August 2, 1994 - Part 6
August 2, 1994 - Part 6
(01:30:14) Mr. ALTMAN. I believe that was the date, Senator, yes, Senator BOND. And our records seem to reflect that it was Tuesday , March 23, you had your first staff meeting at the RTC, the following Tuesday. You bad to testify in Congress on Tuesday, March 15, and so you bad your first staff meeting on Tuesday, March 23. Mr. ALTMAN. Perhaps I did. I can't recall the specific date. Senator BOND. Yesterday, Mr. Roelle testified that at the end of that staff meeting, on March 23, he gave you the first indication that the criminal referrals pertaining to Madison mentioned Bill and Hillary Clinton. Now, this is inconsistent with your written testimony, you said you did not recall it, but from the deposition of Mr. Roelle, he was asked: Question: Did you at any time inform Mr. Altman of the 1992 criminal referral? Answer: I did. Question: When did you do that? Answer. The first day he had a staff meeting. He asked us was there anything that he should know about, anything that was going on that would likely be high visibility, or any kind of a major issue. According to Mr. Roelle's deposition: I waited until the majority of the people had left and I can't remember who was there beside Mr. Newman and Mr. Altman, There may have been somebody else from the Treasury, but I just can't recall and I told him at that time that there had been a criminal referral mentioning the Clintons that had been referred to the Justice Department. No, having those additional specifies, does that give you any additional recollection of that March 1993 meeting and what went on? Mr. ALTMAN. No, sir, it doesn't. I think I've testified under oath now 5 or 6 times in connection with this whole matter and each time I have said the first time I recollect learning of this was last fall when Mr. Roelle or Ms. Hanson or both told me. I don't have any recollection of that March 1993 meeting. Of course, that occurred about a year before the testimony here on February 24, but I don't recall it. Let me also say no one has suggested, I don't believe, that I did anything with the information if I had it, but my answer was Senator BOND. Mr. Altman, I'm limited on time and if I were going 7 to ask that question, I would have asked it. I'm asking for another purpose. The evening of March 23 at 9:04 p.m., there was an article that came from your office. It was faxed to Bernie Nussbaum from Roger Altman. Is this your handwriting, did you fax that yourself at 9:04 p.m.? Mr. ALTMAN. May I see the document? Senator DAMATO. What day is that, I'm sorry? Senator BOND. March 23 at 9:04 p.m. Senator DAMATO. P.M.? Senator BOND, P.M. 9:04 p.m. Mr. ALTMAN. That's not my handwriting. Senator BOND. That was faxed from your office, that's your fax number? Mr. ALTMAN. That's my fax number. Senator BOND. We bad another copy of that fax that was given to us, turned over and it had the time redacted, but we got the extra co copy that showed the time was 9:04 p.m. Then there was a second tax. It was refaxed to Bernie Nussbaum at 8:58 a.m. the next In morning Thus the articles were faxed twice, one at 9:04 p.m. Tuesday night and one at 8:58 a.m. Wednesday morning to Bernie Nussbaum with the clipping from The New York Times from March 9 1992, "Clinton Defends Real Estate Deal." Says he lost at least $25,000 and did nothing improper. Now, twice that was faxed within 12 hours, on the evening of March 23 and the following morning. It seems to me more than curious that there had not been something to trigger this flurry of faxes to Bernie Nussbaum about Whitewater. It showed that there Was a very real sensitivity and concern about Whitewater from Something that bad happened that day. Mr. ALTMAN. May I respond to that, Senator? Senator BOND. I didn't ask a question, but I'd be happy to have YOU make a brief comment. 440 Mr. ALTMAN. I don't see anything wrong with faxing a press article at any time to anyone Senator BOND. I didn't ask you that. Is it still your testimony that you don't recall having someone search for these articles about Whitewater, you don't remember anything about it, this wasn't your idea, somehow the fax machine just spit out the Whitewater article and sent it to