August 4, 1994 - Part 10
August 4, 1994 - Part 10
(21:05:38) Senator DODD. I find that somewhat curious. Now you've received this hot line phone call from Mr. Eggleston outside of the Committee room because in Mr. Eggleston's opinion, Mr. Altman has just made a mistake; is that not true? 445 Mr. PODESTA. I don't believe Senator DODD. Someone in your office did, not you. Mr. PODESTA. I talked to Mr. Eggleston on the 25th. Senator DODD. On the 25th and so there is some concern about this testimony, Mr. PODESTA. Correct. Senator DODD. Mr. Steiner, of course, works for Mr. Altman. Mr. PODESTA. No, he works for Secretary Bentsen, but I think the point is fair. Senator DODD. The point I'm trying to get at is if we're concerned about this and here is someone who can maybe shed some light on what Mr. Altman's testimony was, what it should have been, why wouldn't you have raised the question with Mr. Steiner about the content of Mr. Altman's testimony? Mr. PODESTA. I may have, Senator, but I don't recall that. I think we had, as I said, a series of very brief information telephone calls. Senator DODD. Now, that hearing was televised on C-SPAN I believe, and I presume it was being carried live, but I don't know that. Was it being carried live? You had the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board and others, the Secretary of the Treasury. Did you have-were you monitoring the hearing live? Mr. PODESTA. I was not. Senator DODD. Was anyone in the White House monitoring that hearing live? Mr. PODESTA. No, I don't think so. Senator DODD. You don't know. OK. Now, did you agree with Mr. Eggleston when he called and I gather said gee what did he tell you in that phone conversation? When did he call or what do you know that he may have said, not to you but to your office? I'm sorry. Mr. PODESTA. Why don't I testify to what 1 know which is the next day I think. He came to me and said Mr. Altman was asked to describe the meeting on February 2nd. He described it, he did not say that the topic of recusal had come up. He was concerned about that. Senator DODD. Who is this saying this? Mr. PODESTA- Mr. Eggleston said that to me. Senator DODD. Did he tell you that he felt that Mr. Altman had not answered candidly and honestly to this Committee? Mr. PODESTA. He was concerned that that was not-I'm not sure I would use the term "candid and honest," I think he was concerned that the full information was not provided to the Committee. Senator DODD, Had you read the testimony, by the way, the full transcript of the hearing at this point? Mr. PODESTA. No, I had not. Senator DODD. Had Mr. Eggleston read the transcript? Mr. PODESTA. No, he had not. Senator DODD. Had he talked with Mr. Altman? Mr. PODESTA. No, not to the best of my knowledge. Senator DODD. So in a subsequent conversation now with Mr. Altman, confronted with the information that he should have included that, as I understood your testimony a while ago to one of our colleagues here, Mr. Altman challenged that in fact he had not 446 been forthcoming because he interpreted the questions differently than Mr. Eggleston had. Mr. PODESTA. I wouldn't put that gloss on it. I think that Mr. Altman-when I raised the--specifically what I think I was referring to was Senator Bond's question and I read or paraphrased, I think I actually read it to him. He said that's correct, that he had no knowledge of the meetings and I believed him. Senator DODD. All right. My time is up Mr. Chairman, may I ask one clarification question. lt goes back to a moment ago and again comes back to the issue that was raised over the conflicting testimony between Ms. Hanson and Mr. Altman regarding the September 29th meeting. I think the record, if it's going to be consistent, should reflect that it's Ms. Hanson's recollection that she went to that meeting under the direction of Mr. Altman. Mr. Altman's testimony is that that was not the case, that he does not recall sending her there. The statements are being made that there you have a conflict between two people and I think to draw the conclusion that Mr. Altman should have mentioned the 29th meeting when pursuant to his own testimony he doesn't recall that at all and therefore would not have necessarily brought it up on the 24th, if you're to believe him that he did not recall that. I just want to make that point. Senator SARBANES. Fine. Senator Mack. Senator MACK. Thank you, Senator Sarbanes. Mr. Lindsey, I'd like to address a question to you. Mr. LINDSEY, Yes, sir. Senator MAC And it's going to cover a period of time from basi- callv September 30th to October 4th and 7th. Mr. LINDSEY. OR Senator MACK. But before I run through kind of a series of points you had a phone conversation with Jim Lyons on October 4th, I think? Mr. LINDSEY. I believe it was October the 4th, yes, sir. Senator MACK. Do you remember whether you made that call or he did? Mr. LINDSEY. I believe he called the White House. I was in California with the President. The phone call got relayed to me in California and I think I probably returned it.