August 2, 1994 - Part 6
August 2, 1994 - Part 6
(01:35:36) Mr. ALTMAN. That's not my position, Senator. I may well have faxed this to Mr. Nussbaum. Senator BOND. Once in the evening and once in the morning. Mr. ALTMAN. I doubt I would have faxed it twice, but this is a press clip- ping, this is a press article. For the life of me, I can't un- derstand why someone would think faxing a press article to anybody at any time would be wrong. Senator BOND. Let me just go back to the point I was making, Mr. Roelle said he told you on March 23 about the criminal referrals. What you did that evening at 9:04 p.m., an unusual time to be faxing, and again at 8:58 a.m. the next morning, was to fax two different copies of the same article to Mr. Nussbaum reflecting Whitewater concerns of the President. The article dealt with President Clinton's problems. That is corroborating evidence that Mr. Roelle Mr. ALTMAN. No, sir, it isn't. Senator BOND. I didn't ask you for that judgment, Mr. Altman. I'm just saying that for those of us who are trying to determine whether Mr. Roelle is correct in saying he told you about it, these two activities are very consistent with you having been notified by Mr. Roelle. Now, yesterday, Mr Roelle testified that on or about September 23, he was notified of a second set of Madison criminal referrals which named the Clintons. Could you please tell us what Mr. Roelle told you? Mr. ALTMAN. I'd like to go back for a moment, Senator, and just address briefly the other question you raised. Senator BOND. I didn't ask a question. We're running out of time, Mr. Altman. Mr. ALTMAN. I'd just like an opportunity to respond to what you said. Mr. Nussbaum testified before the House under oath and I believe that Mr. Cutler's chronology also goes into this. Mr. Nussbaum, I'm quite sure, testified that he received no information on the criminal referrals from me in March, and I want to stress that. Now, as to this last question Senator BOND. Let me follow up. He did receive from you two faxes relating to the Clinton Whitewater deal. OK your answer to my question. Mr. ALTMAN. Well, I thought the question implied, that, if Mr. Roelle had said to me in March, information about the criminal referrals, and then, if I had sent the faxes, that somehow I would have imparted improper information which I did not Senator BOND. I did not say that Mr Altman. Would you go back to the question. Do you remember 'what Mr. Roelle told you on September 23? Mr. ALTMAN. As I testified here before this Committee on February 24, 1 thought I testified rather clearly, in the fall Mr. Roelle 441 or Ms. Hanson or both advised me that a criminal referral was working its way through the system. They did not tell me what the prospects for making the referral were, in other words, whether it would likely be made or not be made. Nothing was told to me on that. Senator BOND. But you did. I asked you if he told you and you said he did. I believe that was the short answer, Now, yesterday Ms. Hanson testified that you specifically told her to tell Mr. Nussbaum about these referrals. Can you tell us what you recall you told Ms. Hanson? Mr. ALTMAN. As I said a few moments ago, Senator, I don't recall that and I don't believe I would have asked her to do that. Senator BOND. Mr. Chairman, the time is up. We have it very clearly in the deposition and in the testimony of Ms. Hanson. Thank you. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Bond. Senator Sasser, you wish to be recognized? Senator SASSER. Yes, Mr. Chairman, I do. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Sasser. Senator SASSER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Altman, it's clear that there is a discrepancy between your testimony and that of Ms. Hanson, and you testified that you did not request Ms. Hanson to initiate a September 1993 discussion with the White House regarding the referrals that were coming up from the Kansas City office. Did you request Ms. Hanson to have any other discussions with anyone else on the subject of the referrals that were coming from the Kansas City office of the RTC? Mr. ALTMAN. Senator, I don't recall suggesting Ms. Hanson advise anyone.