August 3, 1994 - Part 3
August 3, 1994 - Part 3
(12:55:29) Secretary BENTSEN. Let me say first-the February 1st meeting I have spoken on, I was told by Roger Altman at some later date that he was not recusing himself I don't recall that it was February 3rd. The CHAIRMAN. That's what our records indicate. Secretary BENTSEN. Well, I don't have that recollection. I think an argument can be made, you know, that you have this responsibility and you have to carry it out. The CHAIRMAN. Why is it Mr. Nussbaum's obligation to weigh in on that? What vests him with the authority to step into Mr. Altman's decision on that? Secretary BENTSEN. I assume because he was representing the White House in that situation. The CHAIRMAN. But didn't he have a conflict there because this involved a case that touched the White House? Should he have done that? Secretary BENTSEN. Well, I looked at the Office of Government Ethics report and they say that there was neither criminal-that there was no violation of ethical standards, and they're the experts on that type of thing. The CHAIRMAN. Well, I hear that. Are you comfortable with that? I mean with the situation I've just described. Secretary BENTSEN. Let me tell you, they live and work at that and I'm not going to question their judgment. The CHAIRMAN. I've got to tell you, I'm troubled about it. Secretary BENTSEN, OK The CHAIRMAN. Senator DAmato. Senator DAMATO. Mr. Chairman, you went right to the heart of the matter. I know it wasn't easy for you. It's not easy when you have a colleague with as distinguished a reputation as the Senator. Mr. Secretary, did Josh Steiner convey to you the enormity of the pressure that he saw being placed on Mr. Altman as it related to the issue of recusal? Secretary BENTSEN. No, he did not. That, obviously, I got out of what I saw in his diary. Senator DAMATO. Did you feel, when Mr. Altman came to you the first time and thereafter, several days later-and I understand the sequence is redacted- exactly which date is not there, but our information is on the 3rd, after he came back, you knew he had visited the White House, and he told you that he indicated to them that he had decided not to recuse himself. Did he indicate to you that Mr. Nussbaum or others wanted him to stay on? Secretary BENTSEN. I did not know that he had visited the White House and I don't think he told me that Mr. Nussbaum and others '"'anted him to stay on. I thought he'd made up his mind. When lie 56 was in front of me, I think he was troubled and trying to make up his mind. Senator DAMATO. And when he came back and told you that he had changed his mind, did you tell him that? Secretary BENTSEN. I didn't understand that he changed his mind. I understood that he'd made up his mind. Senator D'AMATO. What did you say to him at that point? Secretary BENTSEN. Acceptance and acknowledgment of what he'd done, made up his mind. Senator D'AMATO, Well, Mr. Secretary, Roger Altman was under your jurisdiction. You knew that he had expressed, obviously, his concern that here was a case that affected the Clintons. It could affect them. It was a possibility. That he was a personal friend of the Clintons. In addition, he was in a unique role working with Mrs. Clinton on-the health task force, and that he was the ultimate decisionmaker. When he initially indicated to you that his inclination was to step aside, you said to him Secretary BENTSEN. No, he didn't indicate that to me and I have said that repeatedly. Senator D'AMATO. He never indicated that to you, but when he told you that he made up The CHAIRMAN. You were-let's let the Secretary finish. You were going to say what he said. Secretary BENTSEN. He was asking for counsel and advice the way I read him. Senator D'AMATO. What counsel did you give him? Secretary BENTSEN. I told him it was his decision , that I didn't know the facts in the case, that he had to make that decision,