July 25, 1995 - Part 3
July 25, 1995 - Part 3
(11:35:31) Mr. GEARAN. It says "Janet Reno" Senator SHELBY. -"worried about" what? Mr. GEARAN. "Worried about four." Senator SHELBY. What is she worried about, according to your notes? Mr. GEARAN. I can't recollect with any certainty, Senator. I could read this as worried about the 4 days that lapse in between Mr. Foster's death and when the note was found. Senator SHELBY. The search of the office and the finding of the note? Mr. GEARAN. Yes, sir. Senator SHELBY. Was that a 4-day period? Mr. GEARAN. That's my understanding. Senator SHELBY. Would that be a plausible thing? Mr. GEARAN. That's correct, not his death, but from the 22nd to the 26th. Senator SHELBY, "The lateness of finding the note," that's all incorporated in her concern about that? Mr. GEARAN. That's how I would read my notes, sir. Senator SHELBY. "The length of time in disclosure to us" Mr. GEARAN. That's correct, Senator SHELBY. -that was to the Justice Department? Mr. GEARAN. To the Justice Department, yes, sir. Senator SHELBY, How long, Mr. Gearan, did the White House keep the note prior to disclosure to the Justice Department? Mr. GEARAN. Senator, my understanding Senator SHELBY. Twelve hours or a whole day? Mr. GEARAN. My understanding, it was found late afternoon on the 26th, and it was disclosed, then, the next day in the--early evening, by 6 p.m., to the Attorney General. Senator SHELBY. So Heymann's relating to you in this conversation that the Attorney General was worried about-that would be a common thing to think about, wouldn't it, like the Attorney General was doing? Mr. GEARAN. That's how I would read my notes, sir. Senator SHELBY. Then the next statement, I believe, in your handwriting, if I can understand it, says "nobody believes there's anything but suicide"; is that correct? Mr. GEARAN. Uh-huh. Senator SHELBY. You go down further and it says-this is Heymann talking again to you and Gergen-the odds are against a story in a day or two on note arrow pointing down. What does it mean by the arrow pointing down? These are your notes. 273 Mr. GEARAN. They are. Senator, I would read that there was, I think, a tremendous assumption, this having affirmed and dis- closed that a note was indeed found and turned over to the Department of Justice, that the contents of this note would be a very sought-after document in Washington. I would read this that the chances that this note came into the public domain were fairly significant. Senator SHELBY. Then it says in your notes "I in 3 or 1 in 4 chances," of what? "Suspicion story"? Mr. GEARAN, Senator, I don't know Senator SHELBY. Read your notes there, Mr. GEARAN. Yes, sir. It says "I in 3 or I in 4 chances" and underneath that it says "Park Police or Washington field office." Senator SHELBY. But it also says on the left "of suspicion story"? Mr. GEARAN. Correct. Senator SHELBY. In other words, that the people will be suspicious about the whole story, perhaps? Mr. GEARAN. I don't recall, Senator. Senator SHELBY. But you could read that that way, couldn't you? Mr. GEARAN. One could. Senator SHELBY. Sure. Mr. GEARAN. It could also be read as Senator SHELBY. I understand. Go ahead. It could be read as what? Mr. GEARAN. It could also be read as, if the White House disclosed the contents of the note that day, there would be suspicions raised and, of course, that was the purpose of our call to the Department of Justice to got their Senator SHELBY. Or suspicions raised of not releasing it, too? Mr. GEARAN. Either way, Senator. senator SHELBY. You could read it both ways? Mr. GEARAN. Yes, sir. Senator SHELBY. Let's go down to your other handwriting there. It says "if any sign of White House Counsel and the Chief of Staff people"- what does that mean? "If there's any sign of White House Counsel or COS"-Chief of Staff-"people, any one of those people supervising closely the investigation, they're asking questions, you'll see all hell break loose." In other words, are they worried again at the Department of Justice, along with Mr. Heymann, if they, the White House people, White House Counsel are controlling the investigation or how this comes out "all hell will break loose"? Is that a logical Mr. GEARAN. Senator, 1 think it supplements the point he made earlier about the so-called heated discussions that he had had with Mr. Nussbaum. Senator SHELBY. The way all this was handled? Mr. GEARAN. Yes, sir. Senator SHELBY. Then your next note was, if I can interpret it right- and you correct me if I'm wrong---"best idea is from Mr. Heymann saying release when investigators want to." In other words, let the investigators release Mr. GEARAN. Again, Senator, this was a question as to what we should do to the members of the press. That is the sole purpose of this call and the question became when we should release it. His 274 guidance to the White House at that time was his best idea was that we should release it when the investigators want to, Senator SHELBY. Your next note says "display openness to investigators." This was Heymann to you; is that right? Mr, GEARAN, Yes. Senator SHELBY. And Gergen? Mr. GEARAN. That's correct, sir.