August 1, 1994 - Part 2
August 1, 1994 - Part 2
(12:40:40) Senator RoTH. The Office of Government Ethics sets standards of conduct regulations for all Executive Branch employees and defines "nonpublic information" to "include information that the employee knows or reasonably should know is designated as confidential an agency, has not actually been disseminated to the general public, and is not authorized to be made available to the public On request," So, Mr. Roelle, RTC criminal referrals do constitute nonpublic information under the Office of Government Ethics definition. Mr. ROELLE. I would assume so, yes, sir, based on what you've just read to me. . Senator ROTH. And those same Office of Government Ethics standards of conduct regulations prohibit a Federal employee from improperly using "nonpublic information to further his own private 40 interest or that of another, whether through advice or recommendation or by knowing unauthorized disclosure." Mr. Roelle, isn't it correct, then, that this regulation prohibits an employee from disclosing nonpublic information that would further the private interest of another person, even if that person is ill another agency of Government? Mr. ROELLE. Based on what you've read to me, that would be the case, sir. Senator ROTH. Did the Clintons have a private financial interest in Madison Guaranty, which was the subject of these referrals? Mr. ROELLE. I can t get into what I know as a result of the criminal referrals, sir, one way or the other. And other than that, I don't know, Senator ROTH. Let's assume that could be the case. Do you think it was proper for Mr. Altman The CHAIRMAN. Senator Roth, if you will permit me just to say that this falls on the scope screen in terms of, in effect, asking Mr. Roelle either to get into the substance of this, which he's reluctant to do and should not do, or to speculate about the substance of it, and I'm not sure he should be asked to do that. You may want to consider whether you really want to ask him to do that here. Senator ROTH. I have no desire to exceed the scope of the inquiry. Let me ask, Mr. Ryan, are you familiar with Mr. Nussbaum's February 22, 1993, memorandum prohibiting White House staff contacts with independent agencies? Mr. RYAN. No, I'm not, Senator ROTH. Mr. Chairman, I'll reserve the balance of my time. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Roth. Senator Boxer. OPENING COMMENTS OF SENATOR BARBARA BOXER Senator BOXER. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Ms, Kulka, you have a reputation as a very tough and independent litigator and many have told this Committee that in the depositions. Did anyone at any time try to influence you in your job as General Counsel here, vis-a-vis, anything to do with Madison, Whitewater, or any of the areas this Committee is looking at? Ms. KULKA. Other than the correspondence from various Congresspeople, the answer is no. Senator BOXER. If I might pick up on that, you have received letters from various Congresspeople on this matter? What did they suggest in their letters to you? Ms. KULKA. I think early on before I got there and continuing for the next several weeks, there were, first of all, requests for information that was part of our investigation and part of the criminal referrals, repeated requests and demands for that. There were also indications that it was the desire of those Congresspeople that we obtain tolling agreements from a wide variety of people. Senator BOXER. Outside of Members of Congress, no one from the White House or the Treasury tried to influence your handling of this case? Ms. KULKA. That's correct. 41 Senator BOXER. Mr. Ryan, in terms of people trying to influence you, did you ever brief anyone in the White House bout this case. Mr. RYAN. No, I didn't. Senator BOXER. Did an one in the White House ever ask you to be briefed about this case? Mr. RYAN, No, Senator. I've never spoken to anyone in the White House,