July 25, 1995 - Part 4
July 25, 1995 - Part 4
(14:50:22) Let me look at 000653. There we see "Please call signal for a call from the Chief of' and then "Staff' appears on the next line. Then the next line after that is deleted by pager which is exactly the way the message to Mr. Watkins read. The same thing happens to the next message right on that document, "Please call signal switchboard for call holding with" and then it goes down and the next line reads "Dee Dee Myers." Michael, you pursued this, do you have a view on this? I want to make sure I get this accurate. But it would be my understanding, on the basis of this, that the word number in this message you showed to Mr. Watkins on his pager was part of the message. Mr. CHERTOFF. I think that's probably right. I mean, I'm judging from the inference that's being drawn. I think that's probably correct. Senator SARBANES. OK. Then that, of course, would make your recollection even more consistent with what was quoted from Patsy Thomasson's deposition to you in the earlier questioning when Patsy Thomasson said, "After I had dinner at Sequoia, my pager went off. When I went in, the pager said call David Watkins through the White House switchboard. Called the switchboard and asked to talk to Mr. Watkins and she said give me your number, he wants to call you back. I said I'm at a pay phone, why don't you just let me hold. So I held until she could get Mr. Watkins back on the telephone for me." So I think all of that then is more consistent with the testimony we've heard and, also, the pager message becomes consistent with the testimony that we've heard. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Murkowski. OPENING COMMENTS OF SENATOR FRANK H. MURKOWSKI Senator MURKOWSKI. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In reviewing your depositions, Mr. Watkins, you indicate that you don't remember any discussion on securing the office- Mr. WATKINS. That's correct, Senator. Senator MURKOWSKI. -as made reference to by Sergeant Cheryl Braun. When you rode out to the Foster residence, who else was in the Park Police car? Mr. WATKINS. Officer Braun and Officer Rolla. Senator MURKOWSKI. Major Hines was not in the automobile at that time? Mr. WATKINS. No, sir. Senator MURKOWSKI. Your wife was not with you; is that correct, she was following? 299 Mr. WATKINS. That's correct. Senator MURKOWSKI. How did you get home? Where did you go after you left the Foster residence? Mr. WATKINS. I went home to my home. Senator MURKOWSKI. How did you get home? Mr. WATKINS. I went with my-as I recall, I went with my wife in the car. Senator MURKOWSKI. OK. You did not go with the Park Police, they simply picked you up. Mr, WATKINS, Yes, that's correct. Senator MURKOWSKI. I believe at the Foster home you indicated that you talked to Patsy Thomasson and told her to look for a note. Have you conversed with her since as to where she looked specifically? Did you have any knowledge if she looked in the briefcase? Mr. WATKINS. No, I-when she called me back, she said David, I've looked for a note. There is no note, and I accepted that. Senator MURKOWSKI. Since that time, and in view of the fact that the torn-up note was later found in the briefcase, have you had occasion to talk to her about the fact that they found the note in the briefcase or anything relative to the note being found and the realization that she had assured you she didn't find a note when she looked? Mr. WATKINS. I don't recall having any conversation with Patsy after that about a note. Senator MURKOWSKI. About the note or the finding of the note? Mr. WATKINS. No, sir. Senator MURKOWSKI. Do you have any explanation as to why Sergeant Braun would recall quite vividly the fact that she had asked you to seal Foster's office and your response that you don't remember that conversation?