August 2, 1994 - Part 8
August 2, 1994 - Part 8
(19:10:37) Senator BOXER. OK. Because, Mr. Chairman, I think it's an important point here that should be made that this was a woman in .a very high position, and if she went to the White House, she didn't always have to be under strict instruction from Mr. Altman and, as he said she didn't only report to him. Now I have one question about what we saw on the videotape. I'm not sure it's necessary that we see it again, Mr. Chairman, but ,let me try to because 'we saw it twice, I think everyone will remember. The question is asked were there any other meetings besides the one that you talked about that you know of attended by anyone in the Treasury or the RTC or whatever the exact words are. looked to me like you turned to Ms. Hanson at that point, she looks like she's shaking her head no. Do you remember what you asked her when you made that quick turn to her? Mr. ALTMAN, I believe that I had finished my answer to Senator Bond's question, which was "not to my knowledge" and I believe I leaned back and said, in effect, "tbat's right, isn't it," or perhaps said there were no such meetings, were there, but she confirmed my answer. Senator BOXER. I think that's very important, Mr. Chairman, because when I watched this tape, I believe that Mr. Altman looks 474 to her just at the point of that question, she appears to shake her bead no, and as I understand it, Mr. Altman remembers now that he double-checked that question with her. Now, what happened after that meeting is she says she knew you hadn't given complete testimony and she couldn't do anything about it because she couldn't get the transcript from the Committee, Do you remember anything about her asking you, saying to you "Roger" or 'Mr. Altman" or whatever she-or "boss" or whatever she called you, did she' Mr. ALTMAN. "Roger." Senator BOXER. Did she say to you, "Roger, I'm having trouble getting this transcript from the Committee, and I think it's very important that we make these changes," do you have any recollection of that? Mr. ALTMAN. No, she did not do that, Senator. If I can also say so, if I can also say, nor did anyone else. There were quite a number of Senator BOXER. I don't want to get into other people because she's told this Committee under oath that this was a priority for her. She couldn't understand why she couldn't get this transcript. She also said that when she prepared these notes that said that you never told her to go to the White House, that in fact when she prepared it, that was her recollection then, but then several months later under questioning by Ethics, she suddenly remembers that, in fact, you bad told her so. I thank you for your answers. Mr. ALTMAN. Thank you, Senator. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Boxer. Who is next on your side? Senator Roth. Senator ROTH. Mr. Chairman, first for the purposes of the record, I would like to make reference to the Office of Government Ethics Report, which was issued on Sunday. Mr. Altman, on a number of occasions, has referred to that report as clearing his actions. So I think it is important to see just exactly what the OGE report says. For example, regarding the September 29 meeting-let me quote the report. It says, "it is unclear from the report what Mr. Altman's role in the disclosure of September 29 may have been. He stated that he does not recall having told Ms. Hanson to make the disclo- sure to Mr. Nussbaum, and be does not recall having received Ms. Hanson's memorandum of September 30. "Ms. Hanson's memorandum to him noting the completion of the task she felt he bad directed does not provide assistance in analyzing what his state of mind may have been at the time any direction may have been given." Then it goes on to say, "we feel there is insufficient information to enable us to provide you with any further analysis of Mr. Altman's participation in this disclosure, if any." The point I'm making is that the report does not give the clearcut clearance that Mr. Altman seemed to be claiming.