July 20, 1995 - Part 3
July 20, 1995 - Part 3
(11:50:18) The CHAIRMAN. I understand that. But under such circumstances, a suicide, looking for a note, entering the person's office, looking on the top of the desk or in any of the pull-out drawers to see if there is any note or any information, you would go through the diaries. If there was a briefcase there and you had found one, wouldn't you look Ms. BRAUN. If this was something that he carried back and forth with him between work and home, yes. The CHAIRMAN. OK. I just wanted to find out your procedure. Senator Faircloth. OPENING COMMENTS OF SENATOR LAUCH FAIRCLOTH Senator FAIRCLOTH, Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Detective Rolla, it's nice to have you back after a year. Mr. ROLLA. Thank you, Senator. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Earlier you said that you had been, and I quote, "stonewalled," and weren't getting any cooperation from the people at the Foster home. Were you surprised that no one at the Foster home seemed to want you to investigate Mr. Foster's death? Mr. ROLLA. That word "stonewalled" is creeping up. I never got the impression that no one wanted me to not-or they wanted me not to investigate the death. "Stonewalled" might be-as I think I testified last time-maybe it was too strong of a word. It's a word I used. I used that word in connection with-I believe they had the information that he was suffering depression, that they did give him names of doctors, that he was receiving medication from a doctor in Arkansas for depression and that-it would have been much simpler circumstances to take us aside, if they wanted to do it privately, to have somebody tell us that, that there was some problem. Having knowledge and not giving it is what I would interpret as stonewalling. Senator FAIRCLOTH. OK. Mr. Rolla, would you please tell me about your conversation' with Mr. Markland in reference to the White House's stonewalling of the Park Police's investigation in the period from July 20, 1993? 180 Mr. ROLLA. Again, this is 2 years ago, and I don't have any exact recollection. I remember that lie and Captain Hume were upset on July 21, 1993, 1 believe, the first day they went up there. They were not treated properly or very nicely. No respect was given to them and I don't have any exact-I know they were angry about the way they were treated at the White House. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Let me ask you another question. We'll move through these. On July 28, 1993, you were at the office of Jim Hamilton, Vince Foster's attorney, and you were there to examine' material from Mr. Foster's office; is that right? Mr. ROLLA. That's correct. Senator FAIRCLOTH. In those files was there a diary? Mr. ROLLA. Yes, there was. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Did you ask Mr. Hamilton to see the diary? Mr. ROLLA. Yes. Senator FAIRCLOTH, What was his response? Mr. ROLLA. For some reason Mr. Hamilton put up a small front to us looking at the diary, that it was personal documents or whatever. Myself and Lieutenant Kass were there. Lieutenant Kass told Mr. Hamilton that these were the only documents we were allowed to see from the office and we were finally getting to look at them, If there was possible evidence, we were going to look at these documents. We're not trying to embarrass anyone, but we have an investigation. We're going to look at what you give us here and if there is something we need, we're going to take it. Senator FAIRCLOTH. But you got a chance to look at the diary, didn't you? Mr. ROLLA. Yes, I looked at it. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Was there anything in it about Whitewater? Mr, ROLLA. Not to my recollection. It was--only 10 to 15 pages had writing on them. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Was there anything else that you thought might have led to a suicide or any troubling instant or issue with the White House? Was there anything there? Mr. ROLLA. No. Senator FAIRCLOTH, Let me refresh your memory. You told the FBI in an interview dated December 22, 1993, there was nothing that would indicate depression or any interest in suicide. Mr. ROLLA. That's correct, there wasn't. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Yet you mentioned there was a party at the Governor's Mansion following Bill Clinton's election as President., Mr. Foster makes mention of this in his diary. I about this, Why did you think it was important to tell the FBI and did Mr. Foster say anything in his diary that you want to tell us? Mr. ROLLA. I 'm sorry, they handed me this document I was looking at- mentioning the party at the Governor's Mansion?