July 25, 1995 - Part 5
July 25, 1995 - Part 5
(15:55:34) Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Upon leaving the Counsel's Office you went downstairs back to your office and you attempted, again using the electronic means, to get a hold of Mr. Watkins and leave him a message? Ms. THOMASSON. That's correct. 321 Mr. BEN-VENISTE. You provided Mr. Watkins with the message that you had, which was that you had found no note? Ms. THOMASSON. Nothing. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Did you indicate to Mr. Watkins that you had run into Mr. Nussbaum and Ms. Williams? Ms. THOMASSON. I don't recall having discussed that with him, sir. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Any reason why you wouldn't have mentioned it? I Ms. THOMASSON. No, sir. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. So that was the whole episode? Ms. THOMASSON. Yes, sir. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Was there anything, in your view, surreptitious about your going to the office to look for the note? Ms. THOMASSON. No, sir, Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Was there anything untoward or improper in your motivation to go ahead and look for the note? Ms. THOMASSON. No, sir. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Did you mean to destroy any evidence should you have come upon it that evening? Ms. THOMASSON. No, sir. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Did anyone tell you that that was your mission? Ms. THOMASSON. No, sir. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. To the best of your knowledge, did anyone re move any documents from Mr. Foster's office that evening? Ms. THOMASSON. No, sir, Mr. BEN-VENISTE. The fact of your having searched for this note on the evening of the 20th has resulted in a tremendous amount of interest and publicity. Is that fair to say? Ms. THOMASSON. That's fair to say. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Did you at any time-strike that. Are you aware now that there are differences in recollection between you and Ms. Williams and Mr. Nussbaum as to certain details about who came first, who stayed when, who left first and all of that? Ms. THOMASSON. Yes, sir, I understand there's a difference. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Did you at any time before you gave testimony on this subject attempt to sit down with Mr. Nussbaum and Ms, Williams to get your stories straight? Ms. THOMASSON. No, sir. Mr. BEN-VE NISTE. That never happened? Ms. THOMASSON. No, sir. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. You tell it here today and in our depositions prior to today the way you remembered it? Ms. THOMASSON. Absolutely, sir. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. I have nothing further, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. There's still time if any of the Members want to ask questions or we'll just keep it moving. Senator KERRY. Mr. Chairman, if I could just ask a couple of questions because I have a Member meeting I have to go to in a Moment. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Kerry. 322 OPENING COMMENTS OF SENATOR JOHN F. KERRY Senator KERRY. I just want to understand completely the timeframe. You arrived at the White House-what was the recorded time by the Secret Service, 10:49 plus 16; is that correct? Mr. BEN-VENISTE. 10:49. Senator KERRY. 10:49. You immediately thereafter walked to the bottom floor? Ms. THOMASSON. Yes, sir. Senator KERRY. Where did you first go when you went in at that point? Ms. THOMASSON. My office is entered-my office was at that time entered-you passed the men's room on the lower level, two doors past that on the left-hand side is where I entered and that's where my office was at that time. Senator KERRY. Did you go to your office directly? Ms. THOMASSON. Yes, sir, I did. Senator KERRY. Did you confront anyone before you went there? Ms. THOMASSON. No, sir, not that I recall. Senator FERRY. You did not stop to chat with anybody at that time? Ms. THOMASSON. I don't recall stopping to talk to anybody on that level. Senator KERRY. What did you do when you got to your office? Ms. THOMASSON. I unsecured my office, called the Secret Service, told them I was going in, put my things in my office, closed the door- didn't re-secure it, but closed the door and went up to the first floor. Senator KERRY. You notified the Secret Service at that point in time that you were entering your office? Ms. THOMASSON. Yes, sir. Senator KERRY. How long did you spend in your office? Ms. THOMASSON. It was not very long, just long enough to put my things away. Senator KERRY. At that point in time when you went up to the first floor, you went up for what purpose? Ms. THOMASSON. I was making my way to the second floor, but I stopped on the first floor to see who was there, to see if anyone knew any more than what I had been told by Mr. Watkins. Senator KERRY. How much time did you spend in your own office do you think? Ms. THOMASSON. Maybe a minute or two, Senator. Senator KERRY. A short period of time? Ms. THOMASSON. Very short period of time. Senator KERRY. How long did you spend on the first floor? Ms. THOMASSON. Several minutes on the first floor. Senator KERRY. You had a few conversations there? Ms. THOMASSON. I had a few conversations there. Senator KERRY. Do you recall who you had those conversations with? Ms. THOMASSON. With Bruce Lindsey, with Dana Lawrence, with John Emerson, John Emerson's wife was there that night. Senator KERRY. It was several people? Ms. THOMASSON. Several people were there. 323 Senator KERRY. Regarding the conversations, can you give us just a gist of what went on? Ms. THOMASSON. We were all asking why, why it happened, why would Vince have done that, why wouldn't we recognize that he had such a problem. Everybody was saying I didn't know he was upset, Everybody was very concerned about why he would do that, Senator KERRY. Did you tell any of them where you were headed?