Iran-Contra Hearings - Senators discuss headlines and TV interviews
Iran-Contra Hearings - Senators discuss headlines and TV interviews
Iran-Contra Hearings - Senators discuss headlines and TV interviews - statements given to the press.
Iran-Contra Hearings - Senators discuss headlines and TV interviews
Chairman Senator Daniel Inouye (D - Hawaii). The joint hearing will stand in recess - Mr. Cheney. Representative Dick Cheney (R - Wyoming). I would like to take this opportunity before we adjourn for noon to express a concern I have about statements that were made yesterday on the Sunday talk shows that become headlines overnight. I refer specially to The New York Times which talks about a Poindexter memo said to describe informing Reagan on the diversion of Iran funds and in no way asserts Admiral told the plan to use profits for non-Contra projects. The Washington Post - In no way Reagan told of covert initiatives, Poindexter gave briefing on arms profits. Or the Washington Times which states Committee holds a smoking gun, Chairman reveals. Mr. Chairman I read that memo very carefully this morning and I don t find any reference in there at all to the notion of generating profits from selling arms to Iran, nor am I able to find any reference to the use of those profits in the memo that allegedly went to the President. I would suggest the President could have read it from cover to cover and not had any knowledge whatsoever of a diversion. I bring this up Mr. Chairman not because I like to dispute the distinguished Chairman of the Senate Select Committee, but because I think the significance of these hearings and what it means for all of us and for the reputation of the President of the United States as such, that we need to be very very cautious before we make statements, that in the opinion of this member Mr. Chairman, aren t justified and supported by the evidence.
Iran-Contra Hearings - Senators discuss headlines and TV interviews
Chairman Senator Daniel Inouye (D - Hawaii). For those who watched Face The Nation, I m certain that they would have gotten my message, that there was this document that indicated, according to or witness, that the Admiral had briefed the President, at least the notation said so. The witness also testified that the covert initiatives sent forth in this document were to be financed from the residuals or the profits or whatever you call it of the sale of arms to Iran. I did not say that the President was briefed. I said that we will have to ask the Admiral. First, did he or did he not put his initials on this document saying that I approve the recommendation of Colonel North. Second, when he put the word done did that mean the President was briefed? If so, what did you say to the President? Did you tell the President that these initiatives were to be financed? That s why I said, that the Admiral when he sits before us will have to respond to these questions. This was put out clearly yesterday to make it very clear to the administration that they ll have to answer this. I did not want to suddenly thrust this in their faces. They have now time to come up with a response. I thought I was playing it rather fair with the administration. But it is up to the Admiral now to tell us first that he briefed the President. If so what did he tell the President?
Iran-Contra Hearings - Senators discuss headlines and TV interviews
Senator James McClure (R - Idaho). Mr. Chairman. Chairman Senator Daniel Inouye (D - Hawaii). Yes Sir. Senator James McClure (R - Idaho). Mr. Chairman, just so that I may understand exactly what this exchange means. I too was disturbed by the headlines I saw because I think the implication of the headlines and the article was the President had been briefed with respect to the use of residuals in covert operations which implied that he knew of the existence of residuals. If I understand you correctly stating now, it s the linkage between the covert operations and the use of residuals that might have been carried forward into that briefing. Do I understand you correctly? Chairman Senator Daniel Inouye (D - Hawaii). Well I made it - I thought I made it very clear that we would have to ask the Admiral. Did you brief the President? If so, what did you tell him? Senator James McClure (R - Idaho). Well I think that the reason I asked that question to follow along Senator Cheney s question, was that I have read that memorandum very carefully and there is absolutely no reference to the use of funds in that memorandum. Chairman Senator Daniel Inouye (D - Hawaii). The Senator is absolutely correct. Senator James McClure (R - Idaho). So that before there was any implication that the President was briefed with respect to them, you would have to assume the President was given information which was not contained in the memorandum. Chairman Senator Daniel Inouye (D - Hawaii). We will have to wait until the Admiral comes before us to find out. Senator James McClure (R - Idaho). So any inference made that the memorandum has within its bounds the memorandum has information is a false inference. Is that correct? Chairman Senator Daniel Inouye (D - Hawaii). We will have to wait until the Admiral comes before us.
Iran-Contra Hearings - Senators discuss headlines and TV interviews
Chairman Senator Daniel Inouye (D - Hawaii). Senator Rudman. Senator Warren Rudman (R - New Hampshire). Mr. Chairman I don t want to prolong this. Very briefly, none of us are totally accountable for how things are written or what headlines are written. I think the Congressman from Wyoming and the Senator from Idaho make valid points. I sat next to the Chairman during that entire interview and if anyone wants to read the transcript at the end of the interview, I turn to the Chairman of the House and said Of course the point is what did Admiral Poindexter brief the President about? The record will show the Chairman agreed with that. The headline was unfortunate because the document does not disclose that. The Chairman s statement I think is accurate. I think some implications were drawn that were not. I thought my comment was important for the very concerns raised here. Chairman agreed with those. And I would hope that everyone would understand no member of this committee especially the Chairman, who I have appeared with on countless programs, has ever intentionally mischaracterized anything that came before this committee. Chairman Senator Daniel Inouye (D - Hawaii). Alright thank you very much. We will stand in recess until 2pm.