July 20, 1995 - Part 3
July 20, 1995 - Part 3
(12:15:45) Mr. HINES. At the first meeting we had been unable to search the room, Senator MURKOWSKI. You told him that? Mr. HINES. Yes. Senator MURKOWSKI. What was his response? Mr. HINES, He said to keep him apprised of the situation and he would look into the matter. Senator MURKOWSKI, It was just a matter of fact; you made the statement, and he acknowledged that he would search Mr. HINES. He acknowledged. Senator MURKOWSKI. Did there come a time when you were advised that Hume and Markland were allowed to actually enter Vince Foster's office? Mr. HINES. Yes, they entered the office the next day. Senator MURKOWSKI. Were others there then, do you know? Mr. HINES. From their reports there were others. They initially didn't tell me the others. Senator MURKOWSKI. This was 2 days after Foster's death? Mr. HINES. Yes, it was. Senator MURKOWSKI, That was the first time the Park Service was in that office? Mr. HINES. Yes, Senator, that was the first time the Park Police were in the office. Senator MURKOWSKI. In spite of the direction by the Park Service to David Watkins to seal the office, and that direction was given by the Park Service Police, that direction clearly resulted in you, representing the Park Service Police, not getting in there for 2 days? Mr. HINES. Senator, when we say direction, when the U.S. Park Police, a Subunit in the Department of Interior-we requested, I think was the word we used to seal that office. I don't think we have 'authority to direct anyone in the White House to seal an office. Senator MURKOWSKI. Do you recall any reports from Hume and Markland with regard to their visit to Mr. Foster's office? Mr. HINES. I recall the report, yes. Senator MURKOWSKI. Can you elaborate? What do you recall? 188 Mr. HINES. I recall what I have previously said, that they did not see any documents at all, that Mr, Nussbaum controlled all of the examinations of the documents. Senator MURKOWSKI. I would assume "control" means Mr. Nussbaum, what, did he conduct the search in your opinion? Mr. HINES. He would look through a document, say this is either lawyer material or this is personal matters, and put them in little stacks. Senator MURKOWSKI. My last question. Mr. Hines, I believe you testified that you thought the Park Police would have found Mr. Foster's note if you had been allowed to search the office without interference; is that correct? Mr. HINES. I believe we would have found the note in the briefcase, yes. Senator MURKOWSKI. In fact-and I'm quoting from a conversation you had with Captain Hume which you related to us during your deposition. I quote: When I talked to Captain Hume in relation to this, I said we would have found the note because we would have been looking in the office and found his briefcase, and he said, 'Yeah, our oldest, blindest detective would have found the note,' which is true. If it had been in the briefcase the morning that we were in there and we would have looked into it, we would have found it. I see you agreed with his assessment. I assume you do today. Mr. HINES. Yes, Senator, had we looked into that briefcase, I'm confident that any one of our detectives would have found the note in the briefcase. Senator MURKOWSKI. Mr. Hines, you also stated in your deposition that the Chief of Staff of the Park Police received the note via the Justice Department 30 hours after the White House discovered it. When asked what you knew about the process of the note being turned over, you stated "they,"' I assume the White House, "had a lot of high-powered people to decide to release the note to the Park Police." Wasn't the Attorney General the one who ultimately told the White House to turn it over to the Park Police? Mr. HINES. From the reports I have read, that is my understanding. Senator MURKOWSKI. Having taken 30 hours to produce that note, would you consider that to be interference with your investigation? Mr. HINES. I would not call it interference. I think they were very cautious in their release of the note, though. Senator MURKOWSKI. I would refer to your deposition, but I'll conclude. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator. Senator SARBANES. Senator Bryan. OPENING COMMENTS OF SENATOR RICHARD H. BRYAN Senator BRYAN. Thank you very much, Senator Sarbanes. I'd like to make a preliminary observation and compliment each of you not only in terms of what you did on the evening in question and the events that followed that, but on your very professional demeanor, I think the American people watching your testimony can feel very proud that they have some very dedicated professionals who are called in under very difficult circumstances to make some decisions 189 and judgments about how to handle a tragic suicide of a high-ranking public official in the White House. Mr. HINES. Thank you, Senator.