February 28, 2008
Congress Asks for Investigation of Clemens' Statements
Photo of Roger Clemens looking at Brian McNamee by AP/Susan Walsh
Roger Clemens asked for a chance to testify in Congress and now he had better be prepared to face the consequences of that choice. Congressmen Henry Waxman and Tom Davis have sent a letter to the Attorney General asking him to investigate if Clemens committed perjury or made false statements in his testimony to the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Among the questions raised are contradictions between testimony from Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and Brian McNamee’s. In an 18-page memorandum prepared by House staffers, seven different instances where Clemens may have lied are presented, including the infamous pool party and his wife’s use of HGH.
Now Clemens’ fate is in the hands of the same men who led the BALCO investigation, successfully indicted Barry Bonds for perjury and sent Marion Jones to prison. Clemens could face 18-24 months in jail if convicted of perjury. That may ultimately depend on Pettitte, whose testimony is the key to this case and he will surely be called to face investigators again. For the Yankees, it's an unwelcome distraction for an important player. For Pettitte, it puts him in the uncomfortable position of having to testify against a friend, “I think you all know how I feel about it. I was prepared for it happening but I hate it.”
As for Clemens, he isn’t saying anything for once. And that's a good thing, lest he offer up another choice comment like this, “I think everybody is thinking that I’m sitting around with my hands buried in my head or something. I don’t get where everybody is coming from.”
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where's barry bonds?
Because Congress has nothing better to to...
Like address the LIES Bush told to get the US into an illegal war.
The mortage problems, the economy, the rape of the constitution.
Yes sir, steroids, baseball, and Clemens lying is sooooo much more important than all that stuff.
These clowns need to be removed from their positions and congress need to be restocked with people who can actually address reall isues facing the country.
Why is our congress wasting time and money on this? Shouldn't they be addressing real issues? This seems like such a huge waste of time and money.
Why is our congress wasting time and money on this? Shouldn't they be addressing real issues? This seems like such a huge waste of time and money.
i was going to say it, Pizza Time, but you beat me to it.
I'll have what ^^Pizza Time^^ is cooking.
this is important too, the war is more important but congress isn't about just one issue.
Pizza Time: are you asking our politicians (civil servants) to actually do real hard work? Instead of grandstanding for the TV cameras? I don't know if they're qualified to make hard decisions.
Much easier to pander to the TV cameras. And the Mass Media is only to happy to play along - they are incapable of asking the hard questions.
All the issues raised above deserve the time and attention of Congress. The war, if the President lied, the economy, predatory lending, the securitization of mortgages, etal. As does steroids in sports. Here is why. Congress has jurisdiction over the nation's drug policy, and attendant health risks. An entire culture/business (sports in general and baseball specifically), with the seeming acquiescence and encouragement of business organizations through ownership and management making huge money profits by exemptions from federal and state laws and occasional tax payer financing, has been affected by the presence of illegal performance enhancing drugs. In addition to it being a potentially massive fraud perpetrated on anyone who has attended a game or pays for tv, there is a huge concern on how 'steroids in baseball' has effected kids. I don't have kids and I don't watch baseball, but I think that is why it is important.
Of course, think about the children.
Why doesn't Congress does something really brave and remove MLB's antitrust exemption? That would take guts.
Also if they are obsessed with performance enhancing drug use among celebrities, investigate the NFL (really?), the NBA (really really?) and hey, why not Hollywood? Kids worship showbiz celebs as well as sports stars.