July 19, 1995 - Part 2
July 19, 1995 - Part 2
(11:25:18) Senator HATCH. In your deposition-I can't see what page---on page 13 of your deposition, it said "after the election"-the question was: Question: How did you become more familiar after the election? Answer: After the election, one of the things I assisted the transition in doing would he- was to assemble records that had been compiled during the campaign and make decisisons about what should happen to those and some of those files that had been at the campaign, and I determined whether they should go. So I was aware that there were files that were labeled Madison, Whitewater, things of that sort, that were in what we referred to as the Betsey files, Betsey Wright's files. Question: Where did they go? Answer: They ended up in my house. Question: Of all the files you're aware of? Answer: All the files I'm aware of, yes, of the Betsey files. Question: I take it they're not at your house today? Answer: No, they are not. Question: Where did they go after your house? Answer: They came to Washington and ultimately were delivered to David Kendall, the attorney for Mr. and Mrs. Clinton. Did they go to the White House or did they go Mr. HUBBELL. No, they never were in the White House, Senator. They were here in my house in Washington and, ultimately, almost all of the files I delivered to David Kendall. There were some small files that I delivered to another lawyer for the President. Senator HATCH. I see. Mr. HUBBELL. But none of them were delivered to the White House. Senator HATCH. Just two more answers. You say "I don't believe any of those files"-the question was: Question: What I'm trying to do, and I'm not trying to be clever, probably couldn't be at all. I'm trying to figure out if you ever became aware that any part of those assembled files were kept in the possession of Mr. Foster in his White House office? Answer: I don't believe any of those files were kept in his office. I was aware that Mr. Foster was working on some tax returns related to Whitewater, and I suspected that there were files, but I don't know. So you just suspected there were files that were transferred? 108 Mr. HUBBELL. What I'm trying to say, Senator, is that the files that I had in my possession that were the campaign files never made their way to the White House. I was, as I said in my deposition, aware that Vince worked on Whitewater tax return issues, and I assumed that. he had his own file, but they were not any of the campaign files. I never gave Vince any file that was from the campaign, and they never went to the White House. They all ended'. up in the hands of private counsel. Senator HATCH. I think my time is up. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Sarbanes. Senator SARBANES. Senator Moseley-Braun. OPENING COMMENTS OF SENATOR CAROL MOSELEY-BRAUN Senator MOSELEY-BRAUN. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to take the witness back to July 20, 1993, and to talk about the circumstances in which you received information regarding Vince Foster's death. How were you informed of Vince Foster's passing? Mr. HUBBELL. Senator, I was beeped at a restaurant. I went to a public phone, and I was told that Vince had been found dead and that it was an apparent suicide. I immediately left the restaurant and tried to get to a private phone so I could have a more substantive conversation. Senator MOSELEY-BRAUN. You were told that by George Stephanopoulos? Mr, HUBBELL. That's correct. Senator MOSELEY-BRAUN. Was there any suggestion in that discussion that it was other than a suicide, that there may have been foul play involved? Mr. HUBBELL. No. I said that can't be true. I said are you sure it's Vince? Are you sure it isn't his son? He said, Webb, it was Vince and it's an apparent suicide. Senator MOSELEY-BRAUN. What did you do then, after you made the phone call? Mr. HUBBELL. As I said, I went home, but I was locked out of my own house so I went to a neighbor's and called George back. Senator MOSELEY-BRAUN. Then, according to your deposition, you got together with and advised two of Vince Foster's sisters? Mr. HUBBELL. Yes. George said, Webb, the Park Police and David Watkins are on their way to Lisa's house. You need to get there as soon as possible. I asked George had anybody talked to Sheila? He said no, you need to tell them, and so Sheila's house is cattycornered from mine, and I walked across the street. As it turned out, Sharon, his other sister, was visiting Sheila from Little Rock I mean, Sharon, being from Little Rock, had come up that day, and so I told them both at Sheila's house. I told them what I had been told, and we all went to Lisa Foster's house afterwards. Senator MOSELEY-BRAUN. You arrived at Mrs. Foster's-Lisa Foster's house, according to your deposition, about the same time that the Park Police did? Mr. HUBBELL. That's correct. Senator MOSELEY-BRAUN. Did you relate to her the news of her husband's death or did the Park Police? 109 Mr. HUBBELL. I asked to, but the Park Police said that was their job, and they had to do it. Senator MOSELEY-BRAUN. Were you there when they did it? Mr. HUBBELL. I was outside the door, but I was right behind them. Senator MOSELEY-BRAUN. Did the Park Police advise her-in advising her of her husband's death, did they advise her it was a Suicide or homicide? Do you have any recollection of that conversation?