July 25, 1995 - Part 5
July 25, 1995 - Part 5
(15:15:25) Mr. WATKINS. No, Senator. senator DODD. I thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank you. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Faircloth. senator FAIRCLOTH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Watkins, earlier you told us that you did not know whether Ms. Thomasson had a security clearance as of July 20, 1993. But in your deposition you stated, "whether she had a security clearance, I don't believe she did." You also said that you knew generally that she had worked for Dan Lasater. Mr. Watkins, what I'm asking you is, did you believe that Ms. Thomasson was not getting a security clearance because of her 10 years' association with Mr. Lasater who is a convicted drug dealer? Mr. WATKINS. Senator, I believe my testimony this morning was that I did not have confidence whether Ms. Thomasson had a security clearance or not at that time. Absolutely not. The only reason for her lack of a security clearance was the processing, Senator FAIRCLOTH. You don't think her association for 10 years with a man who was a convicted drug dealer may have raised any suspicion with the FBI? Mr. WATKINS. I do not. Senator FAIRCLOTH, Have you dealt with the FBI very much? Mr. WATKINS. I also went through an extensive security clearance process myself, Senator. Senator FAIRCLOTH. According to Business Week, Hillary Clinton invested $2,000 in a cellular telephone business and turned a profit rather quickly of $46,000. We now know Vince Foster was working on the tax returns of the Clintons, at the time of his death. Was Mr. Foster working on any item relating to Arkansas Cellular and Hillary Clinton's $46,000 profit? Senator SARBANES. Mr. Chairman, this once again is clearly outside the scope of what's in the resolution. Senator FAIRCLOTH. It is within the scope. Senator SARBANES. It certainly is not. The CHAIRMAN. I'm going to let Mr. Watkins answer it. I think the question is whether or not he was aware of any tax work that Mr. Foster would have been doing with respect to that particular transaction. He can answer yes or no and that will be it. Senator FAIRCLOTH. The relevance, Mr. Chairman, is that it could explain why Watkins ordered Patsy Thomasson to go to Vince 307 Foster's office that night. It may have been to remove documents relating to the deal. senator SARBANES. Most anything would explain that, Senator. It's not within the scope to look within Arkansas Cellular. The CHAIRMAN. Just for the purpose of ascertaining whether Mr. Watkins had any knowledge or not, as it relates to whether there may have been documents there, I'm going to allow it, but just for that purpose. Mr. Watkins, did you have any knowledge of that? Mr. WATKINS. I'm confused as to what the question is. The CHAIRMAN. Whether there was a question with respect to taxes on that particular transaction? Mr. WATKINS. No. The CHAIRMAN. You had no knowledge of that? Mr. WATKINS. No, that transaction was completed in 1987. The CHAIRMAN. So the chances are that there would be no tax treatment you know of that would have been open in 1992? Mr. WATKINS. That's correct. The CHAIRMAN. All right. That's all. Senator FAIRCLOTH. It was completed in 1987, so it would not have been. That's the answer I was trying to get. OK. Patsy Thomasson delivered to you at the Foster home a copy of a press statement on Mr. Foster's death; the night of the suicide, she delivered a press 8release to you at the house; is that right?