July 25, 1995 - Part 3
July 25, 1995 - Part 3
(11:45:41) Senator BOXER. Because of my schedule, I wanted to know how much longer the Senator was going to pursue, just in fairness. 276 The CHAIRMAN. The Senator has indicated he'll be several more minutes, so with your-with the indulgence of everyone, I'd ask that we give him several more minutes to finish, Senator BOXER. Several means 7? Senator SHELBY. I will try to do it in 5 or 6, but then Senator BOXER. That's fine. No problem. The CHAIRMAN. I want to commend all the Members of the Committee, We're trying to do this in an orderly manner and I think it takes the back-and- forth to accomplish it. Senator, go ahead. Senator SHELBY. Mr. Gearan, let's go back to where we were, and you identified some of your handwriting as DG, PH notes on the left; right? Mr. GEARAN. Yes, sir. Senator SHELBY. It says "we will not release note on recommendation of Department of Justice. It will be done by the Park Police." This is David Gergen Mr. GEARAN, Correct. Senator SHELBY. I guess he's telling you and Philip Heymann that? Mr. GEARAN. I think that's the conclusion of the conversation, that we are affirming to the Department of Justice that we sought his guidance on how we should talk about that note, and we were indicating to him what the White House would do. Senator SHELBY. Mr. Heymann says in your notes "I'm entirely happy with that." In other words, what you're going to do? Mr. GEARAN. Yes. Senator SHELBY. "And it's better that you"--"if you avoid any statements other than you turn them over," in other words, the note, is that what you're saying there or do you want to interpret your writing? Mr. GEARAN. Yes. I would interpret it Senator SHELBY. I think you'll do it better than I would. Mr. GEARAN. Mr. Heymann says "I'm entirely happy with that," meaning what Mr. Gergen had concluded. "It's better if you avoid any statements other than you turn them over to the Attorney General at 7:00, then the Park Police at 9:00 p.m.," and "them" being the individual pieces of paper of the note. Reno at Senator SHELBY. What is "AG"? Does that mean Janet 7:00 at the White House? Mr. GEARAN. Yes, Senator. I would interpret that as-my understanding is that they met with the Attorney General the night be fore. Senator SHELBY. At the White House? Mr. GEARAN. Correct. Senator SHELBY, Regarding all this? Mr. GEARAN. That's my understanding. Senator SHELBY. Then, "the Park Police at 9-00 p.m., what do you mean by this? Did they suggest you give it to the Park Police? Mr. GEARAN. My understanding, Senator, is that when it was initially turned over to the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General, they then asked for the Park Police investigators to come over to the White House, which apparently happened at 9 p.m. I was not there, but that's my understanding. 277 Senator SHELBY. Your next note says "do finding, questions to investigators." What do you mean by that? Mr, GEARAN. I suspect it's his guidance that we should refer questions on the finding of the note to the investigators. Senator SHELBY. I want to go to the last page I have here. This is, again, a conversation with Heymann and Gergen and yourself. "I learned that FBI"-insert field office-"was informed of document," in other words, "note." What do you mean there? Is this Mr. Heymann telling you this? Mr. GEARAN. Yes, sir. Senator SHELBY. "I learned"-"Heymann learned that the FBI field office was informed of the document," and that is the finding of the note? Mr. GEARAN. That's correct. Senator SHELBY. Would there be anything wrong with the FBI field office knowing about this note? Mr. GEARAN. No, Senator. I think that the context of the discussion was that there would be a fairly high likelihood that given the attention that was brought upon this matter, and given the considerable press interest in this note Senator SHELBY. Considerable would be somewhat of an understatement, wouldn't it? Mr. GEARAN. It very well may be, Senator. But, regardless, that there would be a great deal of interest in the release of the contents of this note, and I think he was pointing out the fairly wide distribution of the contents of the note. Senator SHELBY. They already had it? Mr. GEARAN. They? Senator SHELBY. The FBI already had the note? Mr. GEARAN. That's my understanding. Senator SHELBY. Going down again, DG is David Gergen. PH on your notes in your left margin is Phil Heymann. David Gergen says "We need"--I assume-to know it when Park Police releases notification for a response. In other words, how you would respond to the release of the contents of the note from a communications perspective at the White House. Is that a fair reading? Mr. GEARAN. Yes, Senator. All of this was in the context of preparing for the inevitable press questions that the White House would receive. Senator SHELBY. PH, Phil Heymann says "absolutely, I'll set it up." Mr. GEARAN. Meaning the notification to the White House before the Park Police releases the contents of the note, Senator SHELBY. Under your next entry, "when people come over to ask questions, do so private and whatever they want." Does that mean when people, meaning investigators, come over to the White House to ask questions, do so private and whatever they want, in other words, it should be done in private? What do you mean by that?