August 4, 1994 - Part 7
August 4, 1994 - Part 7
(16:35:32) Senator SHELBY, Did you know that he had had about 12 hours Of preparation for the hearing? Mr. PODESTA. I did not. Senator SHELBY. But you knew he spent time preparing. 370 Mr. PODESTA. I suppose--I assumed maybe, rather than know, that he generally prepared, but I did not have any idea what the preparation had been. Senator SHELBY, Down at the White House, you all were very aware of this oversight hearing regarding RTC. Mr. PODESTA. We were aware of it. Senator SHELBY. It was not a run-of-the-mill hearing, was it? Mr. PODESTA, We assumed it would be used as an opportunity to get into Madison. We wanted it to be fair and balanced. Senator SHELBY. If Mr. Altman-have you seen the letters that Mr. Altman sent to this Committee supplementing his testimony? I believe it's three or four of them. Mr. PODESTA. I have. The letter on the 11th and 21st, I saw briefly in my Senate deposition. That was the first time I had seen them. Senator SHELBY. If Mr. Altman testified originally before this Committee as to what is contained in those letters cumulatively, could you tell me whether you would still have the same concerns that you did with the accuracy of his testimony? In other words, you had concerns with the accuracy of what he said Mr. PODESTA. I think the sum of those four letters address the concerns we had identified on March 1st. Senator SHELBY. Mr. Podesta, you're familiar---I guess everybody in the world is probably familiar now with Mr. Steiner's diary of what he kept. Mr. PODESTA. Again, I think the first time I saw it was in my House interview on the matter. They showed it to me. Senator SHELBY. So you're familiar. Everyone is familiar. Mr. PODESTA. Generally speaking. Senator SHELBY, Were you at the meeting-were you at one of the meetings at the White House where Mr. Altman came down to talk to Mr. Nussbaum? Were you not at one of the meetings? Mr. PODESTA. No. Senator SHELBY. You never went to any of those meetings? Mr. PODESTA. No. Senator SHELBY. Did you ever talk to him about recusal before his appearance before this Committee's oversight hearing? Mr. PODESTA. Are we talking about Mr. Altman? Senator SHELBY. Uh-huh. Mr. PODESTA. No. Senator SHELBY. It was never brought up. Mr. PODESTA. I never talked to Mr. Altman before his appearance. Let me put that in context. I never talked to Mr. Altman about his appearance at this Committee or anything having to do with any of his testimony. Mr. Altman, as you know, is in and out of the White House. I see him on a lot of other matters. Senator SHELBY. Have you ever talked to Mr. Nussbaum about Mr. Altman's recusal, in other words, have a conversation with Mr. Nussbaum? Mr. PODESTA. Yes. Certainly on March 1st. Senator SHELBY. According to what we've learned here, Mr. Podesta, of what you have said-and you can correct the record if I say it wrong-that Nussbaum told you that he had told Altman only to recuse himself if he was legally required to do so and he 371 should not recuse I himself if it was a matter of discretion. Did he use the word "legally"? Mr. PODESTA, I don't think that's my testimony, Senator. Senator Shelby, You've never said that? Mr. PODESTA. I don't think that's my testimony, but let me tell you what I-let me give you my recollection, which is that Mr. Nussbaum's position was that Mr. Altman should recuse himself if he was legally or ethically required to do so. I think there was some implication that he shouldn't-that it was his view that he shouldn't if he wasn't legally or ethically required to do so. Senator SHELBY. Were you concerned about the perception of maybe impropriety if he stayed there, rather than a legal aspect of it? Mr. PODESTA. Was I concerned? Senator SHELBY. About Altman's Mr. PODESTA, In advance of his recusal? Senator SHELBY. Right. Mr. PODESTA. I thought, at that point, he had made a decision that he wasn't going to recuse himself, and that he just needed to be prepared to answer questions about it. Senator SHELBY. Mr. Stephanopoulos, we don't have much time, as you know. You were asked about the Jay Stephens' hiring and I understand that. We know he was the U.S. Attorney, Republican U.S.