August 2, 1994 - Part 11
August 2, 1994 - Part 11
(01:25:57) Mr. ALTMAN. Well, Senator, honestly speaking, I can't remember precisely what was in my mind, but as I read it now, I think Senator D'Amato's question toils down to why did you have the meeting, and the reason I had the meeting as underscored by my conversation with Mr. McLarty was to talk about these procedures. Now, I guess it could be looked at another way too, but I think that's a fairly reasonable way to look at it, what I just said. 550 The CHAIRMAN. I guess part of it and several people have touched on it, Senator Kerry has touched on it, and others have touched on it, and that is the recusal issue became a very sensitive issue. I mean it was an awkward issue. There was strong opinion expressed about it. I still think Mr. Steiner's diaries are relevant documents in the sense that he reflects in real time a lot Of controversy surrounding this, granted some hyperbole is in the words that he chose and so forth, but he obviously was reflecting, because he wasn't there as you've indicated, the only person that I know of that he talked to about it was you. So whatever flavor you gave to him from that meeting bad to be central to what be was relating to his diary. At least Mr. ALTMAN. I didn't have a chance to see all of Mr. Steiner's tes- timony this morning, so you please correct me, but of course he could have bad conversations with the White House. He has those all the time. And he could have had conversations with Jean Han. son too. The CHAIRMAN. Well, but even if so, let's grant that. If he'd gotten additional comments from others then that would be in a sense the recollections of other people to the fact that this was a heated discussion and that there was a lot of tension associated with it. I think it is fair to conclude, in looking at these questions fully recognizing the awkwardness and the sensitivity of the recusal issue, in deciding to do it and deciding not to do it and then later finally deciding officially to do it, that it ought to have been mentioned here. I think you see that now yourself, don't you. Mr. ALTMAN. Yes, I agree with that, Senator. The CHAIRMAN. It should have been mentioned. I think it's fair to say that that should have been encompassed within the response to the kinds of questions you were being asked. There were a series of questions that came and because it was a major issue, (01:28:32)(tape #10075 ends)