August 4, 1994 - Part 11
August 4, 1994 - Part 11
(21:30:25) Senator SHELBY. What do you recall was the recommendation of these other people here as far as confirming this criminal referral, yours was that you said don't do it and Jack DeVore obviously says do it and what was Mr. Nussbaum's? Mr. LINDSEY. I think Mr. Nussbaum also raised a question about whether we should be confirming senator SHELBY. In other words, don't do it. What about Mr. Eggleston? Mr. LINDSEY. I don't remember whether he had an opinion. senator SHELBY. What about Mr. Sloan? Mr. LINDSEY. I don't remember that he expressed an opinion. Senator SHELBY. What about Jean Hanson? Mr. LINDSEY. I don't remember in this conversation that she expressed an opinion on this point. Senator SHELBY. She didn't say a word on this? Mr. LINDSEY. She has indicated, I think, that she had begun some sort of check with Treasury to find out-because she had been told the same thing I understood by Mr. DeVore whether or not that was, in fact, Treasury policy but I don't remember that she indicated that in the meeting. Senator SHELBY. OK I thank the Senator from New York for his time. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Faircloth. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Lindsey. Mr. LINDSEY. Yes, sir. senator FAIRCLOTH. I understand that you corrected your earlier testimony that you first heard of Madison Guaranty in 1989, not 1979. Mr. LINDSEY. No--well, the issue was not when I first heard Senator FAIRCLOTH. The investigation. Mr. LINDSEY. That's correct. Senator FAIRCLOTH. When was the first time you learned that the Clintons were named in criminal referrals? Mr. LINDSEY. September 30th or October 1st. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Of? Mr. LINDSEY. Of 1993. Senator FAIRCLOTH. You earlier testified that at times you handled press inquiries relating to matters in Arkansas involving President Clinton, Mr. LINDSEY. Correct. 454 Senator FAIRCLOTH. Do you know the current Governor of Arkan- sas, Jim Guy Tucker? Mr. LINDSEY. Yes, I do. Senator FAIRCLOTH. flow long have you known him, Jim Guy Tucker? Mr. LINDSEY. Oh, since the 1960's. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Are you aware that Jim Guy Tucker came to Washington to meet with President Clinton on October 1993? Mr. LINDSEY. Yes, sir. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Were you present at the meeting? Mr. LINDSEY. No, sir, I was not. I understand Keith Mason of the Intergovernmental Affairs Office at the White House was present at the meeting. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Who was at the meeting? Mr. LINDSEY. I understand the President, Jim Guy Tucker and Mr. Mason. The CHAIRMAN, Let me just say--excuse me, Senator Faircloth, that you've been very willing to let me express a concern and I appreciate that. I think, I don't know where the line of questioning is going, but I think this brings into focus another scope issue and I know you want to get as close to the line as you can without going over it so I just want to raise that concern. Senator FAIRCLOTH. All right. Well, we'll see where I am with this one. Did President Clinton discuss his meeting with Jim Guy Tucker with you? Mr. LINDSEY. No, sir-beforehand? Senator FAIRCLOTH. After or before either one. Mr. LINDSEY. Well, not beforehand. Afterwards I was asked by the press whether or not Madison or Whitewater came up. I asked the President that question and he indicated to me it had not come up. To that extent I discussed the meeting with the President after the fact. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Mr. Lindsey, did you receive any press inqueries into the possible relationship between the meeting of Bill Clinton and Jim Guy Tucker and the RTC criminal referrals? Mr. LINDSEY. No, sir. Senator FAIRCLOTH. You did not? Mr. LINDSEY. I had a general inquiry from the press as to whether or not Whitewater/Madison, the David Hale matter, whether any of those issues came up during their meeting. Senator FAIRCLOTH. This is an important question so take your time and think. Mr. LINDSEY. I asked the President that question. There was no The CHAIRMAN. Let me just interject here. I think it's fair to say because I know that Mr. Hale in whatever testimony he may be giving in cooperation with the Special Prosecutor now in an active investigation, I don't think we ought to in a sense go on into that area. It would be my view that that raises the scope question here and it would also be my view that we ought not to pursue discussion in that area at this time. There will be a chance to do that later on down the line when the Special Counsel clears this item for us to review, but I think at this point that would not be within our scope, our proper scope. 455 Mr. LINDSEY. Mr. Chairman, may I? There is a letter that Mr. Cutler wrote to the Chairman on the House side outlining the meeting with the President and a memo from Marcia Hale to the President with respect to that meeting. Could I ask that it be included in the record?