The Pink Flamingo :: Why Is Congress Probing Clemens and Not Bonds?

Two weeks ago my mother told me the Dems in Congress would seek to destroy Roger Clemens but let Barry Bonds get out of jail free, so to speak. I told her she was wrong. Unfortunately she is right.

I think we have established that Clemens is self-serving and no one really likes him. I don’t think he deserves this kind of treatment. A person is innocent until proven guilty. But when does this just start becoming a witch hunt?

“…The Daily News has learned that in the days since the Feb. 13 public hearing on steroids in baseball, another major leaguer has informed congressional investigators that Clemens often joked in the clubhouse about a memorable account of the party - a scene in which Debbie Clemens and Canseco's ex-wife Jessica compared the results of their surgical breast enhancements.The new revelation adds to the probability that Congress will make a criminal referral of the matter to the Justice Department, which lawyers on both sides have told the News was always a likelihood. Clemens' accuser Brian McNamee, in sworn testimony on Feb. 7 before lawyers for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, had already shared the anecdote to explain why the party was memorable….”

My honest opinion is this is just all so trashy and tacky.

As you know I’ve been covering this story for several weeks. I am not a Clemens fan. In fact, when the info about the Mitchell Report was leaked, I suggested he fry as an example. I’ve reached the point now though, where I think he and that Duke Lacrosse team may have a lot in common.

I never really paid that much attention to his career. I could care less about him, only there is something that truly bothers me about this whole mess.

What if he is innocent?

Why aren’t they going after Barry Bonds?

“…House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Henry Waxman and ranking Republican Tom Davis sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, urging more scrutiny of Clemens' statements in a Feb. 5 sworn deposition and at a Feb. 13 public hearing where he said he "never used anabolic steroids or human growth hormone." "That testimony is directly contradicted by the sworn testimony of Brian McNamee, who testified that he personally injected Mr. Clemens with anabolic steroids and human growth hormone," the congressmen wrote. "Mr. Clemens's testimony is also contradicted by the sworn deposition testimony and affidavit submitted to the committee by Andrew Pettitte, a former teammate of Mr. Clemens, whose testimony and affidavit reported that Mr. Clemens had admitted to him in 1999 or 2000 that he had taken human growth hormone," the letter said…. "Now we are done with the circus of public opinion, and we are moving to the courtroom," Clemens' lead lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "Thankfully, we are now about to enter an arena where there are rules and people can be held properly accountable for outrageous statements."

McNamee, Clemens' former personal trainer, told federal prosecutors, baseball investigator George Mitchell and Congress that he injected the seven-time Cy Young Award winner at least 16 times with human growth hormone and steroids from 1998 to 2001. Clemens repeatedly and vigorously denied the allegations.
Congress turned its attention to the matter because Clemens' denials questioned the legitimacy of the Mitchell Report, prepared by the former Senate majority leader and released in December…..
Instead, only Clemens faces additional scrutiny, after the committee decided not to refer McNamee.
"Roger has known since December that if he publicly took the position he has taken, this would be the result. The good news is we are now going to be on a level playing field," Hardin told the AP. "These matters are now going to be decided in court and by the ultimate lie detector—a jury. I am comfortable that when a jury hears this case ... they will conclude that Roger did not use steroids or growth hormone and he is telling the truth and that McNamee's allegations are totally false."… Clemens' prominent place in the Mitchell Report tainted the legacy of a man who ranks eighth in major league history with 354 wins. Now his legal fate could rest with the Justice Department, which must decide whether to follow the recommendation and open a probe….

The Feb. 13 hearing generally divided along party lines, with Democrats giving Clemens a rougher time, and Republicans reserving their toughest questions for McNamee. "Given the letter that the committee has sent out, the Republicans who attacked him owe him an apology because of the manner in which they went after him, calling him a 'drug dealer,' a `liar,'" Ward said. "The decision to send out a referral letter says quite clearly that Brian McNamee told the truth." Waxman and Davis jointly appealed to the Justice Department. "For the good of the investigation and integrity of the committee, we've asked the Department of Justice to get to the bottom of this," Davis said. Davis was the chairman of the committee when it held its 2005 hearing with Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro.

"We are not in a position to reach a definitive judgment as to whether Mr. Clemens lied to the committee," Waxman and Davis wrote to Mukasey. "Our only conclusion is that significant questions have been raised about Mr. Clemens's truthfulness and that further investigation by the Department of Justice is warranted. We ask that you initiate such an investigation." Justice spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said the department "is reviewing the letter and has no further comment at this time." "Roger knew all along that if he told what he knew to be the truth, he would be getting a criminal referral, yet he still chose to testify both by deposition under oath and in public under oath," Hardin said. "That should tell you something about how deeply he believes in what he is saying…."

The talking points against Clemens.
Clemens “Seven Deadly Sins”
The Politico

THE PHOTO
I find this whole thing rather fascinating. Why are we defending the reputation of a known liar? Read this. In other words, this kid who was at the party sends a picture to McNamee attorney because big bad Republican Dan Burton beat up on poor widdle Brian McNamee. Is this a political witch hunt? NOTE: I lost the URL for this, but want to use it.

“…Brian McNamee, Clemens' former trainer, has told federal investigators and Congress that Clemens was at the party and talked about steroid use with Canseco, while the seven-time Cy Young Award winner has vehemently disputed such claims. Clemens reiterated those denials before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform last week. Canseco likewise submitted an affidavit to the committee that corroborates the Rocket's version of events. In his testimony before Congress, Clemens told ranking member Tom Davis (R-Va.), "So could I have gone by (Canseco's) house later that afternoon and dropped my wife or her brother-in-law, the people that golfed with me? Sure, I could have. But at the time of the day that I would have expressed it to be, I was on my way to the ballpark. I know one thing. I wasn't there having huddled up with somebody trying to do a drug deal. I know that for sure."

Clemens attorney Rusty Hardin issued a statement Friday that in part reverses course. "We know that baseball announcers broadcasting the games at the time said Roger was not at the party. Jose Canseco has said Roger was not at the party, as has Canseco's former wife. Roger was playing golf at the time of the party, and has stated that he may have stopped by the Canseco house after playing golf before heading to the ballpark for the game," read Hardin's statement. The proof Clemens attended may also lie in photographs from the party. As The News first reported, McNamee attorney Richard Emery was informed of the existence of the photograph that allegedly shows Clemens and the young man at Canseco's home. Emery also told The News a second photograph exists, showing Canseco posing with the same boy on the same day."I don't know anything about it. No one's talked to me or Jose. No one's said anything about it. We don't know the validity of (the photos)," Robert Saunooke, the attorney for Canseco, told The News on Friday. "There's no doubt that Roger Clemens has been to Jose's house. But the question was (about) this particular date for a barbecue and that didn't happen. You can take a picture of me every day of the week and I can say, 'This is one day and that's another.' How are you going to tell which day you took the photo of me?"

According to Emery, the photos in question have been turned over to federal investigators and Congress. Emery told The News that McNamee's lawyers, including Earl Ward, were called by the father of the boy in the photo following the Feb. 13 hearing in which Clemens faced off against McNamee. The boy was about 11 at the time the photo was taken.
The father of the boy informed McNamee's lawyers that he was frustrated by the attacks on McNamee, particularly those of committee member Dan Burton (R-Ind.), who repeatedly called McNamee a liar. The man told the lawyers about the photo of his son, and also that he had contacted Hardin before the hearing….”