August 5, 1994 - Part 3
August 5, 1994 - Part 3
(14:01:37) How does this confidential information help the White House deal with press leaks? Were they going to deliver it to reporters? How did this information help shield the President from embarrassment? Did it keep the President away from Governor Tucker? Second, it will not do to say that the recusal decision was a tempest in a teapot. The top officials of the White House and the Treasury spent too much time agonizing over how to keep Roger Altman involved. But for the unexpected congressional extension of the statute of limitations, Mr. Altman would have been the final decisionmaker in Madison. At bottom, the question is why were they so afraid to leave the White House "defenseless" without Altman? Third, we must also decide if, as Mr. Ickes testified, nonpublic information was revealed by Altman to the White House on February 2. Why would he say so if it were not true? Can we accept his efforts to dilute his testimony? Robert Fiske's report said there was insufficient evidence to prove criminal wrongdoing. That conclusion, of course, reflects the extraordinary burden of proof (14:02:55)(tape #10101 ends)