July 25, 1995 - Part 1
July 25, 1995 - Part 1
(09:55:19) Mr. WATKINS. I work in Carlsbad, California. Mr. CHERTOFF. Doing what? Mr. WATKINS. I work for Callaway Golf Company, 238 Senator SIMON. Pull the mike a little closer. Mr. WATKINS. Callaway Golf Company. Mr. CHERTOFF. When you were Assistant to the President in 1993, what were your job duties? Mr. WATKINS. I was an Assistant to the President for Management and Administration. I was providing personnel, supervising the personnel as Office of the White House and providing services to the 14 agencies of the Executive Office of the President. Mr. CHERTOFF. Were part of your responsibilities supervision of security issues at the White House? Mr. WATKINS. No, no, sir. Mr. CHERTOFF. To whom did the Security Office-I don't mean the Secret Service, but the Security Office Mr. WATKINS. The Counsel's Office. Mr. CHERTOFF. To the Counsel's Office? Mr. WATKINS. Yes. Mr. CHERTOFF. That was Mr. Nussbaum? Mr, WATKINS. That's correct. Mr. CHERTOFF. How long have you known the Clintons? Mr. WATKINS. I have known President Clinton since he was 2 years old, knew of him at 2 years old. I'm 5 years older and 7-year olds don't mess with 2-year-olds very much, but I knew who he was. My parents were friends and so I've known him since he was 2. I've known Mrs. Clinton since the mid-1970's. Mr. CHERTOFF. Is it fair to say you've been friendly with the Clintons since then going forward to the present? Mr. WATKINS. Yes, sir. Mr. CHERTOFF. Do you know Patsy Thomasson? Mr. WATKINS. I do. Mr. CHERTOFF. When did you first meet her? Mr. WATKINS. I probably met Patsy Thomasson sometime in the mid- to late 1980's, but really didn't know her well. Mr. CHERTOFF. Did there come a time when you got to know her better? Mr. WATKINS. Certainly. Not prior to coming to Washington, though. Mr. CHERTOFF. She actually worked for you in the White House; right? Mr. WATKINS. That is correct. Mr. CHERTOFF. In 1993, what was her position at the White House? Mr. WATKINS. She was the Director of the Office of Administration. Mr. CHERTOFF. How did she get hired for that job? Mr. WATKINS. She was hired by me. Mr. CHERTOFF. Why did you hire her? Mr. WATKINS. At the recommendation of some people that I knew from Arkansas. Mr. CHERTOFF. Who were those people? Mr. WATKINS. One was the Chairman of the Democratic Party, Mr. George Jernigan. She was at that time Executive Director of the State Party of Arkansas. Mr. CHERTOFF. Did anybody else recommend her to you for a job? Mr. WATKINS. I don't recall specific individuals, no, sir. 239 Mr. CHERTOFF. Nobody else you can remember? Mr. WATKINS. I think Judge Richard Arnold made a phone call to me about her, just saying that he knew her and knew she was someone that was quite professional and very good. Mr. CHERTOFF. Anybody else? Mr. WATKINS. I don't recall anyone else. Mr. CHERTOFF. Now, let me direct your attention to July 20, 1993. Did there come a time in the evening of that day that you learned that Vincent Foster's body had been discovered? Mr. WATKINS. Yes. Mr. CHERTOFF. How did you learn that? Mr. WATKINS. I was beeped and I made a phone call to the number that beeped me, and I was informed by the Secret Service that Vincent Foster had been found dead. Mr. CHERTOFF. Did you call anybody after that? Mr. WATKINS. Yes, I did. Mr. CHERTOFF. Who did you call? Mr. WATKINS. I believe I called Bill Bur-ton at the Chief of Staffs Office and told him to notify Mack McLarty. Mr. CHERTOFF. That was the Chief of Staff at that time? Mr. WATKINS. That's correct. Mr. CHERTOFF. Did you call anybody else? Mr. WATKINS. I think I made-I made a call to the Park Police that evening about asking to go to notify the family, Mr. CHERTOFF. You wanted them to come get you so you could go notify the family? Mr. WATKINS. That's correct. Mr. CHERTOFF. Why did you call the Park Police for that? Mr. WATKINS. Because I was told by the Secret Service when they called me-they gave me a number for the Park Police and I knew that that's who was doing it. Mr. CHERTOFF. You knew the Park Police were investigating the matter? Mr. WATKINS, I knew the Park Police were the ones that had found the body, yes, or had been involved at Fort Marcy. Mr. CHERTOFF. They were involved in examining the body and investigating the cause of death? Mr. WATKINS. That's my understanding, yes. Mr. CHERTOFF. In fact, a couple of Park Policemen came to pick you up; right? Mr. WATKINS. Yes. Mr. CHERTOFF. Do you remember their names? Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Rolla and Ms. Braun. Mr. CHERTOFF. They drove you over to the Foster house? Mr. WATKINS. They did. Mr. CHERTOFF. They accompanied you into the house? Mr. WATKINS. I accompanied them. Mr. CHERTOFF, On this trip, did you have a conversation with them about what they had found? Mr. WATKINS. We had a limited conversation on the trip over from my house to the Fosters. Mr. CHERTOFF. Did you discuss with them whether they had found any note or indication of motivation for suicide at the site? 240 Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Chertoff, I don't recall if I had direct conversation with them about it or if I heard it over the radio or in conversations that they were having, but I do recall that they had indicated there was not a note at the scene.