August 2, 1994 - Part 7
August 2, 1994 - Part 7
(18:45:10) Mr. ALTMAN. I testified to the best of my ability on February 24, and I testified truthfully. I don't know what Mr. Steiner meant by that, but as you know, I amended the record to include four contacts, which I believe were incidental, which had nothing to do with the RTC investigation of Madison. And in -my response to Senator Domenici, I believe, I indicated that there may have been other contacts,, and I think the effect of my words was they were incidental, but the contacts that I subsequently described in amending the record had nothing to do with the RTC investigation of Madison. For example, the night before my testimony, I advised Mr. Ickes that I was going to announce that I was stepping down as RTC Chairman on March 30. That has nothing to do with the RTC investigation of Madison. I ran into Mr. Nussbaum in a corridor, and he advised me that the Administration would shortly have its nomination coming forward to this Committee for purposes of the permanent RTC Chairmanship. That has nothing to do with the RTC investigation of Madison. I supplemented the record in an effort to bend over backward to provide to Senator Riegle and the Committee information which I thought the Committee might want to have, but I testified to one substantive contact about the RTC investigation of Madison, and I believe that's true. senator SASSER. Now, let me ask you about another matter of some relevance here. You've been asked about many matters that, frankly, I don't think have much relevance, to be perfectly candid about it, but I want to ask you about a matter that perhaps does have some relevance. 443 In the February 2 meeting at the White House in Mack McLarty's office-I believe the meeting took place there--you telephoned - Mr. McLarty to set up the meeting, did you not? Mr. ALTMAN. Yes, sir. Senator SASSER. But Mr. McLarty was not present there. The meeting was simply held in his office. Mr. ALTMAN. No, sir, be was not present. I believe the meeting was held in his office. Senator SASSER. And among the participants there was Mr. Nussbaum and also Harold Ickes. Mr. ALTMAN. Yes, sir. Senator SASSER. Now, did you inform the participants at this February 2 meeting to the---or did you tell them with regard to Madison that it was "unlikely the investigation could be completed and a recommendation made by the General Counsel prior to the expiration of the statute of limitations," which would have occurred on February 28? Mr. ALTMAN. No, sir, I did not. I am sure that I did not. Senator SASSER. Well, did you say anything of that sort or anything similar to it? Mr. ALTMAN. I have here a copy of the talking points for the meeting, which Senator Riegle earlier provided to me, and it reads as follows: "It is not certain when the anal ysis will be completed, but it will be before February 28." 1 think that explicitly refutes this notion that we somehow provided them some improper information about inability to complete the investigation. It will be completed before February 28. Senator SASSER. Let me ask you this: The statute of limitations had been extended before on at least one occasion. Did you anticipate the statute of limitations would be extended once again beyond February 28? Mr. ALTMAN. I did not anticipate that on February 2, Senator, no. Senator SASSER. Mr. Steiner said-I think Mr. Steiner said he anticipated it would be extended once again, as the President ultimately did extend it, but you did not believe that to be the case on February 2. Mr. ALTMAN. No, sir, on February 2, 1 don't believe I was aware of the prospects for extending the statute. My recollection is that the Congress dealt with that very quickly. I only recall becoming aware of that a day or two before the Congress actually passed it. Senator SASSER. Why in the world, Mr. Altman, would. Harold Ickes make the statement that you allegedly said, and I quote, "it's "likely that the investigation could be completed and a recommendation made by the General Counsel prior to the expiration Of the statute of limitations"? Where could Harold Ickes have gotten that? Mr. ALTMAN. Senator Sasser, I did not say that and let me remind you of the evidence that supports. Senator SASSER. I am not accusing you of it. Mr. ALTMAN. I know. I want to remind you of the evidence that Supports that I did not say that. I just talked about the talking Points. The Office of Government Ethics Report, taking testimony under oath from every one of the participants, found that no 444 nonpublic information was disclosed in that meeting. Mr. Cutler's report and the highly detailed chronology, no such information was given on February 2. Ellen Kulka made perfectly clear that no matter what, she and the RTC would be ready to make a decision by February 28. As I said, you can ask Mr. Ickes yourself when he appears before you. I believe that he did not intend to say that I told the White House the investigation could not he concluded. And as you know,, Ms. Kulka testified yesterday that that was inaccurate.