August 4, 1994 - Part 3
August 4, 1994 - Part 3
(11:40:13) Mr. MCLARTY. That is correct, Senator. Senator ROTH. Did you recuse yourself through a letter or some other formal process? Mr. MCLARTY. I believe the process was in your filing with the Office of Government Ethics, if I recall, as part of your filing there. I believe it is a recusal letter; I am not sure of the specifies, but I believe that's the process. Senator ROTH. And you did issue such a letter? Mr. McLARTY. Yes. It is my understanding I did. 313 Senator DODD. Would my colleague yield on that for just that on point, Bill? Senator ROTH. Sure. Without losing my time. Senator DODD. That was on a personal-you were personally you were the chief executive officer of Arkla, if I am not mistaken What was your capacity? Mr. MCLARTY. That is correct. Senator DODD. So you had a personal involvement with that par ticular matter before the RTC? Mr. MCLARTY. Well it was not personal. The company was part of the litigation and I felt I should recuse, and I took that step, a well as other recusals, under full disclosure. I think that is part of serving in a public position. Senator DODD. I appreciate that. Senator ROTH. If I could continue, are you still recused? Mr. McLARTY. Yes, sir, I am. I have not participated in any mat ter, or in any way tried to influence or affect any RTC decision Senator. Senator ROTH. In other words, let me ask you, while you are recused, you have received no briefings, or given briefings about the RTC? Did you make telephone calls about the RTC, or participate in discussions about the subject? In other words, is not the whole point about a recusal that you completely stay away from the whole subject so that you will no be accused of influencing the process or decisionmaking? Mr. MCLARTY. I have not made any telephone calls. I have no participated, as I said, in any way in an RTC matter. I have been kept apprised of just the general appointments' process by others responsible for all. positions in Government but I have not participated or interviewed anyone in connection with the RTC. Senator ROTH. What about Madison Guaranty? Mr. MCLARTY. No, sir, I have not. Senator ROTH. When you recuse yourself you do not say that you will take part in the process but follow someone else's recommendations when you make the final decision? Is that correct? Mr. McLARTY. Well, Senator, you brought up the matter of this "de facto recusal, which I certainly have not studied and am not an expert on. I think quite a bit of commentary and testimony was given on that yesterday by Mr. Klein-who I thought-I understood was quite eloquent-and others. I understand your points about recusal, and my understanding in my recusal letter was that I would recuse from any matters, and I have done that. Senator ROTH. My point is that "de facto recusal" really has no real significance. Mr. McLARTY. Well, Senator, again I have already said that I am not an expert on this matter. The matter you are referring to, Mr. Altman's situation, was and is very different than mine. I am trying to be responsive to your question. Senator ROTH. I appreciate. that. Mr. MCLARTY. Thank you. 313 The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. Senator ROTH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Roth. Senator Boxer of California. OPENING COMMENTS OF SENATOR BOXER Senator BOXER. Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Ms. Williams, Senator Bennett warned you. He cautioned you about Rush Limbaugh mousetrapping you. I just want to tell you: Do not worry about what Rush Limbaugh says. Just do Your job, just like you said you would do during this whole time. I think you were exactly right. We were sent here to do a job for the American people. So do not worry about what a press personality says about you. Secondly, Senator Shelby said that Mrs. Clinton did not want a Special Counsel poking into 20 years of public life in Arkansas, and that is what he quoted Mr. Altman as saying. Let me tell you, I read that in the paper. I read that Mrs. Clinton said that she was very concerned about her private life being looked at over the past 20 years. So I do not think that is any great revelation. I do not think anyone on this Committee particularly would relish that kind of situation even those who lecture here about ethics. So the bottom line is: I do not think anybody should be Holier than Thou, because I think it is quite a human emotion to say that you do not want someone looking at 20 years of your private life. I think that is human. Now maybe a lot of people would not say it, but I think everybody feels the same way about that. I want to talk about this recusal issue and get back to the diary that has become-Mr. Steiner's diary-kind of the central "evidence" in this hearing, which sometimes I think is like a trial.