August 1, 1994 - Part 9
August 1, 1994 - Part 9
(22:45:17) Senator BOND. Just to finish up very quickly. Ms. Hanson, you have referred to the OGE report that makes it clear that divulging nonpublic information can be prohibited, even sharing it Government official to Government official, unless its advancing a legitimate Government interest. You claim that preparing for the press inquiry is a legitimate Government interest, but even the OGE has said, and as we have gone over today, confirming a press leak can have disastrous consequences. For example, today, even though Mr. Roelle refused to comment and give official sanction to what was in the criminal referral, YOU, in fact, gave us the first confirmation that the Clintons were named as witnesses Ms. HANSON. That's not true, sir. Senator BOND. That is the first Ive heard a Government official state that. I'll be happy to have you Ms. HANSON. That is not true, sir. Senator BOND. I would be happy to have you tell us what other Government officials have confirmed it, but I would conclude my point by saying, the one thing that is prohibited is to advance a purely private interest. In my view, there is no more purely private interest than to give someone, whether Government official or not, a 30-day heads-up on a criminal referral which offers the opportunity to destroy documents, talk to other parties, and to get the stories straight. Ms. HANSON. With respect to the private interest, sir, that was something that the Office of Government Ethics looked into. They concluded that there was no violation of the ethics rules because it was not for a personal benefit. There was-the OGE concluded 188 that there was a legitimate governmental purpose. I'm sorry, Sir, could you please repeat your first question, Senator BOND. You said 0 was not the first public confirmation by a governmental official that the Clintons were named as witnesses in the criminal referral, Please provide me the information because I must have missed it. Ms. HANsON. The information is included in Mr. Sloan's notes that were released yesterday by the Inspector General and have also been released by Congress. Senator BOND. Mr. Sloan is an official in the White House, not an official in the investigating agency. Is that correct? Ms. HANsON. I'm not an official in the investigating agency, sir. Senator BOND. You certainly acted like it. You were designated, and you worked, under the direction of the CEO. The CHAIRMAN. Are you finished? Senator BOND. I'm finished, thank you. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Bennett, you had an item. Senator BENNETT. Thank you. I normally wouldn't stick around for this, but I plan to use it in conversation with Mr. Altman. It comes out of your deposition, so I think it's appropriate that I give you a chance to comment on it before I start quoting it. It is prompted by a statement you made earlier, I've forgotten to whom-it's all beginning to blur together, as I'm sure it is for you-that there was no pressure, of any kind, brought on Mr. Altman as a result of his meeting at the White House. I have trouble with the statement that there was no pressure on Mr. Altman. Let me read to you portions of your deposition that, in my view, demonstrate there was pressure and, then, let you talk about it. That's the point I want to get done tonight. You say, "I recall Mr. Nussbaum"--this is at the meeting at the White House in Mr. McLarty's office. Mr. McLarty is not there, but there's a meeting in his office. "I recall Mr. Nussbaum asking Mr. Altman why be had to do this"!--that is, recuse himself---"and recall Mr. Altman stating that I had"--I, Jean Hanson, General Counsel of the Treasury--"had recommended that he recuse himself, and I stated that Secretary Bentsen had agreed with the recommendation. I recall Mr. Altman saying that it didn't matter, that he held Ellen Kulka in very high regard and had confidence in her, and that any recommendation she brought to him, on this matter, he would certainly follow, so it didn't make any difference if he were involved or not."