July 29, 1994 - Part 4
July 29, 1994 - Part 4
(14:25:32) Now, I don't want to put you on the spot, Mr. Monroe, but I'm going to say, do you think that it was proper procedure to turn in the -pager without ascertaining if it was a Bravo or Bravo Plus and whether it bad the ability to store messages, even if it was found shut off? Are you going to say that that was proper, that was normal? Would you -- would the FBI have done that under normal circumstances, yes or no? Mr. MONROE. No. Senator D'AMATO. Thank you. The CHAIRMAN. Just a minute, you inadvertently said "at a homicide Senator DAMATO. Excuse me. Let me say, I mean a death. Excuse me. Let me correct the record and I thank my colleague. I did .not mean it in that manner, but where there's a death Mr. MONROE. I do think, Senator, when you're looking at a police department's conduct, you ought to take the overall evaluation, Sir Senator DAMATo The were working under difficult circum- Stances. It was an incredible thing. The body found there, the tragedy it. We understand that, but in fairness to all my 0 leagues, I think one of my colleagues was trying to make the "Point about the pager and whether or not it had the capacity to store information. There are some pagers that do and some that don't-, And so that was the question and it was unfortunate that that was turned over. It's unfortunate about the contamination of the clothing So that made things difficult to ascertain and under circumstances or ordinary circumstances you would have 76 followed, maybe, a different procedure. No one is suggesting that the report that you've prepared-and I have to tell you, I bad some questions at a certain point in time, but after the conclusions and after reading the reports, I am convinced, as my colleagues have stated, that the death took place as indicated, at the park, that it was not a homicide, that it was a suicide, and it was a terrible tragedy. The CHAIRmAN. Senator Faircloth. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Just a quick statement. Senator DODD. Get the microphone. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Excuse me. I know that you two agents are just doing your job, but the exchange with Senator Bond and your inability to answer his questions clearly shows how important it is that Robert Fiske be here to personally be held accountable for his report. I just think it's incumbent that he come and answer for himself That's just a statement. Mr. MONROE, Can I respond to that? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. If you're asking, I think you ought to be allowed to respond. Mr. MONROE. Let me assure you that there were questions posed today that neither myself or Mr. Colombell had direct answers to. The vast majority of questions in those areas are available, and were under the investigation of other agents and they'll be immediately forwarded to this Committee. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Thank you, but that's even still the more reason that Mr. Fiske should be here to answer his own report. You could not conclude that Whitewater-related matters affected Mr. Foster's state of mind, yet the investigation into the removal of Whitewater-related documents from Mr. Foster's office the evening of his death is still incomplete. Could the contents of the documents that were removed from Mr. Foster's office provide valuable evidence as to his state of mind? Mr. MONROE. There were documents that were removed from Mr. Foster's office pertaining to Whitewater. I have not personally reviewed those, but I have been informed that they bad nothing to do at all with Mr. Foster's state of mind and they right now are part of the grand jury testimony, and therefore, I cannot elaborate on that, Senator. Senator FAIRCLOTH. As a professional law enforcement officer, would you infer from the removal of these documents the evening, of Mr. Foster's death after the office was supposed to have been secured, would that constitute an obstruction of justice? Mr. MONROE, I can make no inference there, and that is going to be, and is, part of our continuing investigation, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Let me just say there for a moment, Senator Faircloth, that that is specifically an area that Mr. Fiske has under investigation. He's asked us not to cross into that area. I know you don't intend to do that here, but I should file that point. Senator FAIRCLOTH. No more questions. (14:30:05) The CHAiRmAN. Thank you. The Committee stands in recess until 3:15 p.m. and we'll have the other panel ready to go at that time. [Recess.] (14:30:16) Commentary of KEN BODE and NINA TOTENBERG (14:32:50) WETA logo, PBS funding credits