August 1, 1994 - Part 8
August 1, 1994 - Part 8
(21:50:28) 173 Senator KERRY. I am referring to your working document that came out of your file, which was on your computer, in which you asked yourself a question, "Was anyone else present," and, then, gave yourself the answer, "I believe Cliff Sloan another White House attorney, was there." This was a lawyer--to--lawyer conversation You, asking your own question to yourself. Question: What else did you tell him? Answer: I don't recall I told him anything else. Do you remember that document? Ms. HANSON. Could I have a copy of the document, if you're going to question me on it? Senator KERRY. It's number 4466 and 4467, Exhibit 19. Senator GAMM. What was the date on that, do you know? Senator FERRY. It is a March 1, 1994, document, and it comes out of the computer file. Do we have a copy of it? Do you recognize that now? Ms. HANSON. I don't recall ever seeing the document, in this format, before. Senator KERRY. Do you recall writing these questions to youself? pretty fundamental stuff. This is on March 1, 1994. On This is pre your computer, you're sitting there asking yourself questions which are really a play right off of the Committee. This occurs one day before a letter comes to this Committee, supposedly correcting the record, and two days before Special Counsel Fiske issued a subpoena for all records. As I react this, you ask yourself a question: Question: Who in the Treasury or the RTC knew you had this conversation? Your own answer to yourself, just months before this happening, you say: Answer: I don't recall I told anyone of the conversation. We now know that's not true. You did tell somebody. You told Mr. Altman. Ms. HANSON. Which I still don't recall, but my September 30, 1993, memorandum reflects that I did, that I got back to him. Senator KERRY. You don't recall that you told him that? Ms. HANSON. This is the question Senator KERRY. You do recall that you were asked to have the conversation, because you testified to Senator Gramm that indeed, you never would have gone to the White House if you hadn' been asked. Correct? Ms. HANSON. What I've said is-if I could clarify, please--I wouldn't have spoken with Mr. Nussbaum, about this kind of information, without having been authorized to do so. I did not, however, just so I can clarify, go to the White House to see Mr, Nussbaum on this issue. I went to the White House for a prebriefing, of Mr. Nussbaum and some other people, on the Treasury report on the Waco situation, which was going to be released the following day. So, it was a brief conversation following a meeting on Senator KERRY. I understand that, but in fact, according to the depositions, you bad been asked to call Mr. Nussbaum. You did call Mr. Nussbaum. Mr. Nussbaum was not in. You left a message, so were trying to reach him. You then went to the White he knew you we House. You took advantage of the meeting. You pulled him aside afterwards, and you informed him and, then, wrote a memorandum to Mr. Altman that you had informed him. 174 Here, in your own answers to yourself, not coincidentally, I suspect, at the same time that Mr. Altman sends his first correction to this Committee, you're saying to yourself, "No, you didn't no." No one asked you to have this conversation. You're saying that you had little to add because you knew nothing more about the issue and that you weren't involved in the handling of the press, which is absolutely untrue, because you've testified here all day that you were there to help them deal with the press. So you've got-I'm incredulous that the Counsel to the Treasury is writing herself a series of questions and answers which are so incorrect, so contrary to the testimony, and which flow almost as if you're setting yourself up to take the fall for Mr. Altman or to provide some series of answers that, then, got cut short because of the transference of events. Ms. HANSON. If I could explain, sir. Senator KERRY. That's why I The CHAIRMAN. Before you do--and I'm going to have you explain it. The time has expired. Senator DAmato has said that he'd like Senator Kerry to finish this, so well make that allowance. Why don't you go ahead and give your response. Senator DAMATO. If I might, Ms. Hanson, I have to tell you Senator Kerry has struck with this Senator a very, very responsive chord. I think you ought to think about how that memo came about. What were you trying to do when you were preparing that memo? I stop, I yield there, because it really raises a question in my mind. The CHAIRMAN. You were about to respond, so why don't you go ahead.