July 20, 1995 - Part 2
July 20, 1995 - Part 2
(11:25:43) Mr. HINES. Yes, I was. senator SHELBY. Who else was present there at this briefing? Mr. HINES. There were several people. As I've said, Mr. Nussbaum was there. Senator SHELBY. Mr. Nussbaum was there. Mr. HINES. Mr. Hubbell was there. Senator SHELBY. Mr. Hubbell was there. Mr. HINES. Mr, Watkins was there. Senator SHELBY. Mr. Watkins was there. Mr. HINES. Mr. Stephanopoulos was there. Senator SHELBY. Stephanopoulos was there. Mr. HINES. There was a host of other people there. Senator SHELBY. Who was there, besides you, from the Park Police that you recall? Mr. HINES. Chief Robert Langston. Senator SHELBY. Were there any FBI agents there? Mr. HINES, I did not notice any FBI agents. Senator SHELBY. At that point? Mr. HINES. At that point. Senator SHELBY. Now, what was the purpose of the briefing, other than to tell them what your normal procedures were? Mr. HINES. Just a courtesy call, a protocol call to tell them what our procedures would be and we needed their assistance Senator SHELBY. What you needed to do? Mr. HINES. Yes. Senator SHELBY. What did you tell them you needed to do? Mr. HINES. That we wanted to go in and look at his office and we needed to interview his co-workers and determine his Senator SHELBY. You mean to search his office or look through his office? Mr. HINES. Look through his office for any indication of his state of mind and did he leave a suicide note. Senator SHELBY. Who was it that you were mainly talking to? Mr. Nussbaum? Mr. HINES. It was a whole group of people. I was addressing a whole group. Senator SHELBY. Was he the lead figure in the group, though? 171 Mr. HINES. He was-I couldn't characterize him as being the lead figure in the group. Senator SHELBY. What did he say when you said that? Did he say it was OK? Mr. HINES. I don't recall what he said or-I mean, I was addressing a whole group, so I didn't recall any specific Senator SHELBY. Did anybody object what you were talking to about, going in the office at that time to look through the office looking for anything that would help you in your investigation? Mr. HINES. No one objected at that time. Senator SHELBY. Did Mr. Stephanopoulos say basically, if you recall, that you should proceed as you would in any normal investigation? Mr. HINES. To the best of my recollection, that's what lie said. Senator SHELBY. OR About what time of the morning was this on July 21, 1993? Mr. HINES. It was between 10 and 11 a.m. Senator SHELBY. How long did you stay there? Mr. HINES. I would think about 45 minutes or an hour. Senator SHELBY. Did you proceed to go into the office? Mr. HINES, No, I did not. Senator SHELBY. What happened? Mr. HINES. It would not be my job to go into the office. Senator SHELBY, OK. Did you have people there that were ready to go into the office? Mr. HINES. I met Captain Hume and Detective Markland in the parking lot. Senator SHELBY. In the parking lot as you were leaving? Mr. HINES. Yes, I did. Senator SHELBY. What did you say to them, if anything? Mr. HINES. I told them, basically, that we had just briefed members of the White House staff and that we explained the investigative process that we'd be going through and they were expecting members of our Criminal Investigations Branch to be there. Senator SHELBY. Did anyone from the Park Police or the FBI that day, on July 21, 1993, go into Mr. Foster's office and look for evidence that would help you conclude your investigation? Mr. HINES. Not to my knowledge. Senator SHELBY. OK. Why didn't they go in there? Mr. HINES. I do not know. Senator SHELBY. Do you know if there was ever an agreement between the White House and the Justice Department setting out the parameters of a search of the office? Mr. HINES. I did not know of such an agreement until later on July 21, 1993. Senator SHELBY. You learned of it later? Mr. HINES. I learned of that later. Senator SHELBY. What time of the day did you learn of that? Mr. HINES. It was probably in the afternoon of July 21, 1993. Senator SHELBY. What was that agreement? What was the basis of that agreement? Mr. HINES, I only know that they had established a protocol. What was included in that protocol for the examination of the office, I do not know. 172 Senator SHELBY. Who would know in your- Mr. HINES. Captain Hume would probably know. Senator SHELBY, Captain Hume. Would any of these people here at the table know? Mr. HINES. No, they would not. Senator SHELBY. But, in any event, you were not able to go in that office to complete your investigation that day? Mr. HINES. On July 21, 1993, we were not in the office. Senator SHELBY. Did people from the Park Police go in on the following day, July 22, 1993? Mr. HINES. I believe, on July 22, 1993, they did go into the office Senator SHELBY. Was Mr. Nussbaum in the office then along with others? Mr. HINES. I was not present, but based on the knowledge that I have, yes, he was in the office. Senator SHELBY. Were you able-the Park Police-to conduct a normal investigation at the White House office that day, what you would call normal procedure? Mr. HINES. Any time you have a suicide of such a high member of the White House staff, I don't think any of that investigation would be normal. Senator SHELBY. Because of the high rank Mr. HINES. Because of the high-ranking figure Senator SHELBY. -and where he worked?