August 2, 1994 - Part 4
August 2, 1994 - Part 4
(12:00:50) Mr. STEINER. That's correct, Senator. Senator KERRY. And in private. Mr. STEINER. That's correct, Senator. Senator KERRY. Did you personally view the lack of that completeness in his testimony, at least as to the contacts alone to be a problem? Mr. STEINER. Yes, Senator. Senator KERRY. Did you see the letter that he sent to the Committee, I think it was March 2, as his first correction? Mr. STEINER. I believe I did, Senator. Senator KERRY. Did you view the lack of his addressing the incompleteness, that you say you were aware of, as a problem at that point in time? In other words, when he wrote a letter to correct the record, you still, in viewing that letter, understood that it did not correct the record fully? Mr. STEINER. I can't recall my reaction to the letter, Senator. I can tell you that I was reassured by the fact that Mr. Altman was trying to correct his record but I can't tell you exactly my reaction to the letter. Senator KERRY. Well, I think in your deposition, you said that it was your understanding that the letter was intended to serve the purpose of clarifying Mr. Altman's memory. To the extent this was Mr. Altman's memory, it was appropriate to be sent, but it would be inappropriate for you or other people to introduce additional information unless it was specifically requested of you. Do you remember that? Mr. STEINER. I believe that's what I was told by the attorneys at the time, yes, sir. Senator KERRY. So it was attorneys. Other attorneys were part of that review? Mr. STEINER. I believe Ms. Hanson was a part of that review, yes, sir. Senator KERRY. Ms. Hanson suggested to you that it would have been inappropriate for you to correct this further even though you knew as Chief of Staff that it was not a complete correction to the Committee? Mr. STEINER. Senator, I want to be clear on this. As I understand it, there were a series of letters that went forward and events do become compressed. At some point shortly thereafter, Mr. Altman also took on private counsel, I want to be clear that I can't recall whether it was private counsel who made that comment or Ms. Hanson. Senator KERRY. Do you recall which letter it was? I'm talking about the first letter. I'm talking about the March 2 letter in which Mr. Altman first contacted the Committee to correct the record. You reviewed that letter? Mr. STEINER. I believe I did, yes, sir. Senator KERRY. And you knew that letter; at that time, did not accurately reflect your own memory with respect to what happened in terms of contacts? 400 Mr. STEINER. I believe Mr. Altman was correcting his comment about substantive meetings, and I believe, to the extent that was his correction, that was accurate. Senator KERRY. Did you raise the issue with him? Did you say to him, Mr. Secretary, this is not a full correction? Mr. STEINER. I believe I mentioned to him the fact that I had a meeting with Mr. Stephanopoulos, on February 16 or thereabouts. Senator KERRY. Well, if you're reading this letter "when Senator Bond asked me'- this March 2 letter- when Senator Bond asked me, at that hearing, were there any other communications that had taken place between the RTC and the White House, my response was not to my knowledge I still have no knowledge that any such discussions occurred. I mean, that is a very strong denial of contacts which you were then aware of. Am I wrong in that or am I confused? Mr. STEINER. Senator, I want to be as precise as I can. I can't recall exactly my comments on that letter. Senator KERRY. Fair enough. Do you have a-my time is almost up. Do you have a sense-do you know what prompted Mr. Altman to amplify the record not just on the 2nd, but again on the 3rd,, and then again on le 11th, I think it is? Do you know what prompted that? Mr. STEINER. I believe Mr. Altman wanted to be as forthcoming as he could be to this Committee and as he gathered additional information, he wanted to provide it to the Committee as quickly as possible. Senator KERRY. Why would he not say then in his letter on the 2nd, I'm checking out further information or I'm trying to find out if this is fully accurate rather than just I want to correct the record, here it is, and it was blatantly incorrect in its correcting?