July 25, 1995 - Part 2
July 25, 1995 - Part 2
(11:20:11) Senator BRYAN. Do you recall what the subject matter was? MS. MATHEWS. I'm sorry, I don't. "Memo on change in summer clerk assignment." This was a memo about moving a summer intern-type person from one assignment to another. It says "Dee's press briefing." That's Dee Dee Myers' press briefing, a copy Of something that is produced each day. "Congress Daily" is a Washington publication. "The President's trip book." That would have been a book that gets put together when the President goes on a trip and gets walked through the manifests and schedules. 17he White House Bulletin, " another Washington publication. "A news summary," which is something produced by the Communications Department in the White House, and "many credit card receipts." Senator BRYAN. Ms. Mathews, I believe you've previously testified that the trash is collected each day, placed in a trash bag and removed from the White House. Is that your understanding of the process? 267 MS. MATHEWS. Yes, sir, each night they dump each individual's trash. Senator BRYAN, May we reasonably conclude that the trash bag and its contents would represent those items which Mr. Foster would have been working with or have placed in the trash bag on the day of his death, namely July 20, 1993? MS. MATHEWS. Yes, sir, that was my assumption. Senator BRYAN. Mr. Watkins, if I might ask you-again, I think one of the central focuses here is your phone call to Ms. Thomasson and why the phone call was made to her. Let me ask you, again, in your own words to explain the working relationship that you had with Ms. Thomasson and why the call was placed to her on this particular evening. Mr. WATKINS. Ms. Thomasson was my principal Deputy. She was the person that I would naturally have called, in my mind, to do that. She was the one that reported to me. She, as I said, worked with all the facilities in the offices and she was from-I just called and asked her to do that. Senator BRYAN. I take it, putting this particular event of this evening in question, during the course of the working relationship that you had with her, that you called upon her frequently to handle matters for you that were of an administrative nature? Mr. WATKINS. Absolutely. Patsy was very reliable, very professional. She's just someone I relied on every day in most things. Senator BRYAN. Although it may not have been her title, but in terms of the working relationship with her, she was your Chief of Staff, the number one person you worked with? Mr. WATKINS. Absolutely, yes, sir. Senator BRYAN. Were there other persons who worked directly under you in the hierarchy at the White House? Mr. WATKINS. There were, but mostly support staff. Senator BRYAN. So, in terms of undertaking any kind of a specific request or assignment, it would be your practice and assignment to call upon her for these matters? Mr. WATKINS. Yes, Senator. Senator BRYAN. I thank you. I'll yield any time left back to Mr. Ben- Veniste. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Just one thing, Ms. Mathews. On the second trip up to the second floor that evening, when you walked past the Counsel's Office and you noticed that it was locked, given what you had overheard in Mr. Burton's conversation earlier about seeing whether the office could be locked, is there any reason why you would not have reported back to Mr. Burton the next time you saw him that evening that the office was locked? MS. MATHEWS. That was actually-the time that I saw the door locked was the third trip, just for the record. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. The third trip, OK? Ms. MATHEWS. I did not report it back to him that it was. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Are you certain of that? Ms. MATHEWS. I do not recall reporting back to him, Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Is there any reason you would not have mentioned to him, given the fact you had overheard the prior conversation, that, in fact, the office was now locked as you had observed? Ms. MATHEWS. There was no reason that I would not have. 268 Mr. BEN-VENISTE. I have nothing further, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Shelby. OPENING COMMENTS OF SENATOR RICHARD C. SHELBY Senator SHELBY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Gearan, I would like to refer to Exhibit Z464. You might have a copy of this. These, I believe, would be some notes that you made and I believe it says 11:45, 7/29. 1 assume it would be 7/29, 1993. Are you familiar with this document? Mr. GEARAN. Yes, Senator. Senator SHELBY. Is that your handwriting? Mr. GEARAN. Yes, it is.