August 1, 1994 - Part 7
August 1, 1994 - Part 7
(19:31:10)(Tape #10062 begins) when I viewed a portion of the tape, was because when Mr. Podesta called Mr. Altman and told him about his responses to Senator Bond's questions, Mr. Altman asked me about it, and I had-we had to find a cassette player, a tape player, and find Senator Bond's questions because we didn't have a transcript. Now, why the White House had a transcript on Monday, or a draft on Monday and a transcript on Tuesday, and I didn't nave a copy, to my recollection, I haven't any idea, but that is where I was. In addition, I didn't have a transcript when the letter was written and the letter, as I said before, was intended to deal with one specific issue, that is, the fall meetings. I don't recall having a discussion with Mr. Altman about the recusal issue as it having to that letter, or hearing, that Mr. Podesta bad raised as an issue with Mr. Altman in his conversation. Senator GRAmm. Ms. Hanson, did you ever have any doubt about the fact that there had been a recusal discussion on February 2, 1994? HANSON. No, sir. GRAMM. And yet you beard Mr. Altman say, point-blank, three times. that no discussion had occurred of any subject except 138 the deadline, the February 28, 1994, deadline. I just continue to be puzzled. It's not as if the March 2, 1994, letter ended all this. He wrote another letter on March 3, 1994. He wrote another letter on March, 11, 1994. Not until March 21, 1994, does he mention this issue as part of the February 2, 1994, meeting, Why? Ms. HANSON. Sir, I don't know. As I stated, on March 4, 1994; Grand Jury subpoenas were served. Under instruction from my counsel, I no longer talked with anybody about the Madison matter or worked on the Madison matter. At that point, I still hadn't had an opportunity to read the transcript. I didn't have an opportunity to read the transcript until the weekend after the subpoenas were served. So the answer to your question, sir, is I don't know. Senator GRAmm. I just would like to make the point on this subject, that you're not an employee of the RTC. I guess I can understand filling in for Mr. Altman because be's busy. I understand that. (19:33:45)(End of tape #10061) I have people on my staff that do things for me, trying to fill in for me. I understand that. What I don't understand is, you are the General Counsel of the Treasury Department. These things are your job, and it seems to me that, of all the other issues, having Roger Altman tell this Committee the truth was an important part of your job. He had all these opportunities, after be's been warned by the White House, he, or someone, has watched this tape, two different transcripts are available, yet not until March 21, 1994, does he get around to telling us this. It's something that I don't understand, and it seems to me, by any reading of your job description, that this was part of your job. Ms. HANsON. I disagree, sir. Senator GRAmm. Now, let me Ms. HANsON. I don't think it was my job to physically locate a transcript. I think it was my job to ask for a transcript, which I did, repeatedly. As I stated, why I didn't have one, I don't know. Senator GRAmm. When did you see a transcript? Ms. HANSON. It was later in that week. Senator GRAmm. Why did we not get the letter about the subject matter-the second subject matter of the February 2, 1994, meeting, then, until March 21, 1994?