August 2, 1994 - Part 5
August 2, 1994 - Part 5
(15:51:30) Hearing resumes: AFTERNOON SESSION The CHAIRMAN. The Committee will come back into session and our witness this afternoon will be Mr. Roger Altman. Do you want to come on up to the table, Mr. Altman. Let me just say as you I re being seated that I know you have a statement to make and all the Members of the Committee, I believe, now have a copy of that statement before. them. Let us now, in the normal order of things, ask you to stand and raise your right hand. Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God. TESTIMONY OF ROGER ALTMAN, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY; FORMER ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, RESOLUTION TRUST CORPORATION, WASHINGTON, DC Mr. ALTMAN. I do. The CHAIRMAN. Very good. You have a statement for us and we're going to make the full statement a part of the record. You deliver whatever part of it you want at the outset and then we'll go to questions. Mr. ALTMAN. Good afternoon. The CHAIRMAN. Incidentally, before you begin, let me just say that these mikes sometimes have been working strongly and sometimes not. I would encourage you to pull it as close to yourself as you can so you can be heard throughout the room. Thank you. Mr. ALTMAN. Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, my name is Roger Altman. Senator SHELBY. Mr. Chairman, can he pull the mike. Thank you. Mr. ALTMAN. My name is Roger Altman. On January 21, 1993, 1 was unanimously confirmed by the Senate as Deputy Secretary of the Treasury and have served in that capacity since then. That was the second time I was unanimously confirmed to serve in the Treasury. Over the 4 years of the Carter Administration, I served as Assistant Secretary for Domestic Finance and had the privilege of working closely with this Committee at that time, especially on the Chrysler and on the New York City rescues. I feel privileged to have served in these capacities. Public service has always been an important part of my life, as it was for my parents. Over those years, and in those positions, I may have made some poor decisions or other mistakes, but my integrity has never been questioned. Now, Mr. Chairman, I read that I've already been convicted and sentenced even though the trial hasn't taken place. I hope and I believe today's process will be fairer than that. I intend to demonstrate convincingly that I conducted myself properly, and I testifi- 406 fied accurately and when I finish today, I believe reasonable Members of this Committee will reach the same conclusion. Let me address, first, the very basic issue as to whether a:% effort was made by the Treasury or White House staff to impede or alter in any way the criminal or civil processes of the RTC as they relate to Madison Guaranty. I include within that question the issue of whether any information was improperly imparted to the White House. To the best of my knowledge there was no effort on the part of any White House or Treasury staff to impede or affect in any way the- RTC investigations. Moreover, no Member of the RTC or Treasury staff to my knowledge, improperly imparted any information about Madison Guaranty to the White House. I did not do so myself and I am not aware of anyone else doing so.