August 2, 1994 - Part 7
August 2, 1994 - Part 7
(18:50:55) Senator SASSER. So all of the participants in that meeting, Bernie Nussbaum, yourself, Maggie Williams, who else was in there? Was Ms. Hanson in the meeting? Mr. ALTMAN. Yes, sir. Senator SASSER. Ms. Hanson. Who else other than Mr. ALTMAN, Mr. Nussbaum's Deputy, Mr. Eggleston. Senator SASSER. And Harold Ickes. Harold Ickes is the only one of the whole group that suggests that you indicated it would be unlikely that the investigation could be completed and the civil suit brought before the expiration of the statute of limitations? Mr. ALTMAN. That is categorically false. Senator SASSER. No, no, I said he's the only who said that. Mr. ALTMAN. I'm sorry. Apparently, I've not seen a copy of his deposition. Senator SASSER Right Did Ms. Kulka indicate to you that she would not be able to file a case by February 28, 1994, to your knowledge? Mr. ALTMAN. No, sir. I believe Ms. Kulka, herself, testified the same way before this Committee. Senator SASSER. Affirmatively that she could file the case by February 28? Mr. ALTMAN. Yes, sir. Senator SASSER. So if that's the case of the whole discussion about whether or not the statute of limitations was discussed, there really is not a -matter of great relevance, is it? It would appear to me that's the case. Mr. ALTMAN. We did not provide any nonpublic information. Senator SASSER. My time has expired. Thank you, Mr. Altman. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Sasser. Senator Faircloth. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Altman, you said in your deposition that you had no knowledge of the Madison Guaranty case. You said, and I quote, "I knew nothing about the case whatsoever, nothing about the facts, the merits, the outlook, or anything else about the case." You also said, and again I quote, "I was never given any information about the facts of the case, or the outlook for the case, or the status of the case." Now, that came from page 275 and 399 of your deposition. Is that what you said? Mr. ALTMAN, Yes, Senator, I believe I was specifically referring to the civil side. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Mr. Altman, yesterday Mr. Roelle of the RTC testified here under oath that he told you. in January 1993 about a criminal referral in the Madison Guaranty case that named the Clintons. In your deposition, you said you knew nothing about 445 the case whatsoever. Isn't information about the criminal referral something? Mr. ALTMAN. Senator, I believe my have to check the transcript- related to the civil case which was the only case remaining at the RTC in 1994 or the months preceding our February 2 meeting. Senator FAIRCLOTH. You mean that you knew about the criminal, but that doesn't amount to having any knowledge, just the civil. Mr. ALTMAN. My position is I knew almost nothing about the criminal as well, but I believe the answer you're quoting from had to do with what I knew about the case on February 2, which had to be the civil case. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Mr. Roelle said be told you about the criminal referral. All right. Yesterday, Ellen Kulka testified under oath that she had briefed you on the statute of limitations for civil action in the Madison Guaranty case. Now, she testified here yesterday that she bad briefed you on the civil action. Mr. ALTMAN. Senator, she briefed me on the generic procedures which the RTC follows on any statute of limitations situation and would follow on Madison. There's no knowledge there about the case. Senator FAIRCLOTH. In your deposition, you testified you were never given any information on the status of the case. Isn't being briefed on when the statute of limitations will run out on a particular case information on the status of the case? Mr. ALTMAN. No, sir, it's not. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Ellen Kulka testified here under oath that you were told that there would be difficulty in developing the Madison Guaranty civil case before the statute of limitations ran out. You said in our deposition that you knew nothing whatsoever about the outlook for the case. Isn't knowing that there would be difficulty in meeting the statute of limitations knowing something about the case?