August 3, 1994 - Part 3
August 3, 1994 - Part 3
(13:10:33) And he didn't have the courage and the guts to stand up to Bernie Nussbaum and say to him, I am recusing myself. That meant taking himself out, keeping himself from one case because he wanted tole part of that power structure. And, Mr. Secretary, you look at the record, it's undeniable, he runs over to the White House. Whether he did it through Ickes or Maggie Williams or runs over the next day to say, I'm on the team, boys, don't worry, here I am, I'm part of the team. And that fact is indisputable. Then 3 weeks later, he'd have you think we should pat him on the back because he finally came to the decision on February 25th, and of course he announced it first to The New York Times because an editor called him up and told him, we're going to beat the heck out of you and he said, well, I want you to know that I'm recusing myself. And then all heck breaks loose. Then we get the White House sending around memorandums, doing detailed memos, Mr. Secretary-and you're not aware of this-ascertaining who will now control, since he has recused himself, who will now control and be the decisionmaker as it relates to Whitewater. And that's why I think Members on this, in this Committee, Democrats and Republicans, share a very real concern for the manner in which lie discharged his responsibilities and for the manner in which he testified and failed to testify. And let me tell you, we've had people who have been indicted for far less for withholding-Elliott Abrams-for withholding information, let alone answering untruthfully. 60 If you read that record, you can only come to one conclusion. He withheld information, information that he had, lie withheld it even when he had an opportunity, was advised to correct the record and thereafter he, in addition, answered untruthfully. I thank the Chairman and I thank the Secretary. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Secretary, thank you for your appearance today. And you've answered our questions directly and I think fully and we appreciate that. You've been asked by some Members to review some things and I trust you'll do that in due course. Secretary BENTSEN. Thank you. The CHAIRMAN. Committee stands in recess. We'll reconvene. The Committee will reconvene at approximately 2:00. We're set, 2:00 p.m. is our start time. I know there is a vote in the meantime. The Committee tstands in recess. (13:12:59) [Recess.]