Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court October 12, 1991 morning session. Clarence Thomas appears before Commitee after the have questioned Anita Hill about her charges of sexual harassment
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Judge Clarence Thomas enters hearing room.
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Senator Joseph Biden (D - Delaware). The committee will come to order. Good morning, Judge. Senator Joseph Biden (D - Delaware). The Chair yields for the next round of questioning to the Senator from Vermont, Senator Leahy. Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, Judge. Judge, yesterday, you said in answer, I believe, to a question that you had not watched or listened to the six or seven hours of Professor Hill's testimony. You are obviously under no requirement to do so, but I wonder if, since then, you have had either an opportunity to read or be briefed about what she said. Judge Clarence Thomas. Senator, prior to coming here last night, I was briefed about much of what she said. Of course, my wife watched significant portions of it and talked about some of the things that she had to say. Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). The reason I ask, you may have followed a part of the testimony where she spoke about going to dinner with you at the time when you - when she, rather, was leaving the EEOC. Are you familiar with that part of her testimony? Judge Clarence Thomas. Senator, I am familiar that she said that. I didn't see it. I was briefed that she said that. Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). Was there such a dinner? Judge Clarence Thomas. Senator, I do not recall such a dinner. It was not unusual for me, when a staffer was leaving, to go to lunch or to - dinner would be more unusual, but not out of the question, but it was not unusual to take them out and just simply say "thank you." In later years, I know we had much bigger dinners. We would have many members of the staff go out and be a cause for great celebration. But I don't specifically recall such a dinner.
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). Do you recall any time ever taking Professor Hill out to dinner? Judge Clarence Thomas. No, Senator. Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). Now, Judge, in her testimony, in which she speaks of this dinner, she said that you had driven her to the restaurant - she did not recall the restaurant - was there for a period of time. You have heard, I am sure, the conversation that she recounts as taking place. And then after you left and went on to wherever you did, she took the subway home, again according to her testimony. She said that the two of you went there in your car. You were assigned, I believe, a car and driver in your position. If that was so, would there be a log that the driver keeps of where he might drive you? Judge Clarence Thomas. No, Senator, we did not keep logs. I used my driver more frequently in the early years and less frequently in my later years at EEOC, but we didn't have logs. Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). Even though if drivers work late, they get paid overtime, they don't keep logs of where they go? Judge Clarence Thomas. Senator, my driver at that time worked with me later. He was on my personal staff. I don't think the driver today is on the personal staff. But the driver at EEOC was assigned to the Chairman's office when I went on-board and would still have been assigned to the Chairman's office. Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). At the time that Professor Hill was talking about, just at the time that she was leaving the office, who would have been the driver? Judge Clarence Thomas. Mr. Randall, James Randall, who has since retired. Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). Mr. James Randall? Judge Clarence Thomas. Randall. Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). I'm sorry, between the sound of the cameras clicking, Judge, I still didn't hear the last name. Judge Clarence Thomas. Mr. James Randall. Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). Randall. Thank you.
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). But the bottom line is that - well, let me make sure I understand this. Professor Hill said the two of you went out to dinner as she was leaving. Professor Hill, of course, further alleges -and this would be a major and explosive matter - that you said something to her to the effect, "If you ever tell about this, it will damage or destroy my career." Now, that was her statement. I want you to have a chance to give yours. Am I correct in understanding your testimony now that, one, you have no recollection of ever having such a conversation at any time, is that correct? Judge Clarence Thomas. No, I have no recollection of having dinner with her as she left, although I do not think that it would be unusual for me to have gone either to lunch or to particularly an early dinner with a member of my staff who was leaving. I would categorically deny that, under any circumstances, whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner, that I made those statements. Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). Then, it would be safe to say your testimony is, at any time, whether in a social, business or any other setting, you never made the statement, "If this comes out, it would ruin my career," or anything even relating to that kind of a statement, is that correct? Judge Clarence Thomas. That's right. Senator Patrick Leahy (D - Vermont). Thank you.