetings, that was the truth. Senator BOND. At the time you called me, Mr. Altman, I was willing to accept that. Since that time, having achieved the opportunity to have more information, I have some real questions about it. You indicated in your testimony today that, when you gave that first answer to me, no one had contacted the White House to your knowledge. You turned to Ms. Hanson and got a confirmation of the accuracy. When you turned- you said at that point she con,,firmed that there had been no advice given to the White House. You further stated that Ms. Hanson precleared the letter Mr. ALTMAN. Yes. Senator BOND. -The letter that you sent to Chairman Riegle on arch 2 was precleared by her. Mr. ALTMAN. Yes, that's my understanding and I've been told by least one person who witnessed it that that indeed is confirmed. Senator BOND. And then you state in your testimony today that was Mr. Podesta on, I thought it was March 1, but you say here March 2, Mr. Podesta was the one who told you of the two other meetings? Mr. Mr. AL TMAN. Yes, sir, be did. Senator BOND. Now, it appears that you have been badly misled Ms. Hanson Hanson. She misled you, according to your testimony, when confirmed that the answer you gave me was correct in that was no advice on the criminal referrals given to the White that fair? 520 Mr. ALTMAN. I'd like to put this in a moment's worth of perspective Ms. Hanson, herself, I believe, said yesterday that recollection was refreshed after this March 2 letter and that find A's, I guess they were, which she prepared which said hadn't asked her to go to the White House, indeed, were she thought about it more. So extrapolating that, I'm sure when she confirmed my sitting here that she did so honestly. I know Jean Hanson she a very honest person. And she recalled something different later time, I guess. Senator BOND. Well, if Jean Hanson really did act on her 0 and if she, as you've stated today, misled you in confirming answer to the question Mr. ALTMAN. Senator, I don't mean to say that she misled I don't mean to say that. I think that she believed what she was correct. Senator BOND. Then we have her testimony and your testimony And what we're faced with Mr. ALTMAN. But, Senator, when you asked me a question---I really want to be as strong as I can on this, When you asked the question, I gave you my answer, not to my knowledge. I turned to Ms. Hanson, you saw it on a tape, and she confirmed it. Now I think if you look at the tape Senator BOND. You have stated that's what's happening, we could not tell. You have stated that's what's happening. Mr. ALTMAN. I believe that's what occurred at that time. But I'm still concerned that you're not sure whether I answered you straight up. Senator BOND. That is correct. Mr. ALTMAN. I don't know what I can do more than I've said, today to assure you of that.
George Bush at Press Conference
George Bush at Press Conference. Bush is apparently responding to questions about Watergate tape erasures and how he'd rather take the high road and talk about 'fundamentals' of world peace than media-fueled party in-fighting. WS Bush seated alone at table. MS and CU of reporter taking notes. Audio in at 30:47 and a little muddled: "...Uh, the day after there was a breakthrough on the middle east. And I walked into the press conference and that was two days after the tape erasure thing. And they said would you mind commenting on the news, and I said well I think it's great, I really am very pleased, and they said well, what do you mean, and I said don't you think it's marvellous that we're going to have a separation of forces, that for the first time in years that this world may be closer to peace? And they said no not that news (very animated here) tell us about the tape erasure. And I said no I'd rather tell you about this one and I think I'm dealing with much more in the way of fundamentals. You know those guys are dealing more with the headlines of the moment - you know - little things to pit me against the president or the party or some republican, you know everybody is probing around to find somebody who's gonna take a slug at the president, particularly if he's a republican, we'll they're not gonna get me to do that."
Dallas Fort Worth Airport just before it Opened in 1974.
Various airport scene just prior to the opening of Dallas-fort Worth airport on Jan. 13 1974. People gathered around ticket counter, American Airlines plane landing (nice). baggage inspection close-ups, people opening bage, suitcases for inspection. LS control tower, tram - zoom out, shuttle bus. Control tower in heavy fog, American Airlines jet sitting in fog. Airport interior - loking at American Airlines jet through window at the gate. More shots of airport in heavy fog. Interior WS airport terminal gates - waiting passengers. Eastern Airlines jet taxiing on runway. Fogged in control tower, tram, Southwest Airlines jet at gate. Southwest airlines ticket counter. Overhead shot baggage handler loading baggage. Tracking shot from car POV approaching airport. Sign: Important Notice: DFW opens January 13. Sign: Ticketing and reservations. CU control tower, zoom out. Int. empty ticket counters. Sign; TO All Planes. WS ext. empty gates. Interior - behind ticket counters. WS ext empty tarmac and gates. Interior - empty gifst shop and sign. Sign: Sign: Barber. Sign; Closed, please call again. Another WS ext of empty tarmac and gates.