August 4, 1994 - Part 3
August 4, 1994 - Part 3
(11:55:58) Mr. Cutler first asked me about the diaries, and I gave him my answers about whether or not I knew about them, whether or not anything in them rung true to me, or if I could recall any of those conversations. Senator HATCH. So you discussed the diary entries with Mr. Cutler, then? Ms. WILLIAMS. Mr. Cutler discussed them with me, that is correct. Senator HATCH. Now, I would like to read some of the Altman diary dated January 11th, the day before President Clinton requested that an Independent Counsel be named. He goes on to say, "Maggie's strong inference was that the White House was trying to negotiate the scope of an Independent Counsel with Reno, and having enormous diffliculties." HRC "doesn't want the Counsel poking around in the twenty years of public life in Arkansas." Mr. Altman has testified-you are familiar with that diary entry? 319 MS. WILLIAMS. Yes, sir, I am. Senator HATCH. He has testified both at his deposition, and before the Committee that his reference to Maggie is you. He testified that he only wrote what he thought to be of "historical value," and which he believed to be true. He also testified further that these entries were made after a January 11th Health Care meeting he had with you. Now regarding the entry which discusses the White House negotiations with Attorney General Reno, you testified during your deposition that you "didn't know anything about" the entry. Do you remember that? Ms. WILLIAMS. That is correct. Senator HATCH. You do not recall any communication which took place at a Health Care meeting where you may have mentioned Attorney General Reno or the Independent Counsel. Is that what you are basically saying. Ms. WILLIAMS. Yes, sir, that is my testimony. Senator HATCH, Now you have no knowledge of any White House discussions with the Department of Justice concerning the Independent Counsel either? Ms. WILLIAMS. Absolutely not. Senator HATCH. Do you have any knowledge of any discussions by the Clinton's or their attorneys concerning the scope of the Independent Counsel's charter? Ms. WILLIAMS. No, sir, I do not have any knowledge of that. Senator HATCH. You also testified that you did not have any discussions with the First Lady about the scope of the Independent Counsel charter. Is that correct? Ms. WILLIAMS. No, sir. I would not have. Senator HATCH. You mean that is correct? Ms. WILLIAMS. That is correct, yes, sir. Senator HATCH. Did you have any discussions with anyone in the White House concerning the scope-discussions with anybody in the White House concerning the scope of the Independent Counsel charter? Ms. WILLIAMS. No, sir, not concerning the scope of the Independent Counsel. I will say that there was a lot of debate, both inside the White House and also in the press and public and even on the Hill, every day about should there be an Independent Counsel, should there not be an Independent Counsel, and I am sure that I was involved in conversations about whether or not there should be or should not be. Senator HATCH, OK. So to this day, you have no idea why Mr. Altman may have gotten the idea from you that the White House Was trying to negotiate the scope of the Independent Counsel with the Justice Department. Is that right? Ms. WILLIAMS. That is correct, sir. And let me add additionally, one of the things I recall was that the main thing that people were saying was that whatever the decision, it would be a Justice Department decision. That, whatever 320 you do, do not talk to the Justice Department. Just go on with your work. Senator HATCH. Well, I think that is all, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Hatch. Senator Campbell. OPENING COMMENTS OF SENATOR CAMPBELL Senator CAMPBELL. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have been in here 4 days now, and about half the time it seems to me, I would describe it as trolling, hoping somebody would run into a hook. So I want to try to keep my questions very to the point and very simple. But I might make one observation. I was listening with interest when Senator Kerry was asking some questions, and he inadvertently made a mistake on one of the meeting times and you were very quick to correct the record, good thinking. As you probably know, if you wait a couple weeks to correct around here, it is pretty risky. [Laughter.] Mr. McLARTY. Thank you, Senator. Senator CAMPBELL. Let me ask you a little bit about this so-, called response team. Is that still in effect? Is there still a response team? Ms. WILLIAMS. No, there is not. Senator CAMPBELL. There is not. It was put together primarily to deal with press concerns? Mr. McLARTY. That is correct. Right after the first of the year, there was quite a bit of interest, press inquiry allegations, many without any kind of factual basis whatsoever about the Whitewater/Madison Guaranty matter, and we simply wanted these coordinated in the White House and that is why I asked Mr. Ickes to take on that responsibility, to assume that responsibility.